crimson kadsura

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• crimson kadsura

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Kadsura coccinea var. annamensis
• Cosbaea coccinea
• Kadsura coccinea var. sichuanensis
• Kadsura calophylla
• Kadsura hainanensis
• Kadsura ananosma
• Kadsura cavaleriei
• Kadsura chinensis var. annamensis
• Schisandra hanceana

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Kadsura coccineas, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Austrobaileyales and the family Schisandraceae. Finally, it is classified under the genus Kadsura.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range across several key regions in Asia. Within China, its distribution encompasses the South-Central, Southeast, and Hainan areas. The species also extends into the Indo-China region, where it can be found in Laos. Additionally, it is documented to grow within the borders of Myanmar. Together, these locations highlight the plant's presence across both Chinese provinces and Southeast Asian territories.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Morphology

The morphology of Kadsura coccinea is characterized by its growth habit as a woody liana, functioning as a climbing vine that relies on external structures for support rather than being self-supporting. It is classified as an obligatory climber, meaning it must ascend through surrounding vegetation to reach adequate light levels. Despite its climbing nature, the plant is an independent organism, lacking any parasitic relationship with its host plants, and it maintains a terrestrial existence by rooting in the soil rather than growing as an epiphyte. The structural integrity of the plant is defined by its woody stems, which provide the necessary strength to facilitate its upward growth through the forest canopy.

Climber :

liana

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Kaempferia coccinea is fundamentally characterized by its reliance on the C3 photosynthetic pathway, a metabolic strategy where the initial fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide occurs via the enzyme RuBisCO to form a three-carbon compound. This C3 mechanism dictates the plant's gas exchange patterns and water-use efficiency, typically requiring more consistent moisture availability compared to C4 or CAM species to maintain optimal photosynthetic rates. As a rhizomatous herb, its physiological processes are closely tied to its underground storage organs, which facilitate nutrient translocation and energy reserves necessary for seasonal growth cycles. The metabolic activity within its leaf tissues is driven by light absorption through chlorophyll-containing chloroplasts, fueling the Calvin cycle to produce carbohydrates that sustain both vegetative expansion and the development of its distinctive floral structures.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Kadsura coccinea is characterized by the production of seeds that exhibit a highly uniform physical profile. Based on empirical data, the seed mass for this species shows no variance, with the minimum, maximum, and mean seed mass all recorded at a consistent value of 0.061676 g. This precise uniformity in seed weight suggests a highly stabilized reproductive output, ensuring that each individual seed carries a standardized amount of biomass to support early seedling development.

Seed mass mean:

0.061676 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Kadsura coccinea has 4 reported plant parts identified across 20 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, stem, fruit, leaf.

Root

1. Natural products and bioprospecting
2. Chinese journal of natural medicines
3. Journal of natural products
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Planta medica

Stem

1. Natural products and bioprospecting
2. Chinese journal of natural medicines
3. Journal of natural products
4. Fitoterapia
5. Genes

Fruit

1. Frontiers in nutrition
2. Nutrients

Leaf

1. Genes
2. Journal of oncology

Chemicals

Kadsura coccinea has 35 reported phytochemicals identified across 20 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include (+)-Anwulignan, Coccinilactone A, Compound 1, Compound 2, Compound 3.

(+)-Anwulignan

1. Fitoterapia

Coccinilactone A

1. Journal of natural products

Compound 1

1. Journal of natural products

Compound 2

1. Journal of natural products

Compound 3

1. Organic letters

Compound 5

1. Organic letters

Compound 7

1. Journal of natural products

Compound-4

1. Organic letters

Galacturonic acid

1. Frontiers in nutrition

KADSURIC ACID

1. Journal of natural products

Activities

Kadsura coccinea has 3 reported activities identified across 20 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Cytotoxic, Antifungal, Antioxidant.

Cytotoxic

1. Journal of natural products
2. Organic letters

Antifungal

1. Organic letters

Antioxidant

1. Frontiers in nutrition

Conditions

Kadsura coccinea has 8 reported investigations on conditions identified across 20 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include rheumatoid arthritis, adjuvant arthritis, anti-allergic, decongestant, duodenal ulcers.

Rheumatoid arthritis

1. Journal of inflammation research
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. International journal of molecular sciences

Adjuvant arthritis

1. Fitoterapia

Anti-allergic

1. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin

Decongestant

1. Archives of pharmacal research

Duodenal ulcers

1. Archives of pharmacal research

Inflammation

1. Fitoterapia

Oxidative damage

1. Frontiers in nutrition

Pain

1. Fitoterapia

Preparations

Kadsura coccinea has 8 reported preparations identified across 20 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include EtOAc fraction of the 80% acetone extract, EtOAc-soluble extract, Fruits, KC root extract, chloroform extract of the rhizoma.

Etoac fraction of the 80% acetone extract

1. Journal of natural products

Etoac-soluble extract

1. Journal of natural products

Fruits

1. Nutrients

Kc root extract

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Chloroform extract of the rhizoma

1. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin

Medicinal wine

1. Journal of inflammation research

Roots

1. Journal of natural products

Stems

1. Journal of natural products