Colubrina asiatica
Asian nakedwood
Colubrina asiatica, commonly known as the Asian Colubrina, is a versatile medicinal shrub native to tropical regions. Renowned in traditional medicine, its leaves and bark possess significant therapeutic properties, including anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. This resilient plant serves as a vital natural resource for treating various skin and digestive ailments.
- Scientific name: Colubrina asiatica
- Family: Rhamnaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, Colubrina asiatica, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is further classified under the order Rosales and the family Rhamnaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Colubrina.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Rosales | WCVP |
| Family | Rhamnaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Colubrina | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Colubrina asiatica, is referred to by various regional common names depending on the language and location. In Chinese, it is known as 蛇藤 (zh), 亞洲濱棗 (zh-tw), and 蛇藤 (zh-hans), while in Malayalam, it is called കടപ്പ (ml), and in Thai, it is identified as ผักหวานทะเล (th).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 蛇藤 | Wikidata |
| ml | കടപ്പ | Wikidata |
| th | ผักหวานทะเล | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 亞洲濱棗 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 蛇藤 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 蛇藤 | Wikidata |
| zh | 亚洲滨枣 | Wikidata |
| en | Asian nakedwood | Wikidata |
| en | Asiatic snakewood | Wikidata |
| en | latherleaf | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several key regions in Africa and the Indian Ocean. In East Tropical Africa, it can be found inhabiting parts of Kenya and Tanzania. Its presence extends further south into the continent, specifically within Mozambique in South Tropical Africa. Additionally, the species is located within the Western Indian Ocean, appearing on the islands of Aldabra and the Comoros. These diverse locations highlight the plant's ability to thrive in various tropical maritime and mainland environments.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| East Tropical Africa | Kenya | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Mozambique | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Aldabra | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Comoros | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Mauritius | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Mozambique Channel Is. | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Madagascar | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Rodrigues | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Seychelles | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Colubrina asiatica, utilizes its leaves as a primary component in various traditional medicinal applications. These foliage parts are often harvested and processed to treat specific ailments, frequently serving as a key ingredient in decoctions or topical applications due to their bioactive properties.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Colubrina asiatica has 9 reported phytochemicals identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 3''-O-acetyl-6''-O-trans-crotonylcolubrin, 3''-O-acetylcolubrin, benzoic acid derivative, colubrin, jujubogenin.
- Total chemicals
- 9
- Scientific sources
- 9
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| 3''-O-acetyl-6''-O-trans-crotonylcolubrin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 3''-O-acetylcolubrin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| benzoic acid derivative | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| colubrin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| jujubogenin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rutin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sesquiterpenoid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| steroids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Colubrina asiatica has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, Plasmodium falciparum.
- Total uses
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Plasmodium falciparum | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |