Scoparia dulcis
Scoparia dulcis (insect)
Scoparia dulcis, commonly known as sweet broomweed or licorice weed, is a versatile medicinal herb native to tropical regions. Renowned in traditional medicine, it possesses potent antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic properties. This resilient plant is widely used to treat gastrointestinal issues, skin infections, and various systemic inflammatory conditions.
- Scientific name: Scoparia dulcis
- Family: Plantaginaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Lamiales and the family Plantaginaceae, it is classified under the genus Scoparia. Specifically, it is known as Scoparia dulcis, a member of this distinct taxonomic lineage.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Lamiales | WCVP |
| Family | Plantaginaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Scoparia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant is known by several names depending on the language, such as Scoparia dulcis (insect) in English and Scoparia dulcis (Insekt) in German.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| de | Scoparia dulcis (Insekt) | Wikidata |
| en | Scoparia dulcis (insect) | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across multiple continents and climate zones. In Middle Europe, its presence is documented within the regions of Czechia and Slovakia. Moving toward the tropical belt, the species is widely found throughout West Tropical Africa. Specific occurrences have been recorded in the nations of Benin, Burkina, and Gambia. Furthermore, its distribution extends into the West Tropical African territory of Ghana.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ghana | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea-Bissau | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Liberia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mali | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known scientifically as Scoparia dulcis, is a versatile medicinal herb where various components are utilized for their therapeutic properties. The green leaves are perhaps the most commonly used part, as each individual leaf contains bioactive compounds essential for traditional healing. Beyond the foliage, the roots are also harvested to prepare specialized decoctions. In modern pharmacology, researchers often focus on the potency of the plant extract derived from the entire organism, as well as the specific concentrated leaf extract, to study its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects.- Total parts
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 9
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| roots | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| plant extract | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf extract | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aerial parts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aerial part | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Scoparia dulcis has 44 reported phytochemicals identified across 51 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include scopadulcic acid B, flavonoids, scopadiol, scopadulcic acid A, scoparic acid B.
- Total chemicals
- 44
- Scientific sources
- 51
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| scopadulcic acid B | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| scopadiol | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| scopadulcic acid A | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| scoparic acid B | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| scoparic acid C | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 3-indoleacetic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 3-indolebutyric acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 3beta-hydroxyurs-11-en-28,13beta-olide | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 4-epi-scopadulcic acid B | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Scoparia dulcis has 11 reported activities identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Analgesic, Antidiabetic, Antimicrobial, Antiperoxidative.
- Total activities
- 11
- Scientific sources
- 13
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Analgesic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiperoxidative | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antisickling | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anxiolytic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Beta-Glucuronidase-Inhibitor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Diuretic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hypoglycemic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Scoparia dulcis has 25 reported medicinal uses identified across 26 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include malaria, Alzheimer's disease, Analgesic, HSV-1, Plasmodium falciparum.
- Total uses
- 25
- Scientific sources
- 26
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| malaria | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Alzheimer's disease | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Analgesic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| HSV-1 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Plasmodium falciparum | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Shigella flexneri | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Sickle cell disorders | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| anxiety | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| asthma | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bone resorption | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |