SCIENCE INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

Producing Eco-Friendly Floorwax from Leucaena leucocephala Leaves

LITERATURE OF IPIL-IPIL(Leucaena leucocephala);

Ipil-ipil is a low scrubby tree of tropical and subtropical North America having
white flowers tinged with yellow resembling mimosa and long flattened pods.

Ipil-ipil is a small plant up to 8 m high; leaves alternate, twice compound,15-25 cm, base
of petiole enlarged; leaflets 9 to 18 pairs, 7 to 12 mm long, linear-oblong, unequilateral;
flowering stalks axillary, 3.5 to 5 cm long; flowers in denseglobule heads 2 to 3 cm in
diameter, white; fruit a pod, strap-shaped, flattened,12 to 18 cm long, 1 to 2 cm wide,
papery, green turning brown and splits openalong two edges when mature, several
fruits develop from each flower head;seeds obovate, 5 to 8 mm long, 3 to 5 mm wide,
shiny, brown.

Leucaena leucocephala trees are commonly known as White Lead tree. It is native to
Southern Mexico and Northern Central America and spread across many tropical and
subtropical locations. It has multipurpose uses, such as generation of firewood, timber, greens,
fodder, and green manure, as well as to provide shade and control soil erosion. It has been
used for medicinal purposes because of possessing multiple pharmacological properties.
Studies have shown the presence of various secondary metabolites such as alkaloid, cardiac
glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, and glycosides in this species. In traditional medicine,
it is used to control stomach ache and as contraception and abortifacient. In the present study,
the global distribution, taxonomy, chemical composition, pharmacological activities, and
potential uses of Leucaena leucocephalaare discussed.

The ipil-ipil leaves are high in protein, and when they are juiced or squeezed into a pulp the
protein can be added to paraffin wax for use on floors. Studies have shown that a floor wax
made with the juice from ipil-ipil leaves is comparable to a commercial wax.