Du Zhong

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• eucommia
• gutta-percha-tree
• Gutta-percha
• Gutta-percha Tree
• hardy rubber tree

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Eucommia ulmoides var. yunnanensis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Garryales, it is uniquely classified under the family Eucommiaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic designation is within the genus Eucommia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a widespread presence across several distinct regions in Asia and Europe. In the continent of Asia, its range includes Korea within Eastern Asia. Within China, it can be found extensively throughout the South-Central, North-Central, and Southeast regions. The species also extends its reach into Southeastern Europe, specifically documented in Bulgaria. Consequently, the geographical distribution of Eucommia ulmoides spans multiple diverse territories.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Eucommia ulmoides is characterized by its preference for managed habitats, where it is often cultivated for its medicinal properties. This species thrives within a specific vertical distribution, occupying an elevational range that begins at a minimum of 300 m AMSL and reaches a maximum of 1800 m AMSL. On average, the plant is most commonly found at a mean elevation of approximately 400 m AMSL, reflecting its adaptation to specific altitudinal gradients within its ecological niche.

Elevational range max:

1800 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

400 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

300 m AMSL

Habitat :

managed

Life history

The life history of Eucommia ulmoides is characterized by its nature as a perennial species, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish a stable presence in its natural habitat. As a deciduous plant, it undergoes a seasonal cycle of leaf shedding, losing its foliage during the dormant winter period before regenerating new growth in the spring. This rhythmic pattern of growth and dormancy is central to its developmental cycle, ensuring its long-term survival and structural development over many years.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Eucommia ulmoides is characterized by its robust growth form as a woody tree. It is a self-supporting, terrestrial plant that functions independently, lacking any parasitic or epiphytic lifestyle. Reaching significant dimensions, the plant typically attains a height of approximately 20 m, with a growth range spanning from a minimum of 20 m to a maximum of 30 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

30 m

Plant height mean:

20 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiological development of the foliage in Eucommia ulmoides is characterized by significant morphological variability in leaf dimensions, which plays a crucial role in its photosynthetic capacity and environmental adaptation. The leaves exhibit a wide range of longitudinal growth, with a mean leaf length of 10.5 cm, though they can vary from a minimum of 6 cm to a maximum of 15 cm. Complementing this longitudinal variation is a distinct breadth in the laminar structure, where the mean leaf width is recorded at 5 cm. This width fluctuates between a minimum of 3.5 cm and a maximum of 6.5 cm, reflecting the plant's capacity for structural plasticity. Such variations in leaf area and dimensions are integral to the plant's physiological efficiency, influencing gas exchange and light interception strategies across different developmental stages and environmental conditions.

Leaf length max:

15 cm

Leaf length mean:

10.5 cm

Leaf length min:

6 cm

Leaf width max:

6.5 cm

Leaf width mean:

5 cm

Leaf width min:

3.5 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Eucommia ulmoides is characterized by the development of distinctive fruit structures that exhibit specific morphological dimensions. The fruits produced by this species vary in size, with a recorded minimum length of 3 cm and a maximum length reaching up to 3.5 cm, resulting in an average fruit length of 3.25 cm. In terms of lateral dimensions, the fruit width ranges from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 1.2 cm, with a mean width of 1.1 cm. These measurements define the physical parameters of the reproductive output, ensuring the successful dispersal and propagation of the species through these specialized fruit bodies.

Fruit length max:

3.5 cm

Fruit length mean:

3.25 cm

Fruit length min:

3 cm

Fruit width max:

1.2 cm

Fruit width mean:

1.1 cm

Fruit width min:

1 cm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Eucommia ulmoides has 6 reported plant parts identified across 36 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, seed, flower, root, fruit.

Leaf

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
3. Journal of food science
4. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences
5. Plant methods

Seed

1. International journal of biological macromolecules
2. Nutrients
3. Frontiers in pharmacology
4. Heliyon

Flower

1. Nutrients
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Heliyon

Root

1. Nutrients
2. Environmental science and pollution research international

Fruit

1. The American journal of Chinese medicine

Stem

1. Nutrients

Chemicals

Eucommia ulmoides has 123 reported phytochemicals identified across 36 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Aucubin, CHLOROGENIC ACID, Pinoresinol diglucoside, Flavonoids, Geniposidic acid.

Aucubin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
4. Planta
5. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

CHLOROGENIC ACID

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

Pinoresinol diglucoside

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
4. Planta
5. PloS one

Flavonoids

1. Frontiers in plant science
2. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
3. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
4. Nutrients
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Geniposidic acid

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

Geniposide

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

RUTIN

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
3. Journal of food science
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Iridoids

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
2. Nutrients
3. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
4. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
5. Journal of natural products

Lignans

1. Nutrients
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
3. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
4. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Neochlorogenic acid

1. Journal of food science
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
3. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
4. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Activities

Eucommia ulmoides has 379 reported activities identified across 36 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antihypertensive, Antiaging, Neuroprotective, Analgesic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current issues in molecular biology
3. International journal of biological macromolecules
4. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Nutrients

Antihypertensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
3. Nutrients
4. Acta medica Okayama
5. The American journal of Chinese medicine

Antiaging

1. Dr. Duke
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Neuroprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
3. The American journal of Chinese medicine

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Antiallergic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of biological macromolecules

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Antifungal

1. FEBS letters
2. Rapid communications in mass spectrometry : RCM

Antitumor

1. Dr. Duke
2. The American journal of Chinese medicine

Conditions

Eucommia ulmoides has 42 reported investigations on conditions identified across 36 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include inflammation, hypertension, osteoporosis, antihypertensive, antioxidant.

Inflammation

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Journal of food science
3. Nutrients
4. Chinese medical journal
5. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Hypertension

1. Nutrients
2. Frontiers in pharmacology
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Heliyon
5. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Osteoporosis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
3. Heliyon
4. Frontiers in pharmacology
5. Frontiers in plant science

Antihypertensive

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
2. Acta medica Okayama
3. The American journal of Chinese medicine

Antioxidant

1. Current issues in molecular biology
2. Nutrients
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Cancer

1. Life sciences
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
3. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Aging

1. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Fatigue

1. Computers in biology and medicine
2. Fundamental & clinical pharmacology

Obesity

1. Frontiers in pharmacology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Oxidative stress

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Journal of food science

Preparations

Eucommia ulmoides has 36 reported preparations identified across 36 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include EU bark, EU extract, Eucommia granules, Eucommia ulmoides bark, Eucommia ulmoides extracts.

Eu bark

1. PloS one

Eu extract

1. Nutrients

Eucommia granules

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Eucommia ulmoides bark

1. Current microbiology

Eucommia ulmoides extracts

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Eucommia ulmoides polysaccharides

1. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Eucommia ulmoides seed oil

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Eucommiae cortex (ec)

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Eucommiae flos male (efm)

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Eucommiae folium (ef)

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)