Quassia amara
Quassia amaram, commonly known as bitterwood, is a medicinal shrub native to the West Indies. Renowned for its intense bitterness, it has been traditionally utilized in herbal medicine to treat digestive ailments, fevers, and parasitic infections. Its potent bioactive compounds offer significant therapeutic potential in contemporary pharmacological studies.
- Scientific name: Quassia amara
- Family: Simaroubaceae
- Native range: Africa
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. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Quassia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Sapindales | WCVP |
| Family | Simaroubaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Quassia | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution spanning across several distinct tropical regions. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is specifically noted within the borders of Guinea. The species also extends into West-Central Tropical Africa, covering the Congo and the islands of the Gulf of Guinea. Moving eastward into the Indo-China region, the plant can be found growing in Myanmar. Finally, its range continues through Vietnam, completing its widespread presence across these diverse environments.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Congo | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Gulf of Guinea Is. | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Myanmar | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Vietnam | WCVP |
| Malesia | Jawa | WCVP |
| Malesia | Philippines | WCVP |
| Northwestern Pacific | Caroline Is. | WCVP |
| Mexico | Mexico Central | WCVP |
| Mexico | Mexico Southwest | WCVP |
Chemicals
Quassia amara has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include quassin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha.
- Total chemicals
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| quassin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tumor necrosis factor-alpha | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Quassia amara has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimalarial.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antimalarial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Quassia amara has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include malaria.
- Total uses
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| malaria | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |