Croton oligandrus

Croton oligandrus, commonly known as a vital medicinal plant in various traditional practices, belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family. Renowned for its diverse bioactive compounds, it is utilized in ethnobotany for its potential therapeutic properties. Research continues to explore its efficacy in treating various ailments and its pharmacological importance.

  • Scientific name: Croton oligandrus
  • Family: Euphorbiaceae
  • Native range: Africa

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified within the order Malpighiales and the family Euphorbiaceae. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by its placement in 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, Croton oligandrus, is known by various names depending on the linguistic and regional context. In English, it is commonly referred to as the oligand croton, while in Spanish, it is identified as croton oligandro.
Language Common Name Source

Distribution

This plant is geographically distributed across several regions within West-Central Tropical Africa. Specifically, it can be found growing in the territory of Cabinda. Its presence is also well-documented throughout the country of Cameroon. Additionally, the species inhabits various areas within Congo. Finally, the natural range of this medicinal plant extends into Gabon.

Region Area Source
West-Central Tropical Africa Cabinda WCVP
West-Central Tropical Africa Cameroon WCVP
West-Central Tropical Africa Congo WCVP
West-Central Tropical Africa Gabon WCVP

Plant Parts

This plant, Croton oligandrus, possesses various components that are utilized in traditional medicinal practices, particularly focusing on its structural elements. The stem bark and the outer bark are the specific parts often identified for their bioactive properties. In many medicinal applications, the bark is harvested from the stem to extract compounds believed to have therapeutic effects, making these woody tissues essential to the plant's traditional pharmacological profile.
Total parts
2
Scientific sources
2
Plant Part Sources Confidence
stem bark 1 ★☆☆☆☆
bark 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Chemicals

Croton oligandrus has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 7-oxodehydroabietic acid, acetyl-aleuritolic acid, cluytyl-ferulate, ferulic acid, lupeol.

Total chemicals
6
Scientific sources
6

Most Reported Compounds

Compound Sources Confidence
7-oxodehydroabietic acid 1 ★☆☆☆☆
acetyl-aleuritolic acid 1 ★☆☆☆☆
cluytyl-ferulate 1 ★☆☆☆☆
ferulic acid 1 ★☆☆☆☆
lupeol 1 ★☆☆☆☆
vanillin 1 ★☆☆☆☆