Toona sinensis

Chinese toon

Toona sinensis, commonly known as Indian Mahogany, is a versatile medicinal tree native to South Asia. Renowned for its therapeutic properties, various parts of the plant, including the bark and leaves, are utilized in traditional medicine to treat skin ailments, inflammation, and digestive issues, offering significant holistic healing potential.

  • Scientific name: Toona sinensis
  • Family: Meliaceae
  • Native range: Europe

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Toona sinensis, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae within the order Sapindales. Finally, it is a member of the family Meliaceae and falls under the genus Toona.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Sapindales WCVP
Family Meliaceae WCVP
Genus Toona WCVP

Common Names

This plant, Toona sinensis, is known by several different common names depending on the region and language. In Chinese, it is referred to as 香椿 in Simplified Chinese (zh-hans), Traditional Chinese (zh-hant), and in Hong Kong (zh-hk). In Japanese, the species is called チャンチン (ja), while in Korean, it is known as 참죽나무 (ko).
Language Common Name Source
zh-hans 香椿 Wikidata
zh-hant 香椿 Wikidata
zh-hk 香椿 Wikidata
ja チャンチン Wikidata
ko 참죽나무 Wikidata
vi Hương xuân Wikidata
zh 香椿 Wikidata
zh-tw 香椿 Wikidata
fa ماهون چینی Wikidata
id Surian Tiongkok Wikidata

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide-ranging geographical distribution across several diverse continents. In Western Asia, its presence can be noted within the borders of Afghanistan. The species is also found in China, specifically concentrated in the South-Central regions. Moving toward East Tropical Africa, the plant grows in both Tanzania and Uganda. Finally, its range extends into Middle Europe, where it is located in Germany.

Region Area Source
Middle Europe Germany WCVP
East Tropical Africa Tanzania WCVP
East Tropical Africa Uganda WCVP
Western Asia Afghanistan WCVP
China China South-Central WCVP
China China North-Central WCVP
China China Southeast WCVP
China Tibet WCVP
Eastern Asia Korea WCVP
Indian Subcontinent Assam WCVP

Plant Parts

This plant, Toona sinensis, is highly valued in traditional medicine for the various therapeutic properties found throughout its structure. The tender young buds and fresh leaves are frequently harvested for culinary and medicinal use, often providing a unique flavor and nutritional boost. The individual leaf structure is a key identifier for the species, while the sturdy stem bark is sometimes utilized in decoctions for its bioactive compounds. Furthermore, the dense woods of the tree are not only prized for their durability in construction but also contain chemical constituents that contribute to the plant's overall medicinal profile.
Total parts
16
Scientific sources
21
Plant Part Sources Confidence
leaves 4 ★★☆☆☆
leaf 2 ★☆☆☆☆
buds 2 ★☆☆☆☆
woods 1 ★☆☆☆☆
stem bark 1 ★☆☆☆☆
shoots 1 ★☆☆☆☆
seeds 1 ★☆☆☆☆
pericarps 1 ★☆☆☆☆
pericarp 1 ★☆☆☆☆
leaf extract 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Chemicals

Toona sinensis has 33 reported phytochemicals identified across 43 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include phenylpropanoid, flavonoid, flavonoids, gallic acid, lignin.

Total chemicals
33
Scientific sources
43

Most Reported Compounds

Compound Sources Confidence
phenylpropanoid 3 ★★☆☆☆
flavonoid 2 ★☆☆☆☆
flavonoids 2 ★☆☆☆☆
gallic acid 2 ★☆☆☆☆
lignin 2 ★☆☆☆☆
phenols 2 ★☆☆☆☆
sesquiterpenes 2 ★☆☆☆☆
sterols 2 ★☆☆☆☆
terpenoids 2 ★☆☆☆☆
MDA 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Activities

Toona sinensis has 11 reported activities identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antidiabetic, Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antiglycation, Antitumor.

Total activities
11
Scientific sources
13

Most Reported Activities

Activity Sources Confidence
Antidiabetic 2 ★☆☆☆☆
Antioxidant 2 ★☆☆☆☆
Antibacterial 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Antiglycation 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Antitumor 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Antiviral 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Astringent 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Chemopreventive 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Cytotoxic 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Hepatoprotective 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Medicinal Uses

Toona sinensis has 20 reported medicinal uses identified across 24 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Staphylococcus aureus, cancer, dysentery, enteritis, Escherichia coli.

Total uses
20
Scientific sources
24

Most Reported Uses

Use Sources Confidence
Staphylococcus aureus 2 ★☆☆☆☆
cancer 2 ★☆☆☆☆
dysentery 2 ★☆☆☆☆
enteritis 2 ★☆☆☆☆
Escherichia coli 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Shigella dysenteriae 1 ★☆☆☆☆
atherosclerosis 1 ★☆☆☆☆
boils 1 ★☆☆☆☆
cancers 1 ★☆☆☆☆
carbuncles 1 ★☆☆☆☆