Antiaris toxicaria
Upas tree
Antiaris toxicaria, commonly known as the Upas tree, is a potent medicinal plant native to tropical Africa and Asia. Renowned for its highly toxic latex, it has historically been used to create arrow poisons. Today, its complex alkaloids are studied for potential pharmacological applications in treating various physiological ailments.
- Scientific name: Antiaris toxicaria
- Family: Moraceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Under the subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized into the order Rosales and the family Moraceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Antiaris, specifically as the species Antiaris toxicaria.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Rosales | WCVP |
| Family | Moraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Antiaris | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Antiaris toxicaria, is known by various regional names depending on the language and location. In Chinese, it is referred to as 见血封喉树 (zh-hans), 見血封喉樹 (zh-hant), and 見血封喉樹 (zh-hk). In Indonesia, it is commonly called Ipuh (id), while in Malayalam, it is known as അരയാഞ്ഞിലി (ml).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 见血封喉树 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 見血封喉樹 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 見血封喉樹 | Wikidata |
| id | Ipuh | Wikidata |
| ml | അരയാഞ്ഞിലി | Wikidata |
| fr | Upas | Wikidata |
| ru | Анчар | Wikidata |
| ka | ანჩარი | Wikidata |
| ms | Pokok Ipoh | Wikidata |
| ar | أنتيار سام | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant, Antiaris toxicaria, is widely distributed across several nations within the West Tropical Africa region. It can be found growing in the diverse landscapes of Benin and Burkina. Furthermore, its presence extends to the coastal and inland areas of Gambia. The species also inhabits significant portions of Ghana. Finally, its geographical range reaches into Guinea-Bissau, completing its regional footprint.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ghana | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea-Bissau | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Liberia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mali | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Antiaris toxicaria, is highly valued in traditional practices due to the potent chemical compounds found within its specific components. The most critical part of the plant is the milky latex, which is extracted from the bark and stems to create a powerful arrow poison used by various cultures for hunting. Additionally, the seeds of the plant also contain significant concentrations of toxic alkaloids, making them a central element in the plant's pharmacological profile.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| seeds | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| latex | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Antiaris toxicaria has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include cardiac glycosides, glucostrophalloside.
- Total chemicals
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cardiac glycosides | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| glucostrophalloside | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Antiaris toxicaria has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Cytotoxic.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Cytotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |