Picrasma quassioides
Picrasma quassioides, commonly known as Quassia, is a versatile medicinal plant native to tropical Africa. Renowned for its intense bitterness, it contains bioactive quassinoids used extensively in traditional medicine. These compounds offer potent antimicrobial, antimalarial, and anti-inflammatory properties, making it a significant subject in modern pharmacological research.
- Scientific name: Picrasma quassioides
- Family: Simaroubaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Sapindales, it is classified under the family Simaroubaceae and is specifically identified by the genus Picrasma.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Sapindales | WCVP |
| Family | Simaroubaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Picrasma | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Picrasma quassioides, is known by various regional names across different languages. In Chinese, it is referred to as 苦木 in Simplified Chinese (zh-hans), Traditional Chinese (zh-hant), and the Cantonese variant used in Hong Kong (zh-hk). In Japanese, the species is commonly called ニガキ (ja), while in Korean, it is known as 소태나무 (ko).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 苦木 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 苦木 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 苦木 | Wikidata |
| ja | ニガキ | Wikidata |
| ko | 소태나무 | Wikidata |
| zh | 苦木 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 苦樹 | Wikidata |
| fa | چوبتلخ | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 苦木 | Wikidata |
| zh | 苦樹 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several key regions within China. It is widely documented to grow in the China South-Central area, spreading through various local ecosystems. Its range further extends to the tropical environment of Hainan. Additionally, the species can be found inhabiting the northern reaches of Manchuria. Finally, its presence is confirmed in both the China North-Central and China Southeast territories.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | Hainan | WCVP |
| China | Manchuria | WCVP |
| China | China North-Central | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| China | Tibet | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Japan | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Korea | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Nansei-shoto | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Taiwan | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known for its potent medicinal properties, utilizes various components for therapeutic use. The broad, green leaves are often studied for their bioactive compounds, while the twigs and stems serve as structural elements that hold significant chemical value. For traditional preparations, the fruits may be harvested, but it is frequently the dried stems that are most commonly processed into powders or decoctions. By utilizing these different parts, from the fresh foliage to the concentrated dried stems, practitioners can harness the full medicinal potential of Picrasma quassioides.- Total parts
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 6
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| twigs | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stems | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fruits | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dried stems | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Picrasma quassioides has 14 reported phytochemicals identified across 14 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 4,5-dimethoxycanthin-6-one, 5-hydroxy-4-methoxycanthin-6-one, annuionone H, compound 5, coumarins.
- Total chemicals
- 14
- Scientific sources
- 14
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| 4,5-dimethoxycanthin-6-one | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 5-hydroxy-4-methoxycanthin-6-one | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| annuionone H | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| compound 5 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| coumarins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dehydrocrenatidine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| kumulactone F | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| kumulactone G | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| kumulactone H | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Picrasma quassioides has 6 reported activities identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anthelmintic, Antibacterial, Antifungal, Antimicrobial, Antitumor.
- Total activities
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Anthelmintic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antifungal | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antitumor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Picrasma quassioides has 12 reported medicinal uses identified across 15 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, inflammation, Alzheimer's disease, bacteria.
- Total uses
- 12
- Scientific sources
- 15
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hepatocellular carcinoma | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Alzheimer's disease | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bacteria | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dysentery | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fever | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fungi | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| head and neck cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hepatoma | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |