Gen info
- Toona, commonly known as red cedar, is a genus in the mahogany family, Meliaceae. In older texts, the genus was incorporated within the wider circumscription of the related genus Cedrela, a genus that is now restricted to species from the Americas. (8)
- Toona calantas is a species of tree in the mahogany family.
- Kalantas has been categorized by the IUCN as Data Deficient but was reported as exhausted due to logging and kaingin (Tagalog for slash-and-burn). Kalantas is included in the reforestation efforts inn the Philippines. (9)

Botany
• Kalantas is a large forest tree. Leaves are alternate, oddly pinnate, 30-50 centimeters long or longer. Leaflets are smooth or hairy along the nerves below, oblong or broadly lanceolate, 12 centimeters long and 5 centimeters wide. Panicles are profuse, lax, equal to or shorter than the leaves. Fruit is 3 to 4 centimeters long, with a 5-ridged central column. Seeds are distinctly but unequally winged on each side.

• Flowering specimens are rare, but the fruits are characterized by the following features: Capsules large, (20–)28–40 mm long; columella 24–40 mm long, 7–15 mm broad; valves dark red to red-brown, smooth, 24–41 by 4–14 mm, lenticellate with numerous lenticels (0.1–1 mm diam.), which are often smaller and denser towards the base of the capsule. Seeds (14–)20–32 by 3.2–6 mm, wings unequal with broadly obtuse apices; seed body 4.2–10 by 1.5–3 mm. (Flora Malesiana)

Distribution
- Native to the Philippines.
- In primary forests at low and medium altitudes in the Batan Islands, Cagayan to Sorsogon Provinces in Luzon; Mindoro, Samar, Negros, Leyte, Cebu and Mindanao.
- Generally scattered all over the Philippines, particularly in the Balabac group of islands.
- Also native to Bismarck Archipelago, Borneo, Jawa, Malaya, New Guinea, Sumatera. (7)

Constituents
- Wood contains 0.3 to 1.2 % essential oil; caninene is one of the principal constituents.
- Study of leaves and stems yielded three new norlimonoids, toonaciliatins A, F, and G; four new limonoids, toonaciliatins B-E, and five known compounds, 5α,6β,8α-trihydroxy-28-norisotoonafolin, toonaciliatins H and I, febrifugin, and khayasin T. (1)

Properties
- Considered astringent, antiseptic and antispasmodic.
- Heartwood is reddish brown, while the narrow sapwood is pale red in color.
- Studies have suggested gastroprotective, analgesic, cytotoxic, antitumor properties.

Parts used
Bark, flowers.

Uses
Folkloric
- Decoction of bark is astringent and used for cleaning wounds.
- Powder of the bark is considered antiseptic and is dusted over gangrenous ulcers.
- Decoction of bark and flowers used as astringent, antiseptic, and antispasmodic.
Others
- Wood: Heartwood is reddish brown, while the narrow sapwood is generally pale red in color and quite distinctive; similar in appearance and odor to Australian Red Cedar.
- Crafts and construction: Easy to work with by hand or machine. Used in the manufacture of cigar boxes. Also used for decorative applications such as timber veneers, paneling, joinery and furniture. Also used for building boats, piano cases and carving.
- Culture / Aromatic use: Wood is suitable for shitake mushroom culture. May be applied as aromatic wood because of its pleasant cedar smell. (11)

Studies
• Anti-Ulcer / Gastroprotective: Study of ethanol extract of Toona ciliata showed gastroprotective effect in ethanol-induced and stress-induced ulcers in rats. (2)
• Analgesic: In a study of Indian medicinal plants, the ethanolic extract of Toona ciliata showed the most significant analgesic activity.. (3)
• Anti-tumor / Cytotoxicity: Crude extract study yielded a major isolate, siderin. T ciliata was found to exhibit significant cytotoxicity and mild to moderate antitumor activity. Results were compared to those produced by vincristine sulphate. (4)
• Lectins: In a screening of twelve Meliaceae species for the presence of lectins, Toona calantas was one of eight that tested positive for lectin activity. Studies on lectins show its possible participation in the wound healing process. (5)

Availability
Wild-crafted.

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Limonoids from the Leaves and Stems of Toona ciliata / Shang-Gao Liao et al / J. Nat. Prod., 2007, 70 (8), pp 1268–1273 / DOI: 10.1021/np070146c
(2)
Anti-ulcer activity of crude alcoholic extract of Toona ciliata Roemer (heart wood) / P Malairajan et al / Journal of Ethnopharmacology • Volume 110, Issue 2, 21 March 2007, Pages 348-351 / doi:10.1016/j.jep.2006.10.018
(3)
Analgesic activity of some Indian medicinal plants / P Malairajan et al / Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Volume 106, Issue 3, 19 July 2006, Pages 425-428 / doi:10.1016/j.jep.2006.03.015
(4)
Bioactivity from Toona ciliata Stem Bark / Rasheduzzaman Chowdhury et al / Pharmaceutical Biology, Volume 41, Issue 4 June 2003 , pages 281 - 283 / DOI: 10.1076/phbi.41.4.281.15662
(5)
LECTINS FROM TWO PHILIPPINE MEDICINAL PLANTS / Marivic Lacsamana, Ana Christina Opina et al / Abstracts / 17th Philippine Chemistry Congress May 23-25, 2001 / Cagayan de Oro City
(6)
Cedrela odorata / World AgroForestry
(7)
Toona calantas / Synonyms / KEW: Plants of the World Online
(8)
Toona / Wikipedia
(9)
Toona calantas / Wikipedia
(10)
Calantas / Wood Solutions
(11)
Toona calantas / PROSEA

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