Filipendula ulmaria
Mead wort
Filipendula ulmaria, commonly known as meadowsweet, is a perennial herb renowned for its fragrant, creamy blossoms. Historically significant, it contains salicylic acid derivatives, serving as a natural precursor to aspirin. This versatile plant is widely used in traditional medicine to soothe digestive issues and alleviate inflammation and pain.
- Scientific name: Filipendula ulmaria
- Family: Rosaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Rosales, it is a member of the Rosaceae family. Ultimately, it is identified by the genus Filipendula.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Rosales | WCVP |
| Family | Rosaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Filipendula | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Filipendula ulmaria, is recognized by various names across different regions and linguistic contexts. In Chinese, it is consistently referred to as 旋果蚊草子, a name that is utilized across several major language codes including zh-hans, zh-hant, zh-hk, zh-cn, and zh-sg.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 旋果蚊草子 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 旋果蚊草子 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 旋果蚊草子 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 旋果蚊草子 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 旋果蚊草子 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 旋果蚊草子 | Wikidata |
| pl | Wiązówka błotna | Wikidata |
| hu | réti legyezőfű | Wikidata |
| lv | Parastā vīgrieze | Wikidata |
| li | Moerasspirea | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is widely distributed across several regions within Northern Europe. Its presence is well-documented in the country of Denmark. Additionally, it can be found growing naturally in Finland. The species is also native to the islands of Great Britain and Iceland. Finally, it maintains a stable population throughout Ireland.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Finland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Iceland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Norway | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Sweden | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as meadowsweet, is characterized by its distinct botanical features that contribute to its medicinal value. The leaves are typically long, serrated, and lanceolate in shape, providing a lush green base for the plant's structure. Rising above the foliage are the dense, creamy-white flowers, which emit a sweet, almond-like fragrance. These blossoms are arranged in large, branched inflorescences that form pyramidal clusters at the tips of the stems. Consequently, when harvesting for medicinal purposes, it is often the entire aerial parts of the plant that are collected and used in traditional remedies.- Total parts
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flowers | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aerial parts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Inflorescences | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Filipendula ulmaria has 29 reported phytochemicals identified across 38 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include flavonoids, salicylic acid, heparin, p-coumaric acid, quercetin.
- Total chemicals
- 29
- Scientific sources
- 38
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| flavonoids | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| salicylic acid | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| heparin | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| p-coumaric acid | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| quercetin | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rosmarinic acid | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tannin | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Catechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| benzoic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| caftaric acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Filipendula ulmaria has 10 reported activities identified across 14 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Anticoagulant, Antimicrobial, Antibacterial, Antibiotic.
- Total activities
- 10
- Scientific sources
- 14
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Anticoagulant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antibiotic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiproliferative | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antirheumatic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| DNA-Protective | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Diuretic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Fibrinolytic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Filipendula ulmaria has 10 reported medicinal uses identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, cervical dysplasia, diabetes mellitus, elastase, hepatocellular carcinoma.
- Total uses
- 10
- Scientific sources
- 11
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cervical dysplasia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diabetes mellitus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| elastase | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hepatocellular carcinoma | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| neurodegenerative diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| obesity | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oxidative damage | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tumors | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| uterine cervical cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |