tamarisk
Tamarix aphylla · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Sparse (29 studies) · ★☆☆☆☆
Tamarisk, scientifically known as Tamarix aphylla, is a resilient shrub renowned for its diverse therapeutic properties. Often found in arid regions, this plant is traditionally utilized in folk medicine to treat inflammatory conditions, skin ailments, and respiratory issues. Its unique chemical composition offers significant potential for modern pharmacological research.
Names
Common Names
- Athel Pine
- athel-pine
- atheltree
- desert tamarix
- salt-cedar
Regional and Traditional Names
Spanish:
- taray
- Pino salado mediterráneo
German:
- Tamariske
French:
- tamaris
- Grand Tamaris
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Tamarix aphyllaSynonyms
- Tamarix faras
- Tamarix orientalis
- Tamarix furas
- Thuja aphylla
- Tetraclinis aphylla
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Caryophyllales, it is placed in the family Tamaricaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Tamarix.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Caryophyllales | WCVP |
| Family | Tamaricaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Tamarix | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant, Tamarix aphylla, exhibits a specific distribution across the Mediterranean region. In Southwestern Europe, its presence is documented within the borders of Spain. Its range extends significantly into Northern Africa, where it can be found in Morocco and Algeria. Furthermore, the species is widely distributed throughout the North African territories of Libya and Egypt. Together, these locations define the primary geographical footprint of this medicinal species.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Europe | Spain | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Algeria | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Egypt | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Libya | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Morocco | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Tunisia | WCVP |
| Macaronesia | Canary Is. | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mauritania | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Niger | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Senegal | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Tamarix aphylla, is characterized by its unique morphological adaptations, most notably regarding its foliage. While it possesses specialized, scale-like leaves that are highly reduced to minimize water loss in arid environments, the medicinal properties are often associated with the specific state of these structures. Whether using the fresh, minute leaves or the collected dry leaves, these parts are frequently utilized in traditional practices for their therapeutic potential.| Plant Part | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| leaf | PloS one (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Tamarix aphylla has 13 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, 6,10,14-TRIMETHYL-2-PENTADECANONE, Dehydrodigallic acid, Ellagic, Flavonoid.
| Chemical | Supporting sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Flavonoids | 3 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
| 6,10,14-TRIMETHYL-2-PENTADECANONE | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Dehydrodigallic acid | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Ellagic | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Flavonoid | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Phytol | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Polyphenol | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Sesquiterpenes | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Tannins | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Terpenoids | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Flavonoids
- Journal of integrative medicine
- TheScientificWorldJournal
- Current pharmaceutical biotechnology
6,10,14-TRIMETHYL-2-PENTADECANONE
- Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
Dehydrodigallic acid
- Saudi journal of biological sciences
Ellagic
- Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
Flavonoid
- Journal of integrative medicine
Phytol
- Saudi journal of biological sciences
Polyphenol
- Journal of integrative medicine
Sesquiterpenes
- Journal of integrative medicine
Tannins
- Journal of integrative medicine
Terpenoids
- Journal of integrative medicine
Activities
Tamarix aphylla has 2 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antiproliferative.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | Applied biochemistry and biotechnology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiproliferative | Current pharmaceutical biotechnology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Tamarix aphylla has 6 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Alzheimer's disease, Candida albicans, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Parkinson's disease.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer's disease | Applied biochemistry and biotechnology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Candida albicans | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Enterococcus faecalis | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Escherichia coli | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Parkinson's disease | PloS one (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pancreatic carcinoma | Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| EtOAc extracts | Applied biochemistry and biotechnology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| T. aphylla extract | PloS one (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethanolic extract | TheScientificWorldJournal (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| methanolic extract of dry leaves | Food technology and biotechnology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |