Trichosanthes kirilowii
Trichosanthes kirilowii, commonly known as a traditional medicinal herb, is a climbing vine highly valued in folk medicine. Renowned for its therapeutic properties, it is frequently utilized to treat various ailments, including inflammation and respiratory issues. Exploring its bioactive compounds offers promising potential for modern pharmacological research and development.
- Scientific name: Trichosanthes kirilowii
- Family: Cucurbitaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Cucurbitales and the family Cucurbitaceae, it is classified under the genus Trichosanthes. Specifically, the species is identified as Trichosanthes kirilowii.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Cucurbitales | WCVP |
| Family | Cucurbitaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Trichosanthes | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Trichosanthes kirilowii, is known by various common names depending on the region and language. In Japan, it is referred to as キカラスウリ (ja), while in Korea, it is called 하늘타리 (ko). Its Chinese name is 栝楼 (zh), and in Persian, it is known as تریچسانتس کیریلوی (fa). Additionally, in Thailand, the plant is commonly called เทียวฮวยฮุ้ง (th).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ja | キカラスウリ | Wikidata |
| ko | 하늘타리 | Wikidata |
| zh | 栝楼 | Wikidata |
| fa | تریچسانتس کیریلوی | Wikidata |
| th | เทียวฮวยฮุ้ง | Wikidata |
| ar | قرع الحية الكريلوي | Wikidata |
| yue | 栝樓 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 栝樓 | Wikidata |
| lzh | 栝樓 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 栝楼 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several distinct regions of Asia and Europe. In the Caucasus, its presence is specifically noted within the North Caucasus region. Its range extends significantly into China, where it can be found in Inner Mongolia, China North-Central, and China Southeast. Furthermore, the species is also established within Eastern Asia, specifically in Japan. Consequently, these locations highlight the diverse environmental settings where the plant thrives.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Caucasus | North Caucasus | WCVP |
| China | Inner Mongolia | WCVP |
| China | China North-Central | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Japan | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Korea | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Nansei-shoto | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Cambodia | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Laos | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Vietnam | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Trichosanthes kirilowii, is primarily valued for its specialized underground structures which serve as the main source of its medicinal properties. The medicinal components are concentrated within the tubers, specifically in the form of fleshy root tubers that store essential nutrients. Whether referred to as a single root tuber or a cluster of root tubers, these organs are botanically classified as a tuberous root. Therefore, when harvesting for traditional medicine, practitioners focus on extracting these nutrient-rich tubers and the surrounding roots to ensure the highest therapeutic potency.- Total parts
- 18
- Scientific sources
- 28
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| tubers | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| roots | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| root tubers | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| root tuber | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tuberous root | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| shoots | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| seeds | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| meristerms | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Trichosanthes kirilowii has 53 reported phytochemicals identified across 60 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include cucurbitacin B, flavonoids, galactose, glucose, glutamine.
- Total chemicals
- 53
- Scientific sources
- 60
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cucurbitacin B | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| galactose | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| glucose | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| glutamine | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 2'-Deoxyguanosine monohydrate | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 2'-deoxyinosine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 4',6-dihydroxy-4-methoxyisoaurone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 6-BA | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Compound 1 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Trichosanthes kirilowii has 3 reported activities identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Abortifacient, Antitumor, Antithrombotic.
- Total activities
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 10
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Abortifacient | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Antitumor | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antithrombotic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Trichosanthes kirilowii has 30 reported medicinal uses identified across 37 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include choriocarcinoma, HIV, heat, hydatidiform mole, inflammation.
- Total uses
- 30
- Scientific sources
- 37
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| choriocarcinoma | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| HIV | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| heat | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hydatidiform mole | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| invasive mole | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| AIDS | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| breast tumor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cardiac failure | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |