Celastrus
Celastrus, commonly known as bittersweet, is a versatile genus of woody vines and shrubs valued in traditional medicine. Renowned for its bioactive compounds, it is frequently studied for its potential neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties. This resilient plant offers a fascinating intersection of botanical beauty and significant therapeutic promise.
- Scientific name: Celastrus
- Family: Celastraceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Celastrales. Finally, it is a member of the family Celastraceae and falls under 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, belonging to the genus Celastrus, is known by various names across different languages and regions. In Russia, it is commonly referred to as Древогубец, while in Chinese, it is identified as 南蛇藤属. Moving through Europe, the plant is called Dławisz in Polish, zimokeř in Czech, and is known as Baumwürger in German.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ru | Древогубец | Wikidata |
| zh | 南蛇藤属 | Wikidata |
| pl | Dławisz | Wikidata |
| cs | zimokeř | Wikidata |
| de | Baumwürger | Wikidata |
| da | Celaster | Wikidata |
| vi | Chi Dây gối | Wikidata |
| uk | Деревогубець | Wikidata |
| eo | Celastro | Wikidata |
| be | Дрэвагубца | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range spanning several distinct regions across the European continent. In Northern Europe, its presence can be identified within the territory of Great Britain. Moving into Middle Europe, the species is distributed across Germany, Poland, and the combined regions of Czechia and Slovakia. Furthermore, its range extends into Southeastern Europe, specifically within Bulgaria. Together, these locations highlight the plant's widespread occurrence across varied European landscapes.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Poland | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Bulgaria | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Romania | WCVP |
| Eastern Europe | Baltic States | WCVP |
| Eastern Europe | Ukraine | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Madagascar | WCVP |
| Russian Far East | Amur | WCVP |
Chemicals
Celastrus has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include flavonoids, lignans, tetraterpenes, triterpenoids.
- Total chemicals
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| lignans | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tetraterpenes | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| triterpenoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Celastrus has 4 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Neuroprotective, Antimicrobial, Antitumor, Cytotoxic.
- Total activities
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Neuroprotective | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antitumor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Celastrus has 7 reported medicinal uses identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cognitive dysfunction, dyspepsia, epilepsy, gout, insomnia.
- Total uses
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 7
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cognitive dysfunction | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dyspepsia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| epilepsy | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gout | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| insomnia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rheumatism | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tumor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |