Pilocarpus
Pilocarpus, commonly known as pilocarpine-producing shrubs, belongs to the Rubiaceae family. Native to South America, these medicinal plants are primarily harvested for their alkaloid content. Pilocarpine, extracted from their leaves, serves as a vital pharmaceutical agent used extensively to treat glaucoma and stimulate saliva production in dry mouth.
- Scientific name: Pilocarpus
- Family: Rutaceae
- Native range: Northern America
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls under the order Sapindales and the family Rutaceae. Finally, it is specifically identified by the genus Pilocarpus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Sapindales | WCVP |
| Family | Rutaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Pilocarpus | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known by various names depending on the region and language, is recognized as jaborandit in Finnish (fi), Пилоккарпус in Russian (ru), جبورندي in Arabic (ar), پیلکارپوس in Persian (fa), and пилоккарпус in Bulgarian (bg).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| fi | jaborandit | Wikidata |
| ru | Пилокарпус | Wikidata |
| ar | جبورندي | Wikidata |
| fa | پیلکارپوس | Wikidata |
| bg | пилокарпус | Wikidata |
| arz | جبورندى | Wikidata |
| az | Pilokarpus | Wikidata |
| ar | مكممة الثمر | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is widely distributed across several specific regions within North and Central America. In Mexico, its presence is noted in both the Southwest and the Southeast portions of the country. Moving into Central America, the species can be found inhabiting the territory of Belize. Its range further extends through the region to include Costa Rica. Finally, the plant's geographical footprint encompasses the nation of El Salvador.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | Mexico Southwest | WCVP |
| Mexico | Mexico Southeast | WCVP |
| Central America | Belize | WCVP |
| Central America | Costa Rica | WCVP |
| Central America | El Salvador | WCVP |
| Central America | Honduras | WCVP |
| Central America | Nicaragua | WCVP |
| Caribbean | Aruba | WCVP |
| Caribbean | Cuba | WCVP |
| Caribbean | Dominican Republic | WCVP |
Chemicals
Pilocarpus has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include coumarins.
- Total chemicals
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| coumarins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |