Sophora flavescens
Shrubby sophora
Sophora flavescens, commonly known as Ku Shen, is a potent medicinal herb widely utilized in traditional Chinese medicine. Renowned for its bioactive alkaloids, particularly matrine, it possesses significant anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antipruritic properties. This plant is frequently employed to treat skin conditions, dampness, and various inflammatory ailments.
- Scientific name: Sophora flavescens
- Family: Fabaceae
- 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 Fabales, it is classified under the family Fabaceae. It is further identified by the genus Sophora, specifically as the species Sophora flavescens.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Sophora | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Sophora flavescens, is recognized by various common names across different regions and languages. In Mongolian, it is referred to as Лидэр, while in Chinese, it is widely known as 苦参 (zh-hans), 苦參 (zh-hant), and 苦參 (zh-hk). Additionally, in Japanese, the species is called クララ.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| mn | Лидэр | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 苦参 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 苦參 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 苦參 | Wikidata |
| ja | クララ | Wikidata |
| ko | 고삼 | Wikidata |
| ru | Софо́ра желтова́тая | Wikidata |
| zh | 苦参 | Wikidata |
| bg | жълта софора | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 苦蔘 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a wide-ranging geographical distribution across various regions of Eurasia. In Northern Europe, its presence can be identified within Great Britain. The species is also extensively found throughout Siberia, specifically in the Altay, Chita, and Irkutsk regions. Furthermore, it extends into the Russian Far East, particularly in the Amur area. These diverse locations highlight the plant's ability to thrive in distinct northern and eastern habitats.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Siberia | Altay | WCVP |
| Siberia | Chita | WCVP |
| Siberia | Irkutsk | WCVP |
| Russian Far East | Amur | WCVP |
| Russian Far East | Khabarovsk | WCVP |
| Russian Far East | Primorye | WCVP |
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | Hainan | WCVP |
| China | Inner Mongolia | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Sophora flavescens, is a medicinal species where the most pharmacologically significant part is the roots, which are harvested for their bioactive alkaloids. Within the anatomy of the root system, the internal vascular structure is essential for nutrient transport, consisting of the xylem which conducts water and minerals upward, and the phloem which distributes organic nutrients throughout the plant. Although the medicinal value is concentrated underground, the life cycle of the plant begins above ground, where the young cotyledon emerges during germination to provide the initial energy required for the seedling's development.- Total parts
- 18
- Scientific sources
- 37
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| roots | 12 | ★★★★★ |
| root | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| xylem | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| phloem | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| young cotyledon | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| seed | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rootstock | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root tissues | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root tip | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root systems | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Sophora flavescens has 84 reported phytochemicals identified across 152 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include matrine, oxymatrine, flavonoids, kurarinone, sophoraflavanone G.
- Total chemicals
- 84
- Scientific sources
- 152
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| matrine | 15 | ★★★★★ |
| oxymatrine | 10 | ★★★★★ |
| flavonoids | 8 | ★★★★☆ |
| kurarinone | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| sophoraflavanone G | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| sophoridine | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Oxymatrine | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| trifolirhizin | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Matrine | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| maackiain | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
Activities
Sophora flavescens has 19 reported activities identified across 35 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antitumor, Estrogenic, Anticancer.
- Total activities
- 19
- Scientific sources
- 35
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antitumor | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Estrogenic | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Diuretic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anthelmintic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticarcinogenic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Sophora flavescens has 67 reported medicinal uses identified across 83 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, breast cancer, dysentery, antioxidant, asthma.
- Total uses
- 67
- Scientific sources
- 83
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| breast cancer | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| dysentery | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| antioxidant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| asthma | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| chronic hepatitis B | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| eczema | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| jaundice | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| non-small cell lung cancer | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |