Indian Coral Tree
Erythrina variegata · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Moderate (108 studies) · ★★★☆☆
Indian Coral Tree, scientifically known as Erythrina variegata, is a striking ornamental legume renowned for its vibrant scarlet blossoms. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, this versatile plant holds significant value in traditional medicine, where its various parts are utilized to treat ailments ranging from inflammation to skin disorders and digestive issues.
Names
Common Names
- Indian Coral Tree
- coraltree
- India coralbean
- sunshine tree
- tiger's claw
Regional and Traditional Names
Spanish:
- Colorín amarillo
- Poró rayo de luna
German:
- Indischer Korallenbaum
- Indischer Korallenbaum
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Erythrina variegataSynonyms
- Chirocalyx divaricatus
- Chirocalyx pictus
- Erythrina variegata var. alba
- Erythrina variegata var. orientalis
- Erythrina variegata f. orientalis
- Erythrina variegata f. picta
- Corallodendron spathaceum
- Erythrina fitzalanii
- Erythrina alba
- Erythrina variegata f. marmorata
- Erythrina variegata f. mysorensis
- Erythrina variegata f. parcellii
- Tetradapa javanorum
- Corallodendron divaricatum
- Erythrina variegata f. alba
- Erythrina spathacea
- Erythrina rostrata
- Corallodendron orientale
- Erythrina panduriformis
- Erythrina parcellii
- Erythrina phlebocarpa
- Erythrina picta
- Erythrina indica
- Erythrina indica var. alba
- Erythrina indica var. phlebocarpa
- Erythrina divaricata
- Erythrina corallodendron var. orientalis
- Erythrina lobulata
- Erythrina marmorata
- Erythrina loureiroi
- Erythrina orientalis
- Erythrina boninensis
- Chirocalyx indicus
- Corallodendron lobulatum
- Erythrina indica var. fastigiata
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Fabales, it is a member of the Fabaceae family. Specifically, it is classified under the genus Erythrina.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Erythrina | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning several regions across the African continent. In Northern Africa, its presence can be noted in Egypt. Its range extends to the Macaronesian islands, specifically including Cape Verde. Within West Tropical Africa, the species is found in both Nigeria and Senegal. Finally, it reaches into West-Central Tropical Africa, specifically around the Gulf of Guinea Islands.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Africa | Egypt | WCVP |
| Macaronesia | Cape Verde | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Senegal | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Gulf of Guinea Is. | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Sudan-South Sudan | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Uganda | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Aldabra | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Chagos Archipelago | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Erythrina variegata, possesses various components that are utilized in traditional medicinal practices. The root bark is often sought for its specific therapeutic properties, while the bark found on the main trunk and the specialized stem bark are also harvested for their bioactive compounds. Additionally, the sturdy wood of the tree and its small, potent seeds contribute to the diverse range of botanical materials available from this species for various herbal applications.| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| seeds | Journal of biochemistry (and other 5 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| bark | Lloydia (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root bark | Phytochemistry (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| barks | Journal of complementary & integrative medicine (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf | Parasitology research (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| roots | Journal of natural products (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stem bark | Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| wood | Planta medica (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Erythrina variegata has 57 reported phytochemicals identified across 14 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Lectin, lactose, N-acetyllactosamine, EBI, galactose.
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Lectin | European journal of biochemistry (and other 6 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| lactose | Journal of biochemistry (and other 6 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| N-acetyllactosamine | Biochemistry (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| EBI | Journal of biochemistry (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| galactose | Science (New York, N.Y.) (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 1-(4-Hydroxy-2-methoxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzoyloxy)-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propan-1-ol | Journal of natural products (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 2'-Fucosyllactose | The Journal of biological chemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 5,7,4'-trihydroxy-6-(3,3-dimethylallyloxiranylmethyl)isoflavone | Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 8-Prenyldaidzein | Journal of natural products (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| CAMPESTEROL | Lloydia (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Erythrina variegata has 5 reported activities identified across 14 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Antidiabetic, Antipyretic, Anxiolytic, Sedative.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Analgesic | Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | Omics : a journal of integrative biology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antipyretic | Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anxiolytic | ACS omega (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Sedative | ACS omega (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Erythrina variegata has 6 reported medicinal uses identified across 14 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include analgesic, antipyretic, anxiety, chymotrypsin, insomnia.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| analgesic | Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antipyretic | Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| anxiety | ACS omega (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| chymotrypsin | Journal of biochemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| insomnia | ACS omega (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| liver cancer | Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| root bark | Phytochemistry (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| EV extracts | Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| MECS hard capsules | ACS omega (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| benzene solvent extract | Parasitology research (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| chloroform solvent extract | Parasitology research (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| crude hexane solvent extract | Parasitology research (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethanol extractive | Lloydia (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethyl acetate solvent extract | Parasitology research (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| extracts from seeds | FEBS letters (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| methanol extracts | Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |