ABSTRACT
Antiaris toxicaria (Pers.) Lesch. is a “Poisonous Plant” belonging to the Moraceae family. It is commonly known as antiaris, bark cloth tree, false iroko, bemu, Ipoh, false mvule or upas tree, Chandkuda, and poison arrow tree. It is an important plant for its veneer, plywood and ethanomedicinal properties. The bark latex is used for dart and arrow poisons, darts and blow darts, while the leaves, bark and seeds are used as an anodyne, antidysenteric and febrifuge as well as utilized for the treatment of hepatitis. The bark latex contains cardiac glycosides, viz., Antiarin and Convallatoxin, and cardenolide cardiac glycosides, such as antiarosides, antiarotoxinin, phenylpropanoid, prenylflavanones and lignan derivatives. It has been shown to possess various pharmacological properties such as antibacterial activities, anti-arrhythmic, anti-osteoporosis, epilepsy, anticonvulsant activity, antidepressant-like activity, treating mental illness and anti-tumor activity. The present chapter summarizes the recent knowledge on the phytoconstituents and pharmacological applications of A. toxicaria.
