Mandragora officinarum
Mandragora officinarum, commonly known as mandrake, is a legendary medicinal plant renowned throughout antiquity. Characterized by its distinctive, human-like root, it has long been utilized for its potent sedative and anesthetic properties. While deeply embedded in folklore and mysticism, its bioactive alkaloids demand careful handling due to their toxicity.
- Scientific name: Mandragora officinarum
- Family: Solanaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, Mandragora officinarum, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Solanales and the family Solanaceae. Finally, it is classified under the genus Mandragora.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Solanales | WCVP |
| Family | Solanaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Mandragora | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Mandragora officinarum, is recognized by various traditional and regional names across different languages. In Spanish, it is referred to as Mandragora autumnalis, while in Catalan, it is also called Mandragora autumnalis. In Azerbaijani, it is known as Dərman mandraqorası, and in Czech, it is called mandragora lékařská. Additionally, in Arabic, it is identified by the name يبروح طبي.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| es | Mandragora autumnalis | Wikidata |
| ar | يبروح طبي | Wikidata |
| az | Dərman mandraqorası | Wikidata |
| ca | Mandragora autumnalis | Wikidata |
| cs | mandragora lékařská | Wikidata |
| da | Almindelig Alrune | Wikidata |
| de | Gemeine Alraune | Wikidata |
| et | Harilik alraun | Wikidata |
| fi | rohtomandrake | Wikidata |
| fr | mandragore | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is primarily found distributed across several distinct regions of the Mediterranean basin. In Southeastern Europe, its presence is notably documented within the borders of Italy. The species also extends across the Northwestern Balkan Peninsula as part of its European range. Moving further east, its habitat encompasses parts of Western Asia. Specifically, this geographical distribution includes the areas of Lebanon and Syria.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Southeastern Europe | Italy | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | NW. Balkan Pen. | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Lebanon-Syria | WCVP |
Chemicals
Mandragora officinarum has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include scopolamine, hyoscyamine.
- Total chemicals
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| scopolamine | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hyoscyamine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Mandragora officinarum has 3 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Aphrodisiac, Narcotic.
- Total activities
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Analgesic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Aphrodisiac | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Narcotic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Mandragora officinarum has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include pain, infertility.
- Total uses
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pain | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| infertility | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |