Uncaria Gambir - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-275
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''Uncaria'' is a
genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of
flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...
s in the
family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
Rubiaceae Rubiaceae () is a family (biology), family of flowering plants, commonly known as the coffee, madder, or bedstraw family. It consists of terrestrial trees, shrubs, lianas, or herbs that are recognizable by simple, opposite leaves with Petiole ( ...
. It has about 40
species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
.''Uncaria'' At: World Checklist of Rubiaceae At: Kew Gardens Website. (see ''External links'' below). Their
distribution Distribution may refer to: Mathematics *Distribution (mathematics), generalized functions used to formulate solutions of partial differential equations *Probability distribution, the probability of a particular value or value range of a varia ...
is
pantropical A pantropical ("all tropics") distribution is one which covers tropical regions of both the Eastern and Western hemispheres. Examples of species include caecilians, modern sirenians and the plant genera ''Acacia'' and ''Bacopa''. ''Neotropical' ...
, with most species
native Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...
to
tropical Asia Tropical Asia refers to the entirety of the areas in Asia with a tropical climate. These areas are of geographic and economic importance due to their natural resources and biodiversity, which include many species of agricultural value. There are 16 ...
, three from
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...
and the
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...
and two from the
neotropics The Neotropical realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting Earth's land surface. Physically, it includes the tropical terrestrial ecoregions of the Americas and the entire South American temperate zone. Definition In biogeog ...
.David J. Mabberley. 2008. ''Mabberley's Plant-Book'' third edition (2008). Cambridge University Press: UK. They are known
colloquially Colloquialism (also called ''colloquial language'', ''colloquial speech'', ''everyday language'', or ''general parlance'') is the linguistic style used for casual and informal communication. It is the most common form of speech in conversation am ...
as gambier, cat's claw or uña de gato. The latter two names are shared with several other plants. The
type species In International_Code_of_Zoological_Nomenclature, zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the spe ...
for the genus is ''
Uncaria guianensis ''Uncaria guianensis'', the cat's claw, is a plant species in the genus ''Uncaria'' found in the Amazon biome. Other names for the plant include ''uña de gato'', ''Paraguayo'' and ''vincaria''. ''Uncaria guianensis'' contains many phytochemica ...
''.''Uncaria'' In: Index Nominum Genericorum. In:
Regnum Vegetabile The International Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT) is an organization established to promote an understanding of plant biodiversity, facilitate international communication of research between botanists, and oversee matters of uniformity and ...
(see ''External links'' below).
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
n Gambier ('' U. gambir'') is a large tropical vine with leaves typical of the genus, being
opposite In lexical semantics, opposites are words lying in an inherently incompatible binary relationship. For example, something that is ''even'' entails that it is not ''odd''. It is referred to as a 'binary' relationship because there are two members i ...
and about long. The South American ''U. tomentosa'' is called Uña de Gato. ''
Uncaria sinensis ''Uncaria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It has about 40 species.''Uncaria'' At: World Checklist of Rubiaceae At: Kew Gardens Website. (see ''External links'' below). Their distribution is pantropical, with most speci ...
'' is common in
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
. ''Uncaria'' was named in 1789 by Johann von Schreber in his ''Genera Plantarum'' edition 8 (not to be confused with books of the same title by
Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...
, Jussieu, and others).''Uncaria'' in International Plant Names Index. (see ''External links'' below).Johann Schreber. 1789. Gen. Pl., ed. 8 (Genera Plantarum Eorumque Characteres Naturales Secundum Numerum, Figuram, Situm, & Proportionem Omnium Fructificationis Partium. (Ed. 8 ). volume 1, page 125. Frankfurt am Main, Germany(see ''External links'' below). The
genus name Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial spec ...
is derived from the
Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
word ''uncus'', meaning "a hook".Umberto Quattrocchi. 2000. ''CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names'' volume IV. CRC Press: Boca Raton; New York; Washington, DC;, USA. London, UK. (set). It refers to the hooks, formed from reduced branches, that ''Uncaria''
vine A vine is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas, or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselves, for instance, when used in wicker work.Jackson; Benjamin; Da ...
s use to cling to other vegetation. ''Uncaria'' is a member of the
tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide use of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. The definition is contested, in part due to conflict ...
Naucleeae Naucleeae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains about 183 species in 24 genera. Species belonging to Naucleeae occur from Australasia, tropical Asia, Madagascar, tropical Africa, and to the Neotropics and North Amer ...
, but its
position Position often refers to: * Position (geometry), the spatial location (rather than orientation) of an entity * Position, a job or occupation Position may also refer to: Games and recreation * Position (poker), location relative to the dealer * ...
within that tribe remains unresolved.


Description

Woody
lianas A liana is a long-Plant stem, stemmed Woody plant, woody vine that is rooted in the soil at ground level and uses trees, as well as other means of vertical support, to climb up to the Canopy (biology), canopy in search of direct sunlight. T ...
; climbing by hooks formed from reduced, modified branches.
Stipules In botany, a stipule is an outgrowth typically borne on both sides (sometimes on just one side) of the base of a leafstalk (the petiole). They are primarily found among dicots and rare among monocots. Stipules are considered part of the anatomy ...
entire or bifid. Inflorescences are compact heads at the ends of horizontal, very reduced branches. Corolla lobes without appendages. Seeds with a long wing at each end, the lower wing deeply bifid.


Species

,
Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...
accepted the following species: *'' Uncaria acida'' (W.Hunter) Roxb. *'' Uncaria africana'' G.Don *'' Uncaria angolensis'' (Havil.) Welw. ex Hutch. & Dalziel *'' Uncaria attenuata'' Korth. *'' Uncaria barbata'' Merr. *'' Uncaria bernaysii'' F.Muell. *'' Uncaria borneensis'' Havil. *'' Uncaria callophylla'' Blume ex Korth. *'' Uncaria canescens'' Korth. *'' Uncaria cordata'' (Lour.) Merr. *'' Uncaria donisii'' E.M.A.Petit *'' Uncaria elliptica'' R.Br. ex G.Don *''
Uncaria gambir ''Uncaria gambir'', the gambier or gambir, is a species of plant in the genus ''Uncaria'' found in Southeast Asia, mainly Malaysia and Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, ...
'' (W.Hunter) Roxb. *''
Uncaria guianensis ''Uncaria guianensis'', the cat's claw, is a plant species in the genus ''Uncaria'' found in the Amazon biome. Other names for the plant include ''uña de gato'', ''Paraguayo'' and ''vincaria''. ''Uncaria guianensis'' contains many phytochemica ...
'' (Aubl.) J.F.Gmel. *'' Uncaria hirsuta'' Havil. *'' Uncaria homomalla'' Miq. *'' Uncaria kunstleri'' King *'' Uncaria laevigata'' Wall. ex G.Don *'' Uncaria lancifolia'' Hutch. *'' Uncaria lanosa'' Wall. *'' Uncaria longiflora'' (Poir.) Merr. *'' Uncaria macrophylla'' Wall. *'' Uncaria nervosa'' Elmer *'' Uncaria orientalis'' Guillaumin *'' Uncaria ovata'' R.Br. ex Hook.f. *'' Uncaria perrottetii'' (A.Rich.) Merr. *''
Uncaria rhynchophylla ''Uncaria rhynchophylla'' () or the cat's claw herb is a plant species used in traditional Chinese medicine. (+)-Catechin and (-)-epicatechin are found in the plant as well as the alkaloid rhynchophylline Rhynchophylline is an alkaloid found ...
'' (Miq.) Miq. *'' Uncaria rhynchophylloides'' F.C.How *'' Uncaria roxburghiana'' Korth. *'' Uncaria scandens'' (Sm.) Wall. *'' Uncaria schlenckerae'' S.Moore *'' Uncaria sessilifructus'' Roxb. *''
Uncaria sinensis ''Uncaria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It has about 40 species.''Uncaria'' At: World Checklist of Rubiaceae At: Kew Gardens Website. (see ''External links'' below). Their distribution is pantropical, with most speci ...
'' (Oliv.) Havil. *'' Uncaria sterrophylla'' Merr. & L.M.Perry *'' Uncaria talbotii'' Wernham *''
Uncaria tomentosa ''Uncaria tomentosa'' is a woody vine found in the tropical jungles of South and Central America. It is known as cat's claw or uña de gato in Spanish because of its claw-shaped thorns. The plant root bark is used in herbalism for a variety o ...
'' (Willd. ex Schult.) DC. *'' Uncaria velutina'' Havil.


