Celastrus orbiculatus
Oriental bittersweet
Celastrus orbiculatus, commonly known as Oriental bittersweet, is a vigorous climbing vine native to East Asia. While primarily recognized as an invasive species, it holds historical significance in traditional medicine. Its berries and bark contain bioactive compounds studied for their potential pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
- Scientific name: Celastrus orbiculatus
- Family: Celastraceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is further categorized under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Celastrales. Finally, its taxonomic lineage places it in the family Celastraceae, within the genus Celastrus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Celastrales | WCVP |
| Family | Celastraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Celastrus | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Celastrus orbiculatus, is referred to by various common names depending on the language. In Belarusian, it is called Дрэвагубца круглалісты, while in Japanese, it is known as ツルウメモドキ. In Korean, the name for this species is 노박덩굴, and in Polish, it is identified as Dławisz okrągłolistny. Finally, in Russian, it is commonly called Древогубец круглолистный.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| be | Дрэвагубца круглалісты | Wikidata |
| ja | ツルウメモドキ | Wikidata |
| ko | 노박덩굴 | Wikidata |
| pl | Dławisz okrągłolistny | Wikidata |
| ru | Древогубец круглолистный | Wikidata |
| vi | Dây gối tròn | Wikidata |
| zh | 南蛇藤 | Wikidata |
| nl | boomwurger | Wikidata |
| sv | japansk träddödare | Wikidata |
| cy | Celastrws | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse range of habitats across the European continent. In Northern Europe, its presence can be documented within the borders of Great Britain. Moving into Middle Europe, the species is found throughout Germany, Poland, and the region of Czechia-Slovakia. The distribution extends further south into Southeastern Europe, specifically within Romania. Consequently, its geographical reach spans from the northern reaches of the continent to the southeastern territories.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Poland | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Romania | WCVP |
| Eastern Europe | Baltic States | WCVP |
| Eastern Europe | Ukraine | WCVP |
| Russian Far East | Amur | WCVP |
| Russian Far East | Kuril Is. | WCVP |
| Russian Far East | Primorye | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Celastrus orbiculatus, possesses various morphological features that contribute to its overall structure. The aerial parts of the vine include climbing stems that are woody and capable of twisting around supporting structures to reach sunlight. The reproductive cycle is characterized by its fruits, which are typically small, orange-colored capsules that split open to reveal bright red seeds. Below the surface, the plant develops a robust system of roots that helps anchor the vigorous climber to the soil.- Total parts
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 6
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| aerial parts | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stems | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| seeds | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| roots | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fruits | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Celastrus orbiculatus has 7 reported phytochemicals identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include celastrol, (-)-Epiafzelechin, (-)-epiafzelechin, (-)-epicatechin, Nortriptonoterpene.
- Total chemicals
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 8
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| celastrol | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (-)-Epiafzelechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (-)-epiafzelechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (-)-epicatechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Nortriptonoterpene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| acetoacetate | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| celaphanol A | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Celastrus orbiculatus has 9 reported activities identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antitumor, Analgesic, Antiinflammatory, Antinociceptive, Antioxidant.
- Total activities
- 9
- Scientific sources
- 12
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antitumor | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Analgesic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiinflammatory | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antinociceptive | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiproliferative | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Apoptotic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hypnotic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Sedative | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Celastrus orbiculatus has 17 reported medicinal uses identified across 21 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include gastric cancer, analgesic, rheumatoid arthritis, breast cancer, colon cancer.
- Total uses
- 17
- Scientific sources
- 21
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| gastric cancer | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| analgesic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rheumatoid arthritis | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| breast cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| colon cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| glioblastoma | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hepatic cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hepatocellular carcinoma | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| lung cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |