Action: Bark—astringent, an- tidiarrhoeal. Flowers—used in prescriptions for menorrhagia. Stem and fruit—hypotensive.
The bark contains vanillic acid, be- tulin, betulinic acid, kaempferol, quer- cetin, myricetin, apigenin and apige- nin-7-O-glucoside. The bark also contains several N-formyl cyclopeptide alkaloids.The triterpene saponins isolated from the bark showed CNS depressant, tranquilizing and analgesic activity in albino rats and produced no hepato- toxicity. The cyclopeptide alkaloids of the plant show antibacterial as well as antifungal activity.