Uses

Diplomat Edmund Roberts noted that, upon his visit to China in the 1830s, Chinese were using ''U. gambir'' for tanning, and noted that the ''U. gambir'' made "leather porous and rotten." He also noted that Chinese would chew it with
areca nut The areca nut ( or ) or betel nut () is the fruit of the areca palm (''Areca catechu''). The palm is originally native to the Philippines, but was carried widely through the tropics by the Austronesian migrations and trade since at least 15 ...
. The plant
extract An extract (essence) is a substance made by extracting a part of a raw material, often by using a solvent such as ethanol, oil or water. Extracts may be sold as tinctures or absolutes or dried and powdered. The aromatic principles of ma ...
contains some 150 identified
phytochemical Phytochemicals are naturally-occurring chemicals present in or extracted from plants. Some phytochemicals are nutrients for the plant, while others are metabolites produced to enhance plant survivability and reproduction. The fields of ext ...
s, including
catechin Catechin is a flavan-3-ol, a type of secondary metabolite providing antioxidant roles in plants. It belongs to the subgroup of polyphenols called flavonoids. The name of the catechin chemical family derives from ''catechu'', which is the tannic ...
s,
proanthocyanin Condensed tannins (proanthocyanidins, polyflavonoid tannins, catechol-type tannins, pyrocatecollic type tannins, non-hydrolyzable tannins or flavolans) are polymers formed by the condensation of flavans. They do not contain sugar residues. They ...
s, and
chalcone Chalcone is the organic compound C6H5C(O)CH=CHC6H5. It is an α,β-unsaturated ketone. A variety of important biological compounds are known collectively as chalcones or chalconoids. They are widely known bioactive substances, fluorescent materi ...
-
flavan-3-ol Flavan-3-ols (sometimes referred to as flavanols) are a subgroup of flavonoids. They are derivatives of flavans that possess a 2-phenyl-3,4-dihydro-2''H''-chromen-3-ol skeleton. Flavan-3-ols are structurally diverse and include a range of compo ...
dimers, called gambiriins. Cat's claw (''U. tomentosa'') and the Chinese ''Uncaria'' species are used in
traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) refers to the knowledge, skills, and practices rooted in the cultural beliefs of various societies, especially Indigenous groups, used for maintaining health and treatin ...
, although there is no high-quality clinical evidence they have any medicinal properties.


Adverse effects

Although cat's claw appears to be safe for human use below 350 milligrams per day over 6 weeks, its
adverse effects An adverse effect is an undesired harmful effect resulting from a medication or other intervention, such as surgery. An adverse effect may be termed a "side effect", when judged to be secondary to a main or therapeutic effect. The term complic ...
may include
nausea Nausea is a diffuse sensation of unease and discomfort, sometimes perceived as an urge to vomit. It can be a debilitating symptom if prolonged and has been described as placing discomfort on the chest, abdomen, or back of the throat. Over 30 d ...
,
diarrhea Diarrhea (American English), also spelled diarrhoea or diarrhœa (British English), is the condition of having at least three loose, liquid, or watery bowel movements in a day. It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration d ...
, upset stomach, and an increased risk of bleeding if used with an
anticoagulant An anticoagulant, commonly known as a blood thinner, is a chemical substance that prevents or reduces the coagulation of blood, prolonging the clotting time. Some occur naturally in blood-eating animals, such as leeches and mosquitoes, which ...
drug.


References


External links


Germplasm Resources Information Network: ''Uncaria''

Search ''Uncaria'', Royal Botanic Gardens, KewScience
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