Arnebia hispidissima
Arabian primrose
Arnebia hispididissima, commonly known as Lithospermum or Chinese Gromwell, is a perennial herb prized in traditional Chinese medicine. Renowned for its vibrant purple flowers and deep red roots, it contains essential naphthoquinones. These bioactive compounds offer significant anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and skin-healing properties, making it a vital therapeutic botanical.
- Scientific name: Arnebia hispidissima
- Family: Boraginaceae
- 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 Boraginales and the family Boraginaceae. Finally, it is specifically identified by the genus Arnebia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Boraginales | WCVP |
| Family | Boraginaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Arnebia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known by the common name Arabian primrose in English, is identified in Chinese as 硬毛软紫草 (zh), 硬毛软紫草 (zh-cn), and 硬毛軟紫草 (zh-tw). In the Hausa language, it is referred to as Jinin mutum.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ha | Jinin mutum | Wikidata |
| zh | 硬毛软紫草 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 硬毛软紫草 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 硬毛軟紫草 | Wikidata |
| en | Arabian primrose | Wikidata |
| en | Arabian Primrose | Wikidata |
| en | Spiny Bugloss | Wikidata |
| zh | 阿拉伯报春花 | Wikidata |
| zh | 先知花 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range spanning several distinct regions across the African continent. In Northern Africa, its presence is recorded within the borders of Egypt. Moving southward, the species is distributed throughout West Tropical Africa, specifically found in Nigeria and Niger. The distribution extends further into West-Central Tropical Africa, where it can be located in Cameroon. Finally, its range reaches into Northeast Tropical Africa within the country of Chad.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Africa | Egypt | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Niger | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Cameroon | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Chad | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Djibouti | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Eritrea | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Ethiopia | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Socotra | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Somalia | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Arnebia hispidula, is highly valued in traditional medicine primarily for the therapeutic properties found within its root. The most significant bioactive components are concentrated in the root system, which is often processed into an ethanolic extract to enhance the bioavailability of its medicinal compounds. This ethanolic extract of the root is widely utilized in pharmacological studies and traditional remedies due to its rich content of lithospermic acid and other naphthoquinones, which contribute to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 3
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| root | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethanolic extract | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Arnebia hispidissima has 8 reported phytochemicals identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include alkannin, acetyl shikonin, arnebin-1, arnebin-7, arnebinol.
- Total chemicals
- 8
- Scientific sources
- 9
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| alkannin | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| acetyl shikonin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| arnebin-1 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| arnebin-7 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| arnebinol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| arnebinone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tiglic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Arnebia hispidissima has 6 reported medicinal uses identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae.
- Total uses
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Candida albicans | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Candida tropicalis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Enterococcus faecalis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Escherichia coli | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Klebsiella pneumoniae | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Staphylococcus aureus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |