Diplocyclos palmatus
Native briony
Diplocyclos palmatus, commonly known as the Snake gourd, is a versatile climbing vine prized in traditional medicine. Renowned for its cooling properties, it is utilized to treat digestive ailments, skin disorders, and inflammation. Beyond its nutritional value, this plant offers significant therapeutic potential in holistic healing practices worldwide.
- Scientific name: Diplocyclos palmatus
- Family: Cucurbitaceae
- 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 Cucurbitales and the family Cucurbitaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Diplocyclos.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Cucurbitales | WCVP |
| Family | Cucurbitaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Diplocyclos | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Diplocyclos palmatus, is referred to by various common names depending on the region and language. In Chinese, it is known as 毒瓜 (zh-hans, zh-hant, zh-hk, zh), while in Malayalam, it is called ഐവിരലിക്കോവ (ml).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 毒瓜 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 毒瓜 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 毒瓜 | Wikidata |
| ml | ഐവിരലിക്കോവ | Wikidata |
| zh | 毒瓜 | Wikidata |
| ja | オキナワスズメウリ | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 雙輪瓜 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 毒瓜 | Wikidata |
| ta | ஐவிரல் கோவை | Wikidata |
| kn | ಲಿಂಗದೊಂಡೆ | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is primarily distributed throughout the West-Central Tropical Africa region. Specifically, its presence can be noted in the nation of Burundi. It is also found within the territories of Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Furthermore, its range extends to include Rwanda. Finally, the species is documented to grow on the Gulf of Guinea Islands.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Burundi | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Congo | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Gulf of Guinea Is. | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Rwanda | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | DR Congo | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Chad | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Ethiopia | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Sudan-South Sudan | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Kenya | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
Chemicals
Diplocyclos palmatus has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include cucurbitacin B, cucurbitacin I.
- Total chemicals
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cucurbitacin B | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cucurbitacin I | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Diplocyclos palmatus has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Diplocyclos palmatus has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer.
- Total uses
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |