A Mixture of Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica )and Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida) as an alternative Rodenticide

An Investigatory Project Presented to:
Department of Education

As an Entry to the:
2014-2015 INTEL Philippines Science Fair

Crislyn Keith P. Torrefiel
(Proponent)

Mrs. Irene M. Cruz
Research Adviser

J.P. Rizal St. Bagong Silangan Quezon City
Bagong Silangan High School

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This investigatory project would never been accomplished without the effort, assistance and financial support of the people who willingly helped the researcher. In due recognition of all those who contributed to the success of this study, the researcher extend her utmost gratitude ad heartfelt appreciation of the following:

Mrs. Angelita Regis, Principal IV of Bagong Silangan High School
Sir. Edwin Abengoza, Head Teacher III of Science Department
Mrs. Irene M. Cruz, my Science teacher, who motivated and guided me on making such project,
My family, who gave me assistance and financial support.

ABSTRACT Rats and mice are house pests that carry germs-causing diseases. To eliminate them many resort to buying some expensive commercial rodenticide. Dispensing this commercial rodenticides is synthetically prepared. This commercial and synthetic rodenticides are also harmful to our environment. To solve this problem, the researcher had thought of innovations in controlling these house pests safely & effectively. This study was conducted to produce a good quality rodenticide or rat or mouse killer using Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica )and Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida)is edible, a rich source of carbohydrates and cab be a good substitute to rice and corn. However , if this plant is not properly planted and the root crop yield is not properly handled or cooked, a certain poisonous substance can paralyze the nervous system and the worst may result to death. In the Philippines there are reported incidents of death because of ingestions. The incident showed that the plants especially Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida) contains a toxic substance that can be used as a potent rodenticide to pest like rats or mice. so a combination of these two will be a very effective & efficient alternative to available commercial rodenticide in the market. These planes are easy to cultivate and abundant here in our locality. The Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida) was peeled and chopped , exposed under the heat of the sun to totally dried and pounded using mortar and pestle . The Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica ) was put in a wooden mortar and ground or pound using pestle to get the extracts. It was mixed together with refined sugar dry-fried after 15 minutes to form a rodenticide which was tested among the studied rats and mice found in household and garden. Rodenticide are poisonous chemical used to kill rats mice. It is used to protect man’s food supply garden crops from rat and mice and to prevent the spread of Leptospirosis diseases. The production of a good quality rat or mouse killer from Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica ) and Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida) can be made into flour which is a potent substitute for commercial rodenticide. This is cheaoer and easy to prepare because of components Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica )and Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida) and sugar cane which are familiar to local farmers and can adapt to any kind of soil and weather. Result showed the rodenticide out of Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica )and Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida) are effectice in killing rat/mice. the importance of this study lies that rodenticides can be taken from natural and cheap sources. This project could generate income which can help the family’s livelihood.
Chapter I
INTRODUCTION
Those days of global recession, the costs of all things like medicines are of great problem to the people much especially those belonging to the poor and also to the average income earners. Many resort to herbal plants to give relief that is why the use of herbal plants as medicine is practiced mostly in many remote barangay and poor urban areas. Herbal plants are used to treat diseases, yet there are some that may also bring hazard to animals and human health. These plants contain poisonous substance that if taken internally will result to death. Two of these plants Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica )and Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida). The researcher prompted to produce an effective and efficient alternative rodenticide from the mixtures of these two plants.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This research attempts to answer the following questions:
1. Will this alternative rodenticide be able to match the commercial rodenticide in terms of this ability to devastate the rat and mice?
2. How adequate are the substances that made the rat-mouse respondent die?
3. What are the implications of the findings in making the alternative rodenticide?

HYPOTHESIS The mixtures of Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica )and Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida) would be an effective and efficient rodenticide to eliminate mice and rats that carry germs causing diseases and increase crops production.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY Rats and mice are gluttons that eat almost anything that they can get. Worse they have been linked to a number of human diseases ; the deadly leptospirosis, diarrhea , and other bacterial infections carried by these house pests. Effective pest control is needed to eliminate them. Commercial rodenticide are quite expensive. Although they have passed to a certain required standard, they are synthetically made us releasing a substance that is not good to humans and to our environment. The researcher want a pesticide that is natural and eco-friendly. This study is important because the rodenticide product is affordable, cheaper and natural and a potent alternative rodenticide. This will also help and encourage people to make their own rodenticide derived from Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica )and Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida) plants which are easy to cultivate and abundant here in the Philippines.

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS This study was conducted to find out how effective the Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica )and Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida) as rodenticide. This study was conducted at Bagong Silangan High School. The researcher had tried out six times the rodenticide product. The usage of this product is limited to one month or four weeks because no chemical preservative was added. This product should be properly handled and proper care must be done so as not to be swallowed especially by children because it is poisonous and can damage internl organs.

DEFINITION OF TERMS
Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica )- are easy to abundant in thickets along the streams, in secondary forests at low and medium altitudes from Northern Luzon to Mindanao. It also occurs in Chittagong through Malaya to New Guinea and the bismark archipelago. The roots of Tubli contains a poisonous rotenone. This poisonous substance used since early times. Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida)- Plants are growing wild, chiefly in thickets and forest at low and medium altitudes throughout the Philippines. They are underground tubers and may be collected troughout the year
Household Pest- Flying and crawling insects such as mosquitoes, flies, fleas, gnats and mouse pests and rats are all household pests.
Rodent- Any of various mammals of the rodentia, such as mouse, rat, squirrel, or beiver, characterized by large incisors adapted for gnawing or nibbling
Rodenticide- Is defined as any substance that is used to kill rats, mice, and other rodent pests.
Anticoagulant- A Natural or synthetic substance that prevents blood clotting
House Mice- A small kind of mouse. They are native in Asia, has shipped all over the world as people have travelled from continent to continent.
Rats- bigger mice that infect people because they carry with them diseases such as bubonic plague and typhus.

CHAPTER 2

REVIEW ON RELATED LITERATURE Rodenticides are pesticides designed to kill pestrodents such as moles, squirrels, rats and mice. The newer types of rodenticides are anticoagulants. They are used worldwide to control rodent population by causing them to bleed to death. According to Merk, commercial-made rodenticide anticoagulants are potentially dangerous to all mammals and birds. These are the most frequent cause of poisoning in pets directly from baits or indirectly by consumption of poisoned rodents. Rats can't vomit. They can't burp either, and they don't experience heartburn. Rats can't vomit for several related reasons: Rats have a powerful barrier between the stomach and the esophagus. They don't have the esophageal muscle strength to overcome and open this barrier by force, which is necessary for vomiting. Vomiting requires that the two muscles of the diaphragm contract independently, but rats give no evidence of being able to dissociate the activity of these two muscles. Rats don't have the complex neural connections within the brain stem and between brain stem and viscera that coordinate the many muscles involved in vomiting.
One of the main functions of vomiting is to purge the body of toxic substances. Rats can't vomit, but they do have other strategies to defend themselves against toxins. One strategy is super-sensitive food-avoidance learning. When rats discover a new food, they taste a little of it, and if it makes them sick they scrupulously avoid that food in the future, using their acute senses of smell and taste. Another strategy is pica, the consumption of non-food materials (particularly clay), in response to nausea. Clay binds some toxins in the stomach, which helps dilute the toxin's effect on the rat's body. Rats cannot vomit, but they do regurgitate occasionally. Regurgitation is different from vomiting. Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of stomach contents from the mouth. Vomiting is an active process: it is a complex, powerful reflex requiring the coordination of many muscles. In contrast, regurgitation is the passive, effortless flow of undigested stomach contents back into the esophagus. Regurgitation happens without any forceful abdominal contractions.
There is at least one report of rats choking on regurgitated stomach contents (Will et al. 1979). Upon necropsy, the regurgitated stomach contents (regurgitant) were found to be thick and pasty. They were packed into the rats' pharynx, larynx and esophagus. The action of the tongue had packed the regurgitant into a plug, causing choking. The rats' tongues were also lacerated or bruised from attempts to remove the material by chewing or clawing. Regurgitation was more common in rats fed bulky diets than those fed on standard diets, and more common in females than in males.
Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica ) plants are easy to abundant in thickets along the streams, in secondary forests at low and medium altitudes from Northern Luzon to Mindanao. It also occurs in Chittagong through Malaya to New Guinea and the bismark archipelago. The roots of Tubli contains a poisonous rotenone. This poisonous substance used since early times. A Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida) Plants are growing wild, chiefly in thickets and forests at low and medium altitudes throughout the Philippines. They are underground tubers and may collected throughout the year. Many of us like Yam without knowing that this tuber contains poisonous Alkaloid Dioscorine. It is a nervous paralyzant. It has been reportedly used in criminal poisoning. The Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica )and Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida) both contained a poisonous substance that can be used as an effective way of eliminating the rats and mice. It must be prepared in a way that is enticing to these fastidious rats/mice pests.
Sugar-dependent rats show enhanced responding for sugar after abstinence: evidence of a sugar deprivation effect. Studies have shown that intermittent sugar availability (12 h/day) produces signs of dependence in rats, including escalation of intake, mu-opioid and dopamine receptor changes, behavioral and neurochemical indices of withdrawal, and cross-sensitization with amphetamine. "Deprivation-effect" paradigms, whereby abstinence from a substance results in enhanced intake, are often used to measure "craving" for drugs of abuse, such as alcohol. The present study used operant conditioning to investigate consumption of sugar after abstinence in rats selected for glucose avidity. The experimental group was trained on a fixed ratio (FR-1) schedule for 25% glucose for 30 min/day for 28 days and also had glucose access in the home cages for an additional 11.5 h daily. The control group had only the 30-min/day access to glucose in the operant chambers. Then, both groups were deprived of glucose for 2 weeks. After this period of abstinence, animals were put back in the operant chambers. The experimental group responded significantly more than ever before, and significantly more than the control group. In conclusion, daily 12-h access to sugar, in the paradigm used, can result in an altered neural state that lasts throughout 2 weeks of abstinence, leading to enhanced intake. Together with previous results, this deprivation effect supports the theory that animals may become dependent on sugar under selected dietary circumstances.

CHAPTER III

A. MATERIALS The researcher used a variety of plants. Nami or Intoxicating Yam was converted to flour and the researcher get the extracts from Tibanglan or Tubli. An amount of sugar was added.

B. PROCEDURE

First the Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica )and Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida) were obtained within the barangay premise; second the root abd tuber were washed thoroughly . Nami or Intoxicating Yam was peeled and chopped into small thin slices or pieces; then put on a bamboo tray and exposed under the heat of the sun for four hours dry enough and wooden mortar and ground or pound using pestle. Tibanglan or Tubli was put in a wooden mortar and ground or pound using pestle to get the extracts. 75grams of refined sugar was added for sweet taste and then mixed thoroughly to the powdered yam and cassava. The mixtures were put in frying pan to dry- so it is mixtures free thus won’t be spoiled easily. Finally, put the dry fried finished product rodenticide in a jar properly labeled.

FLOW CHART

Obtain Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica )and Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida) |

Wash thoroughly |

peeled and chopped Nami or Intoxicating Yam into small thin slices or pieces |

put Nami or Intoxicating Yam on a bamboo tray and exposed under the heat of the sun for four hours |

ground or pound using wooden mortar and pestle |

Put Tibanglan or Tubli in a wooden mortar and ground or pound using pestle to get the extracts |

Add 75 grams of refined sugar to give sweet taste |

Mix the substance thoroughly |

Put in frying pan to dry fry for 15 minutes |

Put the dry-fried substances in a jar |

Label it accordingly |

CHAPTER IV

RESULTS, DISCUSSION AND INTERPRETATONS Table 1 Shows the amount of Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica )and Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida) and sugar used in each set of getting the mixture.

Table 1. Getting the right proportion Set Up | Tibanglan or Tubli extacts (mL) | Nami or Intoxicating Yam flour (g) | Refined Sugar (g) | Result | 1 | 75mL | 125g | 25g | Less sweet | 2 | 75mL | 125g | 50g | Sweeter | 3 | 75mL | 125g | 75g | Proper taste |

The researcher chose set up 3 because it is a nice mixture which is ideal in dry frying the flour with refined sugar.
Table 2 shows the span time of dry-frying the flour with refined sugar.

Table 2. Dry frying the flour with refined sugar

Set Up | Span of Time of Dry Frying in minutes under moderate heated pan | Result | 1 | 5minutes | The flour is half cooked | 2 | 10minutes | The flour is almost cooked | 3 | 15minutes | The starch is completely cooked |

The researcher chose set up 3 because the flour is completely dry fried so it won’t be spoiled and that will last for a month. The purpose of dry frying is to preserve its good quality.

Table 3 Shows the diet of rats for five consecutive days

Table 3 Observing fed rats for consecutive days

Set-Up | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Rat 1 | Rice, Cookies and Water | Rice, Menudo and Water | Fried Rice, Corned Beef and Water | Rice, Cookies and Water | Rodenticide | Rat 2 | Rice, Cookies and Water | Rice, Menudo and Water | Fried Rice, Corned Beef and Water | Rice, Cookies and Water | Rodenticide | Rat 3 | Rice, Cookies and Water | Rice, Menudo and Water | Fried Rice, Corned Beef and Water | Rice, Cookies and Water | Rodenticide |

A good food was served to show that the mice are healthy.

Table 4 Shows the testing of the product to rat/mouse Respondents to different sizes.
Table 4. Testing the Product

Rat/Mouse Respondent | Amount Fed (g) | Behavior when Fed | Span of Time of the effect of poison (h/min) | Result | 1 | 10g | Smelled, then ignored, smelled, then tasted; grabbed/ate little by litte | 10h & 5Min | Devastated | 2 | 15g | Smelled then tasted; grabbed/ate little by little | 13h & 5min | Devastated | 3 | 20g | Smelled then tasted; grabbed/ate little by little | 9h & 8min | devastated |

Table 4 shows that all trials were considered successful because all rats/mouse respondents were completely devastated after a span of time being fed at the same time. They smelled them first, then ignored, and after a while, little by little grabbed and ate them. The lesser amount of the poisonous food the longer the time the effect took place. And of course the amounts they eat will result to the shorter tile to kill these house pests. It’s not the size of the respondents that matter but the quality of the poisonous that was eaten which have resulted to death of the respondents.
CHAPTER IV
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS The general purpose of this was to find out if the mixture of Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica )and Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida) would be an effective and efficient rodenticides. Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica )and Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida) are poisonous to animals and humans if not processed properly. The mixtures of these two plants are potent natural rodenticide. It didn’t cause much burden to the researcher because the materials used in it were affordable and cam easily be found and abundant in the locality and the procedures done are easy to do. It was found out that the poison content coming from the mixture of Tibanglan or Tubli (Derris Elliptica )and Nami or Intoxicating Yam (Dioscorea Hispida) Caused the rat/mouse respondents died even though they gnawed the rodenticide little by little. It was observed that rats/mice die after 9hours minimum time and 13hours the maximum time after taking the synthetic-free rodenticide. Specially, this study sought to answer the following questions:
1. How adequate are the substances that made the rat-mouse respondent die? The amount of the poisonous food intake has a great part on thei devastation. The lesser amount of the poisonous food the longer the time the effect took place. And of course the amounts they eat will result to the shorter tile to kill these house pests. Its not the size of the respondents that matter but the quality of the poisonous that was eaten which have resulted to death of the respondents.
2. What are the implications of the findings in making the alternative Rodenticide? Economically there would be an increase in root crop production and it could be a source of livelihood income. It lessens the number of mouse-rats that carry germs causing diseases.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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L., ed.), pp. 189-211. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press Inc, 461 PP. * LN, J. 1977. Origin, evolution and early dispersal of root and tuber crops. Proceedings of the 4th Symposium of the International Society for Tropical Root Crops (Colombia, 1976), IDRC-080e (Cock, J., MacIntyre, R. and Graham, M., eds), pp. 20-36. Ottawa, Canada: International Development Research Centre, 277 PP. * MARTIN, F. W. and DEGRAS, L. 1978. Minor cultivated Dioscorea species. Tropical yams and their potential, Part 6. United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook, No. 538, 23 PP. * NOON, R. A. 1978. Storage and market diseases of Yams. Tropical Science, 20, 177-188. * RAO, P. S. and BERI, R. M. 1952. Tubers of Dioscorea hispida Dennst. Indian Forester, 78, 146 - 152. * SACWANSUPYAKORN, C. and CHANTRAPRASONC, C. 1982. Yam of Thailand species: importance and utilization. Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Tropical Root and Tuber Crops (Philippines, 1979), PP. 213-215. 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WEBSITES
* http://www.stuartxchange.org/Nami.html * http://www.globinmed.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79533:dioscorea-hispida-dennst&catid=368:d * http://herbstohealth.blogspot.com/2009/04/dioscorea-hispida-dennstkloi.html * http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=DIHI7 * http://herbstohealth.blogspot.com/2009/04/dioscorea-hispida-dennstkloi.html * http://stuartxchange.com/Tubli.html
Family • Dioscoreaceae
Nami
Dioscorea hispida Dennst.
INTOXICATING YAM
Bai shu liang Scientific names | Common names | Dioscorea hispida Dennst. | Bagay (Mbo.) | Dioscorea mollissima Blume | Gagos (Bis.) | Dioscorea daemona Roxburgh | Kalut (Tag., Pamp., Sbl.) | Dioscorea daemona Roxb. | Karot (Ilk.) | Dioscorea hirsuta Blume | Karoti (Sul.) | | Kayos (Tag.) | | Kalot (Bis.) | | Korot (S.L. Bis.) | | Kulot (Sbl.) | | Mamo (Bik.) | | Nami (Tag.) | | Orkot (Bis.) | | Asiatic bitter yam (Engl.) | | Intoxicating yam (Engl.) | | Bai shu liang (Chin.) |

Other vernacular names | BURMESE: Kywey, Kywe. | CHINESE: Bai (Taiwan), Da (Taiwan) | FRENCH: Igname épineuse Amère, Morsure De Cobra. | GERMAN: Bittere yamswurzel. | LAOS: Houo Koi | MALAY: Gadog, Gadong Mabuk, Gadung (Java), Taring Pelanduk, Ubi Akas, Ubi Arak, Ubi gadung. | MALAYALAM: Podava Kelengu. | LAOS: Houo Koi | MARATHI: Baichandi, Bhul Kand, Dukar Kand. | PORTUGUESE: Inhame. | SANSKRIT: Hastyaluka. | SUNDANESE: Gadung. | TAMIL: Kavalakodi, Pei Perendai, Periperendai. | TELUGU: Chanda gadda, Puli dumpa, Tellaagini geddalu, Thella chanda gadda, Thella gadda. | THAI: Khil, Kloi hua niao, Kloi khao khao, Kiok nok, Koi, Man kloi. |

Botany
Nami is a twining vine, arising from tuberous roots, and reaching a length of several meters. Stems covered with few or many short, sharp spines. Leaves are 3-foliolate, the leaflets 12 to 20 centimeters long, somewhat hairy, the lateral ones oblique, oblong-ovate, the terminal one equilateral, oblong to oblong-obovate. Panicle is axillary, slender, hairy, 12 to 20 centimeters long. Flowers are small; unisexual male flowers with 6 stamens; female flowers similar to males, 3-winged, 3-celled, ovules 2 in each cell. Fruit is a capsule, oblong and about 5 centimeters long. Flesh and sap of tubers are yellowish.Distribution
- Growing wild, chiefly in thickets and forests at low and medium altitudes throughout the Philippines.
- Rarely cultivated.
- Occurs in India to China and Taiwan and through Malaya to New Guinea.Constituents
- Tubers yield alkaloid dioscorine a and 4-epidioscorine and a neuromuscular blocking agent.
- Study yielded a saponin glycoside, diosgenin.
- Study of mineral content reports the tubers are a good source of phosphorus, calcium and iron.
- A mature gadung tuber weighs up to 15 kg, each 100 g of tuber (wet basis) yields 20 g of carbohydrates, 78 g water, 1.81 g protein, 0.16 g fat, 0.93 g fiber and 0.69 ash.Properties
- Resistant starch is slowly digested in the lower parts of the GIT, with slow release and absorption of glucose. Starch is also gluten free.
- Sweet tart-tasting, cooling.
- Yellow flesh tubers reported to have a better taste than white flesh tubers.
- Flesh and sap of the tubers are yellowish.
- Anti-infectious, antiphlogistic, anticontusion, hemostatic.
- Studies suggest anthelmintic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-tumor activities.Toxin removal
- There regional variations to the removal of toxin from the intoxicating tubers. Pulau Redang has several detoxification techniques. One requires thin slicing of yam, the soaking it in salted water for three days, then placing it in a sac to resoak in a river or flowing water for another three days, finally testing edibility to see if fish would feed on them.
- In Papua New Guinea, the tubers are sliced and boiled for two days before cooking the yam.
- In Thailand, the Sakai remove the toxin by boiling with wood ashes.Parts utilized
- Underground tubers.Uses
Edibility / Nutrition
- Tuber crop is an important source of carbohydrates; has been used a staple foods during WWI.
- Despite known toxicity, in Thailand, where it is referred to as Kloi, tubers are used to make a dessert calledKao Nuew Kloi.
- In Kerala, India, tuberous herb cooked with salt, chili, tamarind and tumeric powder and used as curry.
Folkloric
- Tuber, raw or cooked used as anodyne and maturative for tumors and buboes.
- Also used arthritic and rheumatic pains. sprains and contusions.
- Use poultice of freshly pounded material or decoction as external wash.
- In Bangladesh, tubers used to kill worms in wounds. Various plant parts used in whitlow, sores, boils, and bites of rabbit, jackal or dog.
- In Johore, decoction of tuber used as alterative and diuretic in chronic rheumatism.
- In Malaysia, the Temuan tribe uses pounded leaves from intoxicating yam for healing sores of yaw. Infusion of corms of detoxicated tubers used to decrease blood glucose. Tendril of yam have been used as deworming medicine.
Others
• Bleaching: Yellow juice from the flesh and sap of tubers is used for bleaching clothes and abaca fibers.
• Poison: Juice of tubers used in criminal poisoning. Also, used as an ingredient together with Antiaris toxicaria in the preparation of arrow poisons.
• Intoxicant: Jeypore people of India reportedly use the intoxicating effect of D. hispida to forget their sorrows, as they get an effect similar to drinking beer.
• Insecticidal: Residue after extraction of poison used as insecticidal.
• Livestock: Tubers used as cure for myiasis of the scrotum in carabaos.Studies
• Phytochemicals / Phenolic Content: Study showed phenolic acids were present in only small amounts in Kloi tuber, compared to relatively high phenolic content for other yam Dioscorea species. The anomaly was attributed to the sample preparation, hydrolysis time and/or pH. Preliminary findings and documented nutritive value suggest the tuber as a potential source of phytochemicals for cosmetic, pharmaceutical or dietary antioxidant use.
• Anti-Inflammatory / Analgesic: Study of extract of D. hispida in animal models showed potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects and therapeutic efficacy, comparable to standard drugs Pentazocine and indomethacin respectively.
• Toxicity Study: Study of ethanolic extract showed no toxicity or death at given test dose levels. LD50 was >2000 mg/kbw for the extract.
• Hypoglycemic Effect: Study in alloxan-induced hyperglycemic rats evaluated the hypoglycemic effect of a water soluble polysaccharide extracted from yam tuber (D. hispida). All the WSP extracts exhibited an ability to decrease blood glucose in hyperglycemic condition as well as inhibit glucose absorption and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) formation.
• Gadung Starch / Modification with Raw and Ginger Oil: Use of starch is limited by its high content of toxic substances, i.e. alkaloids and hydrogen cyanide in free and bound forms, high moisture content and a disposition to post harvest deterioration. Previous efforts have been successful in reducing the bitter and toxic compounds to a safe level. Study showed processing and modification resulted properties comparable to American wheat flour. One drawback was the presence of remaining ginger aroma.
• Pharmacologic Effects of Extracts: Purified extracts studied in animals showed: (1) Properties resembling nicotine (2) Injection caused hyperpnea, tachycardia, increase in blood pressure, contraction of nictitating membrane. (3) Rise in BP and contraction of nictitating membrane and of smooth muscle were inhibited by pretreatment with hexamethonium. (4) Striated muscle contraction was inhibited by pretreatment with d-turbocurarine.
• Antitumor / Antioxidant: Study evaluated D. hispida against an animal model of Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma. An ethanolic extract showed significant anticancer activity at varying doses, increasing survival, and decreasing tumor burden. Reduced elevated levels of lipid peroxidation was attributed to a high content of phenolic compounds.Caution !
- Tubers contain the poisonous alkaloid dioscorine, resembling picrotoxin.
- It is a nervous system paralyzant, not a protoplasmic poison.
- It has been reportedly used in criminal poisoning.

Availability
Wild-crafted. |

Family • Fabaceae
Tubli
Derris elliptica Benth.
POISON VINE
Mao yu teng Scientific names | Common names | Derris elliptica Benth. | Bauit (Tag.) | Galedupa elliptica Roxb. | Lapak (Bik.) | Cylista piscatoria Blanco | Malasiag (Tag.) | Galactia terminaliflora Blanco | Tibalau (Tag.) | Milletia splendidissima Vidal | Tibanglan (Tag.) | Milletia piscatoria Merr. | Tubli (P. Bis., Tag., Buk.) | | Tugli (Tag.) | | Tubling-pula (Tag.) | | Tuva (Iv.) | | Upei (Bon.) | | Tuba (Malaya) | | Derris (Engl.) | | Derris root (Engl.) | | Poison vine (Engl.) | | Tuba root (Engl.) | | Mao yu teng (Chin.) |

Other vernacular names | BRUNEI: Tuba. | BURMESE: Hon. | CHINESE: Du yu teng, Nan ya yu teng. | FIJI: Nduva, Duva ni Vavalgai. | COUNTRY: Name | FRENCH: Touba. | GERMAN: Derris-wurzel, Tuba-wurzel. | INDONESIAN: Tuba. | MALAYSIA: Akar tuba, Tuba, Tuba benar. | THAI: Lai nam. | VIETNAMESE: D[aa]y thu [oos]c c[as]. |

Botany
Tubli is a rambling climber, with branches covered with brown hairs. Leaves are pinnate and 30 to 50 centimeters long. Leaflets are usually oblong, 9 to 13, when matured smooth above, and subglaucous and silky beneath, 10 to 15 centimeters long, and about half as broad. Racemes are lax, 15 to 30 centimeters in length, with reddish flowers in stalked clusters. Pods are 5 to 8 centimeters long and contain 1 to 3 seeds, flat and reniform, olive, brown or black.Distribution
- Abundant in thickets along streams, in secondary forests at low and medium altitudes from northern Luzon to Mindanao.
- Also occurs in Chittagong through Malaya to New Guinea and the Bismark Archipelago.Constituents
- Root reported to contain rotenone, derrid, anhydroderrid, derrin, tubotoxin, and tubain.
- A 1933 study reports isolating pure rotenone, as well as tephrosin and toxicarol.
- Study yielded two new rotenoids–4',5'-dihydroxy-6a,12a-dehydrodegueline and 11,4'5'-trihydroxy-6a,12a-dehydrodeguelin–along with known rotenoids, rotenone and deguelin.
- Study yielded seven rotenoids. (See Studies)
- Study yielded four lipid constituents, including three ceramides and a poly-hydroxyl octadecenoic acid, 12, 13, 15-trihydroxy-9-octadecenoic acid.Properties
- Insecticidal from the rotenone in the roots.
- Toxicity / Historical notes: Since early times, the root has been used as fish poison in the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies, and the Malay Peninsula. Parts utilized
Leaves and roots. Uses
Folkloric
- Malay women reported to use a scrap of the root with a little opium as abortifacient, placing it in the vagina all night for successive nights.
- Infusion or decoction of roots with coconut oil applied to itchy lesions.
- Plaster of the root used for abscesses and leprosy.
- Used by Ifugao-migrants for wounds and skin disease.
Others
- Insecticidal / Poison / Rotenone: (1) Roots are insecticidal; rotenone from roots is raw material for insecticides against plant pests. (2) Since early times, the root has been used as fish poison in the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies, and the Malay Peninsula. The Chinese and Malay gardeners have used the root decoction as an insecticide. (3) Rotenone has also been found effective against plant lice, leaf beetles, aphids, flies, caterpillars, ticks, chicken lice, red spiders and other insects. (4) It has been reported to be more effective than potassium cyanide or nicotine and equally effective as pyrethrum. (5) In the Philippines, cattle have been reported to die after eating the leaves. (6) Humans have been reported to use it for suicide and murder. (7) Because of toxicity, rotenone as insecticidal is being phased out in many eco-conscious countries.
- Fish / Arrow poison: White milky sap from pounded roots used as fish poison. Malay indigenous people also use the sap as arrow-poison for hunting. The sap, combined with Antiaris toxocaria, used in Borneo as an ingredient of the Kayan dart and arrow poison or blow-dart poison for hunting.Studies
• Larvicidal: In a study of 96 ethanolic extracts,44 showed activity against the larvae of A aegypti, Derris elliptica one of six that showed high larvicidal activity. (2)
• Rotenone / Pest Control: Derris elliptica extracts containing rotenone have been long used as natural insecticide. Preliminary testing show that Derris emulsifiable concentrate was more effective than Derris water-dispersible granules in controlling spodoptera litura. (3)
• Natural Piscicide: Derris elliptica twigs and roots have been used as natural piscicides in artisanal fisheries and aquaculture ponds in Nigeria. In the study, ethanolic extracts of dried roots elicited a toxic reaction by fish with discouration, gulping of air, erratic swimming, loss of reflex, settling at the bottom motionless. Histological exam of O. niloticus fingerlings showed pathological changes.
• Rotenoids: Study yielded seven rotenoids: (1) 7′-hydroxy-6a, 12a-dehydrodeguelin, (2) 6-hydroxy-6a, 12a-dehydrodeguelin, (3) (6aR, 12aR, 4′R, 5′S)-4′, 5′-dihydro-4′, 5′-dihydroxytephrosin, (4) 6′-hydroxy-6a, 12a-dehydrorotenone, (5) (-)-rotoic acid, (6) (-)-deguoic acid, and (7) 12-deoxo-12α-acetoxyelliptone. (7)
• Rotenone Liquid / Mosquito Larvicidal Activity: Study evaluated the mosquito larvicidal activity (LC50) of the plant root. A Concentrated liquid crude extracts of methyl chloride: methanol (1:1) which contained the highest rotenone content exhibited the lowest treatment concentration of 0.024 mg/ml to achieve 50% mortality within 3 hours of treatment. (11)Availability
Wild-crafted. |