Nitraria retusa
Nitraria retusa, commonly known as the Nitraria shrub, is a resilient medicinal plant native to arid regions. Renowned for its diverse therapeutic properties, it is traditionally used to treat skin ailments, digestive issues, and inflammation. This hardy species holds significant ethnobotanical value in various traditional healing practices worldwide.
- Scientific name: Nitraria retusa
- Family: Nitrariaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is further categorized under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Sapindales. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by its placement in the family Nitrariaceae and the genus Nitraria.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Sapindales | WCVP |
| Family | Nitrariaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Nitraria | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Nitraria retusa, is recognized by various regional common names across different languages. In Russian, it is referred to as Селитрянка притуплённая, while in Arabic, it is called غرقد كليل, a name shared by the Egyptian Arabic dialect as غرقد كليل. In Hebrew, the species is known as ימלוח פגום, and in Chinese, it is identified as 地中海白刺.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ru | Селитрянка притуплённая | Wikidata |
| ar | غرقد كليل | Wikidata |
| arz | غرقد كليل | Wikidata |
| he | ימלוח פגום | Wikidata |
| zh | 地中海白刺 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 地中海白刺 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 地中海白刺 | Wikidata |
| ru | Селитрянка сенегальская | Wikidata |
| ru | Peganum retusum | Wikidata |
| ru | Nitraria senegalis | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant, known as Nitraria retusa, exhibits a specific geographical distribution across the North African region. Its presence is documented in the country of Algeria, where it occupies certain ecological niches. Furthermore, the species can be found within the borders of Egypt, extending its range eastward. It is also distributed throughout Libya and the neighboring territory of Tunisia. Finally, the plant's reach extends to the westernmost part of the region in Morocco.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Africa | Algeria | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Egypt | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Libya | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Morocco | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Tunisia | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Western Sahara | WCVP |
| Macaronesia | Canary Is. | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mauritania | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Senegal | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Sudan-South Sudan | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Nitraria retusa, possesses several components that are of significant interest in pharmacological studies. The leaves are a primary focus of research due to their rich bioactive profile, often being processed into an ethanol extract to isolate potent secondary metabolites. Furthermore, the fruit of the plant also serves as a notable part of its morphology, contributing to the overall medicinal potential of the species.- Total parts
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fruit | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethanol extract | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Nitraria retusa has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include isorhamnetin, isorhamnetin 3-O-rutinoside, palmitic acid.
- Total chemicals
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| isorhamnetin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| isorhamnetin 3-O-rutinoside | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| palmitic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Nitraria retusa has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antiobesity, Hypolipidemic.
- Total activities
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antiobesity | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hypolipidemic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Nitraria retusa has 5 reported medicinal uses identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include obesity, cancer, hyperlipidemia, skin aging, tumor.
- Total uses
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| obesity | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hyperlipidemia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| skin aging | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tumor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |