Cnidoscolus
Cnidoscolus, commonly known as chaya or tree spinach, is a versatile medicinal plant native to the Americas. Renowned for its nutrient-dense leaves, it is used in traditional medicine to treat inflammation, digestive issues, and skin ailments. This resilient shrub offers significant therapeutic potential through its unique bioactive compounds.
- Scientific name: Cnidoscolus
- Family: Euphorbiaceae
- Native range: Asia-Tropical
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Malpighiales, it is classified under the family Euphorbiaceae. It is specifically identified by the genus Cnidoscolus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malpighiales | WCVP |
| Family | Euphorbiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Cnidoscolus | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known by several different names depending on the language, is referred to as Prhloun in Czech (cs), Knidoskolus in Croatian (hr), 花棘麻属 in Chinese (zh), and Cnidolscolus in French (fr).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| cs | Prhloun | Wikidata |
| hr | Knidoskolus | Wikidata |
| zh | 花棘麻属 | Wikidata |
| fr | Cnidolscolus | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution spanning across several distinct global regions. Within the Malesia zone, it can be found in the Philippines, while its presence extends to the Line Islands in the South-Central Pacific. In the Northwestern Pacific, the species is documented in the Mariana Islands. Moving to North America, its range reaches into the North-Central United States, specifically in Oklahoma. Finally, the plant is also established within the Southwestern United States, particularly in Arizona.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Malesia | Philippines | WCVP |
| South-Central Pacific | Line Is. | WCVP |
| Northwestern Pacific | Marianas | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Oklahoma | WCVP |
| Southwestern U.S.A. | Arizona | WCVP |
| South-Central U.S.A. | Texas | WCVP |
| Southeastern U.S.A. | Alabama | WCVP |
| Southeastern U.S.A. | Arkansas | WCVP |
| Southeastern U.S.A. | Florida | WCVP |
| Southeastern U.S.A. | Georgia | WCVP |
Chemicals
Cnidoscolus has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, triterpenes.
- Total chemicals
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| triterpenes | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Cnidoscolus has 6 reported activities identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antinociceptive, Antioxidant, Antiproliferative, Cytotoxic.
- Total activities
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antibacterial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antinociceptive | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiproliferative | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hypoglycemic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Cnidoscolus has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, inflammation.
- Total uses
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |