Euphorbia pekinensis
Euphorbia pekinensis boiss. (1860) non rupr. (1859)
Euphorbia pekinensis, commonly known as Peking spurge, is a perennial herb valued in traditional Chinese medicine. Renowned for its bioactive compounds, it is primarily utilized to treat inflammatory conditions, skin ailments, and various internal maladies. This resilient plant offers significant therapeutic potential through its unique phytochemical properties and medicinal applications.
- Scientific name: Euphorbia pekinensis
- Family: Euphorbiaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
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. Finally, its specific taxonomic placement is within the genus Euphorbia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malpighiales | WCVP |
| Family | Euphorbiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Euphorbia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Euphorbia pekinenensis, is referred to by various common names depending on the language and region. In Chinese, it is identified as 北京大戟, a name that remains consistent across different linguistic variants, including the simplified characters used in mainland China (zh-cn: 北京大戟) and the traditional characters used in Taiwan (zh-tw: 北京大戟). In German-speaking contexts (de: Euphorbia pekinensis Boiss. (1860) non Rupr. (1859)) and in English (en: Euphorbia pekinensis Boiss. (1860) non Rupr. (1859)), the botanical nomenclature is utilized to provide precise taxonomic identification.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| de | Euphorbia pekinensis Boiss. (1860) non Rupr. (1859) | Wikidata |
| zh | 北京大戟 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 北京大戟 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 北京大戟 | Wikidata |
| en | Euphorbia pekinensis Boiss. (1860) non Rupr. (1859) | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range spanning several distinct regions across East Asia. In the northernmost reaches of its habitat, it can be found within the Russian Far East, specifically in the Primorye region. Its presence extends significantly into China, where it inhabits the landscapes of Inner Mongolia and Manchuria. Furthermore, the species is distributed throughout the South-Central parts of China. Finally, its range reaches as far south as the island province of Hainan.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Russian Far East | Primorye | WCVP |
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | Hainan | WCVP |
| China | Inner Mongolia | WCVP |
| China | Manchuria | WCVP |
| China | China North-Central | WCVP |
| China | Qinghai | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| China | Tibet | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Japan | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Euphorbia pekinenensis, is a medicinal species where various components are utilized for their therapeutic properties. The most common medicinal preparation involves the radix, which refers to the roots of the plant. This root system is harvested and processed to serve as a primary ingredient in traditional remedies. In addition to the underground structures, the leaf and the entire aerial part of the plant may also be collected for different applications, ensuring that the whole biological profile of the herb can be utilized in botanical medicine.- Total parts
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| roots | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| radix | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aerial part | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Euphorbia pekinensis Radix | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Euphorbia pekinensis has 10 reported phytochemicals identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include terpenoids, alpha-linolenic acid, euphol, flavonoids, kaempferol.
- Total chemicals
- 10
- Scientific sources
- 11
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| terpenoids | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| alpha-linolenic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| euphol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| kaempferol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| linolenic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oleic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| palmitic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tannins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| terpene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Euphorbia pekinensis has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Toxic.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Toxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Euphorbia pekinensis has 8 reported medicinal uses identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include edema, ascites, cancer, gonorrhea, leukemias.
- Total uses
- 8
- Scientific sources
- 9
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| edema | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ascites | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gonorrhea | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leukemias | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| migraine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| myocardial infarction | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| wart | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |