Habitat: Native to Brazil; cultivated as an ornamental.
English: Tua-Tua.Ayurvedic: Rakta-Vyaaghrairanda.Siddha/Tamil: Stalai.Folk: Laal Bagharenda.Action: Leaf and seed—purgative. Leaf—antidermatosis. Bark— emmenagogue. Seed—emetic. Seed fatty oil—used in paralytic affections, also in skin diseases.
The leaves contain triterpenes, a tri- hydroxy ketone and corresponding diosphenol. The root contains the diterpenes, jatropholone A and jat- rophatrione. A tumour-inhibitor ma- crocyclic diterpene, jatrophone, has been isolated from roots.The seeds contain phorbol derivatives, jatropholones A and B, hydroxy- jatrophone and hydroxyisojatrophone.Hot water extract of the plant exhibits antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum.