Du Zhong
Eucommia ulmoides · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Extensive (826 studies) · ★★★★★
Du Zhong, scientifically known as Eucommia ulmoides, is a cornerstone of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Renowned for its bark, this medicinal plant is primarily used to strengthen the kidneys and bones. It plays a vital role in supporting cardiovascular health and managing joint discomfort, offering significant therapeutic benefits for holistic wellness.
- Family
- Eucommiaceae
- Native range
- Europe
- Parts used
- Leaf · Seed
- Common names
- Eucommia · Gutta-Percha-Tree · 3 more
- Scientific synonyms
- Eucommia Ulmoides Var. Yunnanensis
Names
Common Names
- eucommia
- gutta-percha-tree
- Gutta-percha
- Gutta-percha Tree
- hardy rubber tree
Regional and Traditional Names
Spanish:
- Eucommiaceae
- Árbol de la gutapercha
- Arbol de la gutapercha
- Árbol de la gutapercha
German:
- Gummiulme
- Chinesischer Guttaperchabaum
French:
- Eucommiacée
- Eucommiacées
- Arbre à gomme
- Arbre à gutta-percha
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Eucommia ulmoidesSynonyms
- Eucommia ulmoides var. yunnanensis
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.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Garryales | WCVP |
| Family | Eucommiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Eucommia | 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.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Southeastern Europe | Bulgaria | WCVP |
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | China North-Central | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Korea | WCVP |
| Northeastern U.S.A. | Indiana | WCVP |
| Northeastern U.S.A. | New Jersey | WCVP |
| Northeastern U.S.A. | New York | WCVP |
| Northeastern U.S.A. | Ohio | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Eucommia ulmoides, is a deciduous tree where various components are utilized for their therapeutic properties. The bark is perhaps the most significant part used in traditional medicine, often harvested for its unique rubbery, filamentous texture. The leaves are also frequently employed in herbal preparations, and each individual leaf contributes to the plant's overall medicinal potency. Furthermore, the seeds are gathered for specific applications, with each tiny seed containing concentrated compounds that are valued in pharmacological studies.| Plant Part | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| leaf | Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica (and other 25 sources) | ★★★★★ |
| seed | International journal of biological macromolecules (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| flower | Nutrients (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| root | Nutrients (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fruit | The American journal of Chinese medicine (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stem | Nutrients (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
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.
| Chemical | Supporting sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Aucubin | 14 supporting sources | ★★★★★ |
| CHLOROGENIC ACID | 14 supporting sources | ★★★★★ |
| Pinoresinol diglucoside | 11 supporting sources | ★★★★★ |
| Flavonoids | 10 supporting sources | ★★★★★ |
| Geniposidic acid | 10 supporting sources | ★★★★★ |
| Geniposide | 8 supporting sources | ★★★★☆ |
| RUTIN | 6 supporting sources | ★★★☆☆ |
| Iridoids | 5 supporting sources | ★★★☆☆ |
| Lignans | 4 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Neochlorogenic acid | 4 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
Aucubin
- Dr. Duke
- Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
- Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
- Planta
- Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
View 9 additional sources
- Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
- PloS one
- Journal of analytical methods in chemistry
- Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
- Frontiers in pharmacology
- Environmental science and pollution research international
- Chinese journal of natural medicines
- Microbiological research
CHLOROGENIC ACID
- Dr. Duke
- Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
- Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
- Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
- Journal of food science
View 9 additional sources
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
- PloS one
- Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
- Frontiers in pharmacology
- Frontiers in microbiology
- RSC advances
- Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
- Biomedical chromatography : BMC
- Environmental science and pollution research international
Pinoresinol diglucoside
- Dr. Duke
- Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
- Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
- Planta
- PloS one
View 6 additional sources
- Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
- Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
- Frontiers in pharmacology
- Chinese journal of natural medicines
- Microbiological research
Flavonoids
- Frontiers in plant science
- Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
- Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
- Nutrients
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
View 5 additional sources
- Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
- Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
- Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
- Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
- Heliyon
Geniposidic acid
- Dr. Duke
- Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
- Planta
- Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
View 5 additional sources
- PloS one
- Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
- Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
- Chinese journal of natural medicines
- Microbiological research
Geniposide
- Dr. Duke
- Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
- PloS one
- Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
View 3 additional sources
- Frontiers in pharmacology
- Environmental science and pollution research international
- Chinese journal of natural medicines
RUTIN
- Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
- Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
- Journal of food science
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
- Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
View 1 additional sources
- Frontiers in pharmacology
Iridoids
- Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
- Nutrients
- Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
- Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
- Journal of natural products
Lignans
- Nutrients
- Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
- Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
- Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
Neochlorogenic acid
- Journal of food science
- Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
- Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
- 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.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | Dr. Duke (and other 8 sources) | ★★★★☆ |
| Antihypertensive | Dr. Duke (and other 5 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| Antiaging | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Neuroprotective | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Analgesic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiallergic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antifungal | FEBS letters (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antitumor | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Eucommia ulmoides has 42 reported medicinal uses identified across 36 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include inflammation, hypertension, osteoporosis, antihypertensive, antioxidant.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| inflammation | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 6 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| hypertension | Nutrients (and other 5 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| osteoporosis | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 5 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| antihypertensive | Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| antioxidant | Current issues in molecular biology (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| cancer | Life sciences (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| aging | Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fatigue | Computers in biology and medicine (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| obesity | Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oxidative stress | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| EU bark | PloS one (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| EU extract | Nutrients (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Eucommia granules | Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Eucommia ulmoides bark | Current microbiology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Eucommia ulmoides extracts | Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Eucommia ulmoides polysaccharides | Foods (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Eucommia ulmoides seed oil | Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Eucommiae Cortex (EC) | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Eucommiae Flos Male (EFM) | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Eucommiae Folium (EF) | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |