Description

Headache Tree is a small tree/shrub in the family Lamiaceae. Premna serratifolia is a shrub found in Kerala. This herb with fragrant leaves is used in Ayurveda for various medicinal purposes. Also known by the Sanskrit name Agnimantha. The root of the aphid is an element used in decimals. It mostly grow in moist sandy soil and scrub jungles along seacoasts and mangrove forests. In the Philippines, particularly in Cebu Island, it is usually found in the interior, watery forests of Southern Cebu. It is commonly called "Kulawin" in the Cebuano Local Dialect.

Characteristics:

Headache Tree is an evergreen shrub, 1-8 m tall. Leaves are 3-15 cm long, 2.5-9.5cm wide. Flowers are pale green 1.5-3 mm across, borne in flat-topped clusters about 10-20 cm across. Fruits are black, 3-4 mm long. Flowering: April-October. During flowering season, it attracts a large number of butterflies and bees. Premna species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects. Flowering/Fruiting: August-March.

Medicinal Uses:

In Ayurveda, Headache trees are also used as a remedy for gout in addition to being used in decimals. It is also used as an antidote for indigestion, fever, colds, tumors and skin diseases. 5 leaves taken in the morning on an empty stomach will cure intestinal ulcers. It can be used as an aphrodisiac for many childhood ailments. The plant is used as a food in Malaysian and Indonesian regions, where the leaves and roots are used to relieve shortness of breath and to increase breast milk in women. According to a study in Bangladesh, aphids can be used to nourish the heart.