Amorphophallus konjac
Devil's tongue
Amorphophallus konjac, commonly known as konjac or devil's tongue, is a versatile medicinal plant native to East Asia. Renowned for its tuber, which is rich in glucomannan, it serves as a potent dietary fiber. This plant is widely utilized for supporting digestive health, managing weight, and regulating blood sugar.
- Scientific name: Amorphophallus konjac
- Family: Araceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It falls under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Alismatales, specifically being a member of the family Araceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Amorphophallus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Alismatales | WCVP |
| Family | Araceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Amorphophallus | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Amorphophallus konjac, is recognized by various regional names across the globe. In German, it is called Teufelszunge, while in Hungarian, it is referred to as leopárdkontyvirág. In Indonesia, the plant is commonly known as Konnyaku, and in Japan, it is widely called コンニャク. Additionally, in Persian, it is known as کوننیاکو.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| de | Teufelszunge | Wikidata |
| fa | کوننیاکو | Wikidata |
| hu | leopárdkontyvirág | Wikidata |
| id | Konnyaku | Wikidata |
| ja | コンニャク | Wikidata |
| ko | 곤약 | Wikidata |
| lt | Leopardinis amorfofalas | Wikidata |
| my | ဝဥပင် | Wikidata |
| nl | Konjak | Wikidata |
| pt | Kon'nyaku | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad distribution across various regions of East Asia. In China, its presence is widespread, spanning from the South-Central and North-Central territories to the Southeast regions. It can also be found growing in the high-altitude areas of Tibet. Beyond the borders of China, the species extends its range into the Korean Peninsula. Therefore, the geographical footprint of Amorphophallus konjac covers diverse ecological zones throughout Eastern Asia.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | China North-Central | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| China | Tibet | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Korea | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Nansei-shoto | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | East Himalaya | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Thailand | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Vietnam | WCVP |
| Malesia | Philippines | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Amorphophallus konjac, is primarily valued for its large, starchy underground structure known as a tuber. This specialized organ serves as a storage reservoir for nutrients and water, allowing the plant to survive dormant periods between growing seasons. It is from this fleshy, bulb-like part that the glucomannan, a highly soluble dietary fiber, is extracted for various medicinal and culinary applications.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| tuber | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Amorphophallus konjac has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include konjac glucomannan, genistein, glucomannan, glucose, mannose.
- Total chemicals
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 7
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| konjac glucomannan | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| genistein | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| glucomannan | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| glucose | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| mannose | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| scutellarein | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Amorphophallus konjac has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antitumor.
- Total activities
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antitumor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Amorphophallus konjac has 4 reported medicinal uses identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include breast cancer, gastric cancer, hyperpigmentation, triple-negative breast cancer.
- Total uses
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| breast cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gastric cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hyperpigmentation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| triple-negative breast cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |