Asam gelugor (Garcinia atroviridis)
Common names
asam gelugor, asam keping (Malaysia), asam gelugor, asam potong, asem gelugar (Indonesia), somkhack (India), suan zhu (Chinese)
Descriptions
- belong to Clusiaceae family
- a tall tree growing to a height of about 25 m.
- the leaves are long and narrow with curved edges and pointed tip
- the shoots and young leaves are bright pink, while the older leaves are dark green with a smooth shiny surface
- the flowers are borne at the end of the twigs
- the fruit are hand down at the end of the twigs, have 12-16 lobes with smooth green skin that turns orange-yellow when ripe. The flesh in the ripe fruit is firm and orange
Traditional uses
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used as flavouring agent in cooking as it provide sour sensation in dishes to replace tamarind
Fruit: sliced, dried
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for earache
Leaves and roots: decoction
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used as pre and postpartum medication in treating stomach-ache due to pregnancy
Fruit: mixing with a lotion made with vinegar (rub over abdomen after confinement)
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improve blood circulation and cure coughs
Fruit: dried
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to relieve headache
Riped fruit: sliced and placed at the head
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treat high blood pressure
The shoots
Preparation/ part of plants used
Chemical constituents
Fruit: citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid, pentadecanoic acid, nonadecanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, hydroxycitric acid, 2-(butoxycarbonylmethyl)- 3-butoxycarbonyl-2-hydroxy-3-propanolide, 1’,1”-dibutyl methyl hydroxycitrate, -β-caryophyllene, β-caryophyllene alcohol and α-humulene
Stem bark: atroviridin, triflavone, garcineflavanone A and a biflavonol, garcineflavonol A
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Root: benzoquinone atrovirinone, depsidone atrovirisidone, 4-methylhydroatrovirinone and morelloflavone and 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, fukugiside, together with 14-cis-docosenoic acid, atrovirisidone B, together with naringenin and 3,8”-binaringenin