Asiatic dogwood

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Asiatic dogwood
• Japanese cornel
• Japanese cornelian-cherry
• Korean cornel dogwood

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Cornus mascula var. japonica
• Macrocarpium officinale
• Cornus officinalis var. koreana

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

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 Cornales, falling into the family Cornaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Cornus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad distribution across various regions of Eastern Asia. In China, its presence is noted in both the North-Central and Southeast territories. Furthermore, the species can be found naturally throughout the Japanese archipelago. It is also widely distributed across the Korean Peninsula. Together, these locations define its primary geographical range within the continent.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Cornus officinalis is characterized by its perennial nature and its classification under specific life forms, primarily functioning as a phanerophyte. As a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its buds well above the ground level, allowing it to thrive as a woody shrub or small tree in its natural habitats. While it is predominantly categorized as a phanerophyte, its structural growth patterns and environmental adaptations can occasionally align with the characteristics of a nanophanerophyte depending on the specific microhabitat and the height of its woody stems. Throughout its life cycle, the plant undergoes seasonal transitions, developing robust woody structures that support its reproductive processes, eventually producing small, fragrant flowers followed by drupes that ensure the continuation of its lineage through seed dispersal.

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Morphology

The morphology of Cornus officinalis is characterized by a woody growth form, specifically manifesting as a perennial shrub or small tree. It is a self-supporting plant that does not exhibit climbing tendencies, such as being a liana or vine, and it functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite. In terms of its ecological habitat and life strategy, it is a terrestrial species, lacking aquatic or semiaquatic adaptations, and it does not function as an epiphyte. Its structure is defined by its permanent woodiness, providing the necessary stability for its upright, self-supporting stature.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cornus officinalis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a metabolic strategy typical of many woody perennial angiosperms that involves the direct fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide by the enzyme RuBisCO during the Calvin cycle. This C3 mechanism dictates its water-use efficiency and carbon assimilation rates, as the plant relies on maintaining specific stomatal conductance levels to balance gas exchange with transpiration. The physiological processes of the plant are heavily influenced by seasonal temperature fluctuations and photoperiodism, which regulate its vegetative growth and the complex metabolic shifts required for the synthesis of bioactive secondary metabolites. These metabolic pathways are closely integrated with its hydraulic architecture, where the movement of water and nutrients through its xylem supports the energetic demands of both structural maintenance and the biochemical production of its medicinal constituents.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cornus officinalis is characterized by the production of small, drupe-like fruits that contain seeds with highly consistent physical properties. Based on empirical data, the seed mass exhibits no variance across the observed samples, maintaining a precise mean, maximum, and minimum value of 0.13158 g. This uniformity in seed mass suggests a highly stable reproductive strategy, ensuring that each seed carries a standardized amount of nutrient reserves to support initial germination. The dispersal and subsequent growth of the species rely on these consistent seed dimensions, which play a critical role in the plant's ability to establish new individuals within its natural habitat.

Seed mass mean:

0.13158 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Cornus officinalis has 2 reported plant parts identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, leaf.

Fruit

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
2. Frontiers in pharmacology
3. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
4. Molecular medicine reports
5. Bioorganic chemistry

Leaf

1. PloS one

Chemicals

Cornus officinalis has 73 reported phytochemicals identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Loganin, Morroniside, Ursolic acid, Cornuside, Flavonoids.

Loganin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
4. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Morroniside

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
4. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
5. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Ursolic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Cornuside

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Journal of cosmetic science
3. Archives of pharmacal research

Flavonoids

1. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Isoterchebin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
3. Archives of pharmacal research

OLEANOLIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Gallic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Iridoids

1. DNA research : an international journal for rapid publication of reports on genes and genomes
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Tannins

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Activities

Cornus officinalis has 272 reported activities identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, Anticancer, Antiinflammatory, Cardioprotective.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Fitoterapia
3. Bioorganic chemistry
4. European journal of pharmacology
5. Frontiers in pharmacology

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Fitoterapia
3. Bioorganic chemistry
4. European journal of pharmacology

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Fitoterapia

Antiinflammatory

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Cardioprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Fitoterapia

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Fitoterapia

Hypoglycemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Neuroprotective

1. Journal of Asian natural products research
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Cornus officinalis has 39 reported medicinal uses identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include diabetic nephropathy, inflammation, oxidative stress, Alzheimer's disease, acute lung injury.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations