Mercurialis annua
Annual mercury
Mercurialis annua, commonly known as annual glechoma or annual mercurial, is a versatile medicinal herb found in temperate regions. Renowned in traditional medicine for its diverse therapeutic properties, this plant is frequently utilized to treat inflammatory conditions, skin ailments, and respiratory issues, offering significant pharmacological potential for modern wellness.
- Scientific name: Mercurialis annua
- Family: Euphorbiaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, situated within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is classified under the order Malpighiales and the family Euphorbiaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Mercurialis, which includes the species Mercurialis annua.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malpighiales | WCVP |
| Family | Euphorbiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Mercurialis | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Mercurialis annua, is recognized by various local names across different languages and regions. In Poland, it is referred to as Szczyr roczny, while in France, it is commonly called Mercuriale annuelle. The plant is known as malcoratge in Catalan and is identified as egynyári szélfű in Hungarian. Finally, in Finland, it is known by the name rikkasinijuuri.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| pl | Szczyr roczny | Wikidata |
| fr | Mercuriale annuelle | Wikidata |
| ca | malcoratge | Wikidata |
| hu | egynyári szélfű | Wikidata |
| fi | rikkasinijuuri | Wikidata |
| de | Einjähriges Bingelkraut | Wikidata |
| cs | bažanka roční | Wikidata |
| pcd | Ajnoulhie | Wikidata |
| az | Birillik zöhrəotu | Wikidata |
| hsb | Jednolětny šćěr | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad geographical presence across several regions of Europe. In Northern Europe, its distribution includes Denmark, Great Britain, and Ireland. Moving toward the center of the continent, it can also be found within Middle Europe. Specifically, the species is documented to grow in Austria. Finally, its range extends to include Belgium within the Middle European region.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Hungary | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Netherlands | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Poland | WCVP |
Chemicals
Mercurialis annua has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include nicotinamide, phaselic acid, pyridine-3-carbonitrile.
- Total chemicals
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| nicotinamide | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| phaselic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pyridine-3-carbonitrile | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Mercurialis annua has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antidiabetic, Antihypertensive.
- Total activities
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antihypertensive | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Mercurialis annua has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include antidiabetic, antihypertensive.
- Total uses
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antihypertensive | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |