Catharanthus roseus
Madagascar periwinkle
Catharanthus roseus, commonly known as Madagascar periwinkle, is a resilient flowering shrub highly valued in modern medicine. While prized for its vibrant blooms, its true significance lies in its potent alkaloids. These compounds serve as the essential foundation for synthesizing life-saving chemotherapy drugs used to treat various cancers.
- Scientific name: Catharanthus roseus
- Family: Apocynaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is ordered under Gentianaales and belongs to the family Apocynaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic identification is placed within the genus Catharanthus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Gentianales | WCVP |
| Family | Apocynaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Catharanthus | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Catharanthus roseus, is recognized by several common names across different languages and regions. In Southern Min, it is referred to as Ji̍t-ji̍t-chhun, while in Chinese, the names vary slightly by script and region: it is called 长春花 in Simplified Chinese (zh-hans and zh-cn), 長春花 in Traditional Chinese (zh-hant), and specifically 長春花 in the Hong Kong dialect (zh-hk).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| nan | Ji̍t-ji̍t-chhun | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 长春花 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 長春花 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 長春花 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 长春花 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 长春花 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 長春花 | Wikidata |
| jv | Tapak dara | Wikidata |
| pl | barwinek różowy | Wikidata |
| he | וינקה ורודה | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several distinct regions. In Southwestern Europe, it can be found growing in Spain. Moving toward Southeastern Europe, its presence extends to Italy and the island of Kriti. The species also inhabits Northern Africa, specifically within the territory of Tunisia. Finally, its range reaches the Macaronesian islands, including the Canary Is.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Europe | Spain | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Italy | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Kriti | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Tunisia | WCVP |
| Macaronesia | Canary Is. | WCVP |
| Macaronesia | Madeira | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Catharanthus roseus, is a medicinal shrub where various components contain bioactive alkaloids. The leaves are perhaps the most studied part, as each individual leaf serves as a primary source for extracting vincristine and vinblastine. The woody stem provides the structural support for the plant's growth, while the roots are also integrated into the plant's complex chemical profile. Although the root system is essential for nutrient uptake, it is the foliage that remains the most significant focus in pharmacological research.- Total parts
- 49
- Scientific sources
- 149
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 37 | ★★★★★ |
| leaf | 16 | ★★★★★ |
| roots | 10 | ★★★★★ |
| root | 9 | ★★★★☆ |
| stem | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| shoots | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| hairy roots | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| seeds | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| flowers | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Leaves | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Catharanthus roseus has 183 reported phytochemicals identified across 562 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include vinblastine, vincristine, vindoline, catharanthine, ajmalicine.
- Total chemicals
- 183
- Scientific sources
- 562
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| vinblastine | 67 | ★★★★★ |
| vincristine | 62 | ★★★★★ |
| vindoline | 46 | ★★★★★ |
| catharanthine | 36 | ★★★★★ |
| ajmalicine | 25 | ★★★★★ |
| serpentine | 21 | ★★★★★ |
| terpenoid indole alkaloids | 14 | ★★★★★ |
| tabersonine | 10 | ★★★★★ |
| flavonoids | 9 | ★★★★☆ |
| monoterpenoid indole alkaloids | 9 | ★★★★☆ |
Activities
Catharanthus roseus has 25 reported activities identified across 91 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Antimicrobial, Antineoplastic, Antidiabetic, Antihypertensive.
- Total activities
- 25
- Scientific sources
- 91
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Anticancer | 34 | ★★★★★ |
| Antimicrobial | 8 | ★★★★☆ |
| Antineoplastic | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| Antidiabetic | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Antihypertensive | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Antitumor | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anthelmintic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antifeedant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Catharanthus roseus has 84 reported medicinal uses identified across 141 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, hypertension, antineoplastic, antihypertensive, breast cancer.
- Total uses
- 84
- Scientific sources
- 141
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 27 | ★★★★★ |
| hypertension | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| antineoplastic | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| antihypertensive | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| breast cancer | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| antidiabetic | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| malaria | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Diabetes mellitus | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diabetes mellitus | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| infectious diseases | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |