Abstract

TEAK (TECTONA GRANDIS LINN.) A RENOWNED TIMBER PLANT WITH POTENTIAL MEDICINAL VALUES

Reena Bhatt* and Dr. Arvind Negi

ABSTRACT

Tectona grandis Linn. (Teak) locally known as Sagwan/sagon, belongs to Lamiaceae(Verbenaceae) family, is one of the most valuable timber plant in the world, which is a native to South and Southeast Asia and is renowned for its dimensional stability, extreme durability and hard which is due to its beautiful surface and its resistance to termite and fungal damage even when unprotected by paints and preservatives The main active ingredient compounds that are responsible for these action are tocoquinone, lapachol and deoxy lapachol. Naphthoquinones, anthraquinones and isoprenoid quinones are abundant metabolites in teak. In addition to these, teak contains several other phytochemicals such as triterpenoids, flavonoids, steroids, lignans, fatty esters, tannins, proteins, resins, anthraquinone-naphthoquinone pigments, diterpenes phenolic compounds& dye. Teak is moreover considered as a major constituent in many of the traditional medicines because of the therapeutic potential it is possessed with. Pharmacologically, the plant has been investigated for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, Antimicrobial, antiarthritic, cytotoxic, anti-bacterial, anti-tyrosinase, anti-diabetic, anti-nociceptive, anti termitic, anti-pyretic, cytotoxic, analgesic, hypoglycaemic, wound healing and ant plasmodial, hair growth properties, allelopathic activities. This review summarizes the chemistry and pharmacological profile of Tectona grandis. The sapwood is white to pale yellow in colour and clearly demarcated while heartwood is dark brown or dark golden yellow in colour. Teak is one of the most durable timbers in the world, practically, impervious to fungus and white ant attack and resistant to decay. Teak wood is used in ship and boat constructions, furnitures and aesthetic needs. Genetic improvement programmes have been undertaken in countries like Thailand, India, Malaysia and Indonesia. The programme includes provenance identification and testing, plus tree selection and clonal multiplication, establishment of seed orchards and controlled hybridization. Several aspects like phenology, reproductive biology, fruit characteristics, silvicultural practices for cultivation, pest and diseases problems, production of improved planting stock, harvesting and marketing, wood properties and future tree improvement strategy to enhance productivity have been discussed in this paper.

Keywords: Tectona grandis, Timber, Plantation, Genetic improvement.