sesame plant

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• sesame
• beniseed
• benneseed
• benniseed
• Benne
• Benue Oil
• Cultivated Sesame
• Gingelly-Oil Plant
• Gingilli
• Indian Sesame
• Sem-Sem
• Sem-Semoil
• Sesame Oil
• Teel Oil
• Tilseed

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Volkameria sesamoides
• Volkameria orientalis
• Volkameria orientalis var. indica
• Sesamum indicum var. subdentatum
• Strobilanthes gentiliana
• Anthadenia sesamoides
• Sesamum mulayanum
• Sesamum indicum subsp. malabaricum
• Sesamum foetidum
• Sesamum hopkinsii
• Sesamum brasiliense
• Sesamum africanum
• Sesamum occidentalis
• Sesamum orientale
• Sesamum trifoliatum
• Sesamum tavakarii
• Sesamum malabaricum
• Sesamum somalense
• Sesamum luteum
• Sesamum auriculatum
• Sesamum indicum var. subindivisum
• Sesamum indicum var. integerrimum
• Sesamum indicum var. grandidentatum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Sesamum indicum, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae within the order Lamiales. Finally, it is a member of the family Pedaliaceae and is placed in the genus Sesamum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution across various regions of the European continent. In Southwestern Europe, it can be found growing in Spain. Its presence extends into Southeastern Europe, where it is documented in Bulgaria and Greece. Furthermore, the species is located in the European portion of Türkiye. Finally, its range encompasses the Northwestern Balkan Peninsula.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Sesamum indicum is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution, ranging from sea level at 0 m AMSL to a maximum elevation of 1700 m AMSL. In terms of its environmental distribution and human interaction, it is notably cultivated in the southern regions of the former USSR.

Elevational range max:

1700 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Cultivated in south of USSR

Life history

The life history of Sesamum indicum is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire developmental process from germination to seed production within a single growing season. In terms of its ecological classification and growth habit, it is categorized as a therophyte, a life form that survives the unfavorable season in the form of seeds, which remain dormant until environmental conditions are optimal for regrowth. This classification as a therophyte is consistent across different botanical frameworks used to describe its structural strategy, ensuring its survival through rapid seasonal maturation.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Sesamum indicum is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. This terrestrial, independent plant exhibits an erect shoot orientation and is self-supporting rather than acting as a climber or liana. In terms of stature, the plant demonstrates significant variability in height, with a minimum height of 0.1 m, a mean height of approximately 1.025 m, and a maximum height reaching up to 2 m. As a terrestrial organism, it does not function as an epiphyte or an aquatic plant, maintaining a consistent non-woody structure throughout its development.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2 m

Plant height mean:

1.025 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Sesamum indicum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which governs its carbon fixation processes and energy production. The plant's vegetative development is reflected in its leaf morphology, where leaf length typically averages 6.5 cm, ranging from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 10 cm. The width of the leaves shows a mean value of 3.25 cm, with dimensions fluctuating between a minimum of 2.5 cm and a maximum of 4 cm. Furthermore, regarding its nutrient acquisition strategies, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on the uptake of available nitrogen from the soil rather than symbiotic nitrogen fixation.

Leaf length max:

10 cm

Leaf length mean:

6.5 cm

Leaf length min:

1 cm

Leaf width max:

4 cm

Leaf width mean:

3.25 cm

Leaf width min:

2.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Sesamum indicum is characterized by a flowering period that typically begins in June and concludes in July. During this reproductive phase, the plant produces flowers capable of self-fertilization, which is present within the species. The resulting fruit is a dry capsule, measuring on average 2.5 cm in length, with a range spanning from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 3 cm. These capsules are dehiscence-type fruits, meaning they split open to release their seeds. The seeds themselves are quite small, possessing a consistent volume of 2.2 mm³ (with both minimum and maximum values recorded at this level). In terms of weight, the seeds exhibit a mean mass of approximately 0.002376667 g, while the individual seed mass ranges from a minimum of 0.00183 g to a maximum of 0.003 g.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Jul

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit length max:

3 cm

Fruit length mean:

2.5 cm

Fruit length min:

2 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Seed mass max:

0.003 g

Seed mass mean:

0.002376667 g

Seed mass min:

0.00183 g

Seed volume max:

2.2 mm³

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Sesamum indicum has 3 reported plant parts identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed, flower, leaf.

Seed

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Nigerian quarterly journal of hospital medicine
3. TheScientificWorldJournal
4. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
5. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

Flower

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Leaf

1. Nigerian journal of physiological sciences : official publication of the Physiological Society of Nigeria

Chemicals

Sesamum indicum has 201 reported phytochemicals identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include sesamin, Sesamol, Fatty acids, Sesamolin, Flavonoids.

sesamin

1. Dr. Duke
2. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM
3. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
4. Heliyon
5. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Sesamol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
3. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM
4. Basic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Fatty acids

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC plant biology
3. Maternal health, neonatology and perinatology
4. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Sesamolin

1. Dr. Duke
2. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM
3. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
4. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Flavonoids

1. Nigerian quarterly journal of hospital medicine
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR
3. International journal of radiation biology

Tocopherols

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

linoleic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Natural product research

oleic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Natural product research

(+)-Pinoresinol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

Ash

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Sesamum indicum has 584 reported activities identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, Analgesic, Antihypertensive, Antibacterial.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Basic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology
3. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity
4. Journal of integrative medicine
5. International journal of tissue reactions

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
3. Journal of integrative medicine
4. International journal of radiation biology

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of burn care & research : official publication of the American Burn Association
3. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Antihypertensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of integrative medicine
3. Journal of nutritional science and vitaminology

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Antimicrobial

1. Journal of integrative medicine
2. International journal of radiation biology

Antitumor

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of integrative medicine

Diuretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of integrative medicine

Hypocholesterolemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of integrative medicine

Hypolipidemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

Conditions

Sesamum indicum has 39 reported investigations on conditions identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Huntington's disease, hypertension, oxidative stress, sarcopenia, type 2 diabetes.

Huntington's disease

1. Basic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology
2. Journal of Asian natural products research

Hypertension

1. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)
2. Journal of nutritional science and vitaminology

Oxidative stress

1. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
2. Basic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology

Sarcopenia

1. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Type 2 diabetes

1. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Wounds

1. Current pharmaceutical biotechnology
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Alzheimer's disease

1. American journal of neurodegenerative disease

Antidiabetic

1. International journal of radiation biology

Leishmania donovani

1. Natural product research

Toxoplasma gondii infection

1. The Journal of veterinary medical science

Preparations

Sesamum indicum has 7 reported preparations identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include seeds, aqueous seeds extract, combined methanolic extract, crude hexane leaf extract, ethanolic and aqueous extracts of the seeds.

Seeds

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
3. In vitro cellular & developmental biology. Animal

Aqueous seeds extract

1. Nigerian quarterly journal of hospital medicine

Combined methanolic extract

1. Current drug discovery technologies

Crude hexane leaf extract

1. Nigerian journal of physiological sciences : official publication of the Physiological Society of Nigeria

Ethanolic and aqueous extracts of the seeds

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Flowers of sesamum indicum

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Hexane extract of the leaves

1. Nigerian journal of physiological sciences : official publication of the Physiological Society of Nigeria