Laurel Clock Vine (Thunbergia laurifolia) is native to India, Myanmar and Malaysia, but has been cultivated throughout the tropics for its ornamental flowers.
Used to make tea from the bark. Add cinnamon and hibiscus flowers and add a coconut palm flower for a cough.
T. laurifolia has been used in traditional medicine for many centuries. Extracts of T. laurifolia have been utilized as an antidote for exposure to insecticides, drugs, strychnine, arsenic, alcohol and food poisoning. This plant also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
A study with carbamate insecticide -regularly used as a pesticide- highly neurotoxic to humans, livestock and wildlife discovered that T. laurifolia contains high levels of antioxidants and phenolic compounds. Further, it does help to support cell survival following the administration of methomyl and when exposures occur at the same time. It would appear not to be prophylactically useful but should be studied more as a potential antidote
Junsi, M., Siripongvutikorn, S., Yupanqui, C. T., & Usawakesmanee, W. (2017). Phenolic and flavonoid compounds in aqueous extracts of thunbergia laurifolia leaves and their effect on the toxicity of the carbamate insecticide methomyl to murine macrophage cells. Functional Foods in Health and Disease, 7(7), 529–544. https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v7i7.336