Croton guatemalensis
Croton guaitemalensis, commonly known as a traditional medicinal shrub, holds significant importance in Central American ethnobotany. Renowned for its diverse therapeutic properties, this plant is frequently utilized in folk medicine to treat skin ailments, inflammations, and gastrointestinal issues, offering a rich source of bioactive compounds for pharmacological research.
- Scientific name: Croton guatemalensis
- Family: Euphorbiaceae
- Native range: Northern America
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, Croton guatemalensis, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Malpighiales. Finally, it is classified under the family Euphorbiaceae within the genus Croton.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malpighiales | WCVP |
| Family | Euphorbiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Croton | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Croton guaitemalensis, is recognized by several different common names depending on the linguistic context. In French, it is referred to by the names Croton eluterioides, Croton wilburii, and Croton pyriticus.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| fr | Croton eluterioides | Wikidata |
| fr | Croton wilburii | Wikidata |
| fr | Croton pyriticus | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution spanning across several regions of Mexico and parts of Central America. Within Mexico, its presence is recorded in the Northeast and the Gulf regions. It is also widely distributed throughout the Southwest and Southeast territories of the country. Moving further south, the species can be found within the borders of El Salvador. Collectively, these locations define the natural habitat range for Croton guaitemalensis.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | Mexico Northeast | WCVP |
| Mexico | Mexico Gulf | WCVP |
| Mexico | Mexico Southwest | WCVP |
| Mexico | Mexico Southeast | WCVP |
| Central America | El Salvador | WCVP |
| Central America | Guatemala | WCVP |
| Central America | Honduras | WCVP |
| Central America | Nicaragua | WCVP |
| Central America | Panamá | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Croton guatemalensis, is a species valued in traditional medicine, where various components are utilized for their therapeutic properties. While many parts of the plant may be studied for their bioactive compounds, the cortex is a significant anatomical part often examined for its chemical constituents. In many medicinal species within the Croton genus, the bark or cortex contains specific secondary metabolites that contribute to the plant's overall medicinal efficacy.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cortex | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Croton guatemalensis has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Hypoglycemic.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Hypoglycemic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Croton guatemalensis has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include type 2 diabetes, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance.
- Total uses
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| type 2 diabetes | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hyperglycemia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| insulin resistance | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |