It is a medium-sized tree native to dry regions in Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

The leaves are approximately 5–10 centimetres (2–4 inches) long, rigid, oval-shaped, irregularly toothed, and borne on small petioles.

Various parts of the plant are used in Ayurveda and other folk medicines for the treatment of different ailments such as filariasis, leprosy, toothache, diarrhoea, and cancer.

Different studies were carried on its antibacterial activity upon various microorganisms involving oral and nasopharyngeal infections and especially Streptococcus mutans.

An extract of Strebulus asper leaves have demonstrated to possess a selective bactericidal activity towards Streptococcus, especially to S. mutans which has been shown to be strongly linked with dental caries.