Barbados nut
Jatropha curcas · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Extensive (333 studies) · ★★★★★
Barbados nut, scientifically known as Jatrophas curcas, is a versatile, drought-tolerant shrub widely utilized in traditional medicine. Renowned for its bioactive compounds, it possesses potent anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and purgative properties. While its seeds offer significant therapeutic potential, careful handling is essential due to the plant's inherent toxicity.
Names
Common Names
- Barbados nut
- Grave Physic Nut
- Barbados-nut
- bubblebush
- purgenut
- purgingnut
- Bed Bug Plant
- Big-Purge Nut
- Big-Purge Nut Seed
- Black Vomit Nut
- Black Vomit Nut Seed
- Brazilian Stinging Nut
- Cuban Physic Nut
- Hell Oil
- Physic Nut Tree
- Pinhoen oil
- Purgeerboonjie
- Purging Nut Tree
Regional and Traditional Names
Spanish:
- Pinon de tempate
- Ricinus jarak
- Agrenergía
- Jatropha curcas var. rufa
- Curcas purgans
- Agrenergia
- Ricinoides americana
- Jatropha condor
- Curcas lobata
- Curcas curcas
- Jatrofa curcas
- Manihot curcas
- Jatropha afrocurcas
- Jatropha edulis
- Piñon de tempate
- Curcas indica
- Jatropha acerifolia
- Ricinus americanus
- Jatropha yucatanensis
- Curcas adansonii
- Castiglionia lobata
- Jatropha curcas var rufa
- Curcas drastica
- frailejón
- piñón
- piñón blanco
- tártago
- Bonete
- Piñón de tempate
- Sangregado
German:
- Purgiernuss
- Jatrophanuss
- Purgierstrauch
- Purgiernuß
- Termitenbaum
French:
- Bagani
- Pignon d'Inde
- Pourghère
- médecinier cathartique
- médecinier purgatif
- fève d'enfer
- grand pignon d'Inde
- gros ricin
- médicinier
- médicinier barrière
- médicinier béni
- médicinier purgatif
- pignon d'Inde
- purghère
- Pourguère
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Jatropha curcasSynonyms
- Ricinus americanus
- Jatropha yucatanensis
- Jatropha acerifolia
- Curcas adansonii
- Curcas indica
- Manihot curcas
- Ricinus jarak
- Jatropha edulis
- Hydnocarpus corymbosus
- Jatropha afrocurcas
- Hedera corymbosa
- Curcas lobata
- Curcas purgans
- Curcas drastica
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Malpighiales, it is classified under the family Euphorbiaceae and the genus Jatropha.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malpighiales | WCVP |
| Family | Euphorbiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Jatropha | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several distinct regions. In Macaronesia, its presence is specifically noted in Cape Verde. Moving toward the mainland, it is found within West Tropical Africa in several different nations. These locations include Benin, Burkina, and the Gambia. Additionally, the species can be located within the territory of Guinea-Bissau.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Macaronesia | Cape Verde | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea-Bissau | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Senegal | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Togo | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Burundi | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Jatropha curcas, possesses several components that are utilized for various medicinal and industrial purposes. The most notable part is the seed, which contains a high concentration of lipids. When the seeds are processed, they yield a potent oil that is frequently studied for its bioactive properties. Additionally, the plant produces a distinctive white latex that flows from its tissues when damaged; this latex serves as a vital source of secondary metabolites used in traditional healing practices.| Plant Part | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| seed | Avicenna journal of phytomedicine (and other 5 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| leaf | Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| stem | Nigerian journal of physiological sciences : official publication of the Physiological Society of Nigeria (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fruit | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root | Research communications in chemical pathology and pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Jatropha curcas has 62 reported phytochemicals identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Glycosides, Saponins, Tannins, Isovitexin.
| Chemical | Supporting sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Flavonoids | 4 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Glycosides | 4 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Saponins | 4 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Tannins | 4 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Isovitexin | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Phenols | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Steroids | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Terpenoids | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Vitexin | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| apigenin | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Flavonoids
- Scientific reports
- Avicenna journal of phytomedicine
- Saudi journal of biological sciences
- Current pharmaceutical biotechnology
Glycosides
- Avicenna journal of phytomedicine
- Nigerian journal of physiological sciences : official publication of the Physiological Society of Nigeria
- Saudi journal of biological sciences
- Current pharmaceutical biotechnology
Saponins
- Scientific reports
- Avicenna journal of phytomedicine
- Nigerian journal of physiological sciences : official publication of the Physiological Society of Nigeria
- Saudi journal of biological sciences
Tannins
- Avicenna journal of phytomedicine
- Nigerian journal of physiological sciences : official publication of the Physiological Society of Nigeria
- Saudi journal of biological sciences
- Current pharmaceutical biotechnology
Isovitexin
- Dr. Duke
- Current pharmaceutical biotechnology
Phenols
- Scientific reports
- Avicenna journal of phytomedicine
Steroids
- Avicenna journal of phytomedicine
- Saudi journal of biological sciences
Terpenoids
- Scientific reports
- Avicenna journal of phytomedicine
Vitexin
- Dr. Duke
- Current pharmaceutical biotechnology
apigenin
- Current pharmaceutical biotechnology
- Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
Activities
Jatropha curcas has 165 reported activities identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antidiabetic, Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, 5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor, ACE-Inhibitor.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Antidiabetic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ACE-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Absorbent | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Acetylcholinergic | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Aggregant | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Allergenic | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Jatropha curcas has 25 reported medicinal uses identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Plasmodium falciparum, malaria, Ascaris Lumbricoides, Aspergillus niger, Bacillus.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Plasmodium falciparum | Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| malaria | Current pharmaceutical biotechnology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Ascaris Lumbricoides | East African medical journal (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Aspergillus niger | Saudi journal of biological sciences (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Bacillus | East African medical journal (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| E. coli | Saudi journal of biological sciences (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Necator americanus | East African medical journal (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Staphylococcus | East African medical journal (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antidiabetic | Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | PeerJ (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| ethanolic extracts | Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| methanol extract | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| AM-1 | Phytotherapy research : PTR (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Diluted latex | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Methanolic extracts | Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| biofuel | BMC research notes (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| chloroform extract | Parasitology research (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| crude powdered sample | Nigerian journal of physiological sciences : official publication of the Physiological Society of Nigeria (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| crushed leaves | East African medical journal (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dichloromethane extract | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |