Helicteres angustifolia
Helicteres angustifolia, commonly known as the False Ixora or Wild Screw Tree, is a versatile medicinal shrub native to tropical regions. Renowned in traditional medicine, its leaves and bark possess significant antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, frequently utilized to treat skin ailments, digestive issues, and various inflammatory conditions naturally.
- Scientific name: Helicteres angustifolia
- Family: Malvaceae
- 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 Malvales and the family Malvaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Helicteres.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malvales | WCVP |
| Family | Malvaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Helicteres | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Helicteres angustifolia, is recognized by various common names across different regions and languages. In Chinese, it is referred to as 山芝麻 (zh), 山芝麻 (zh-cn), and 山芝麻 (zh-tw), as well as 山油麻 (zh). Additionally, in Japanese, it is known as ヤンバルゴマ (ja).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 山芝麻 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 山芝麻 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 山芝麻 | Wikidata |
| ja | ヤンバルゴマ | Wikidata |
| zh | 山油麻 | Wikidata |
| zh | 坡油麻 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific geographical range primarily concentrated within East Asia. In mainland China, its distribution encompasses the South-Central and Southeast regions. Furthermore, it can be found growing on the tropical island of Hainan. The species also extends its reach to the island of Taiwan. Finally, its habitat includes the Nansei-shoto islands located within Eastern Asia.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | Hainan | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Nansei-shoto | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Taiwan | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Cambodia | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Laos | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Myanmar | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Nicobar Is. | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Thailand | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Helicteres angustifolia, possesses various components that are utilized for their therapeutic properties, specifically the stems and dried roots. The stems serve as a structural foundation for the plant's growth, while the dried roots are often the primary focus in traditional medicinal preparations due to their concentrated bioactive compounds. By harvesting and processing these dried roots, practitioners can extract essential elements used to treat various ailments, making these specific parts integral to the plant's medicinal profile.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| stems | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dried roots | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Helicteres angustifolia has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include betulinic acid, helicteric acid, helicterilic acid, lupeol, oleanolic acid.
- Total chemicals
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| betulinic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| helicteric acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| helicterilic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| lupeol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oleanolic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Helicteres angustifolia has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Analgesic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Helicteres angustifolia has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include tumor.
- Total uses
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| tumor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |