Microcos paniculata is a flowering shrub native to China and south-east Asia. It is sometimes added to Chinese herbal tea, having a mildly sour taste. In traditional Chinese medicine the plant is believed to help the digestive system, and it is also used for other health problems including colds, hepatitis, diarrhea, heat stroke, and dyspepsia. None of these alleged claims have shown to be effective in clinical trials. The herb may have a placebo effect.
Microcos paniculata, Shrubs or small trees 3-12 m tall. Bark rough; branchlets hairy. Stipule filiform, lanceolate, 5-7 mm; leaf blade ovate or oblong, 8-18 * 4-8 cm, thinly leathery, very sparsely stellate at first and glabrescent both abaxially and adaxially, basal veins 3, laterals more than 1/2 as long as leaf blade, base rounded, margin finely crenate, apex acuminate.
Two new piperidine alkaloids, microcosamines A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the leaves of Microcos paniculata.