Clausena excavata Burm.f.

Tikusan (Clausena excavata) is a shrub or small tree up to 15 meters tall from the Rutaceae family spread from India to Papua New Guinea. Javanese communities use its leaves for worms, while in West Sumatra it is used to address diarrhea; its leaves are even eaten by Tamil communities as a curry-scented vegetable. Tikusan has proven rich in antibacterial active ingredients in scientific research.

Tikusan is commonly found in secondary forests, thickets and forests around villages, at elevations up to 1,300 m asl. Its growth prefers areas with full sun (6-8 hours per day), but tolerates partial shade, with moderate water needs.

• Roots taproot, dirty white.
• Stem round, branched, covered with fine hairs, woody, and dull green.
• Leaves compound with 7-20 pairs of leaflets, alternate or scattered arrangement, short-stalked, leaf blade thin and rough, ovate-lanceolate with a rounded and asymmetrical leaf base, tapering leaf tip, wavy or slightly notched margin, green, upper surface smooth, lower surface sparsely hairy. Leaflets pinnately veined. Produces an aroma when crushed.
• Flowers bisexual, small, pubescent, calyx usually 4-lobed. Corolla 4-5 lobed, ovate, white or pale yellowish-white. Stamens numbering 8 with white filaments, anther whitish-yellow, pistil with a yellowish-green stalk, stigma purplish-yellow. Found in pyramid-shaped, much-branched panicles, appearing at the stem tip.
• Fruit a berry, fleshy, smooth texture, ovate, transparent. Ripe fruit greenish-pink, fruit found on hanging shoots. Produces a sour smell when crushed.
• Seeds 1-2 per fruit, ovate, green with white stripes.

Propagation is done generatively using seeds.

Phenolics, quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol, carbazole alkaloids (clausine-B, -H, -M, -N, -O, -P, -Q, -R, -S, -U, -V, -Z, clausenatine-A, clausenamine D, E, F, G, clauszoline-A, -B, -C, -D, -E, -F, -G, -H, -I, -J, -K, -L, -M, 3-carbomethoxy-2-hydroxy-7-methoxycarbazole, clausenol, clausenine), biscarbazole alkaloid (clausemine-A), carbazole derivatives (3-formylcarbazole, muconal, 3-methoxycarbonylcarbazole, murrayanine, 2-hydroxy-3-formyl-7-methoxycarbazole), coumarins (excavacoumarin A, B, C, D, E, F, and G, clausenaexcavin, clauslactones A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and J), limonoids (clausenolide-1-ethylether, clausenarin, clausenolide-1-methylether), essential oil (beta-caryophyllene, germacrene B, and beta-phellandrene).

Treats diarrhea and dysentery, wounds, high blood pressure, toothache, headaches, fever, yaws, nasal boils, colic, worm remedy, promotes urination, cough remedy, snake bites, detoxification, promotes menstruation. Has anticancer, immunomodulatory, anti-HIV-1, antioxidant, antibacterial, insecticidal, antifungal, antinociceptive, and antimalarial activity.

Temung (Aceh), Sicerek (Minangkabau), Ki Bajetah (Sunda), Bagal tikus (Java), Salam koja (Jakarta), Terambisa, Mara tunggal.