Home » Plant infomation

Sophora japonica L.


Botanical Name	:	Sophora japonica L.
English Name	:	Japanese pagoda tree, Umbrella tree, Chinese scholar tree
Synonym(s)	:	Styphnolobium japonicum (L.) Schott
Family	:	Fabaceae

General Info

Description

A deciduous medium to large tree reaches 40' to 60' tall. Leaves alternate, pinnately compound, 6" to 10" long, possess 7 to 17 leaflets; each leaflet is 1" to 2" long, lustrous and mature from bright to dark green; Flowers slightly fragrant, pea-like, pale yellow to creamy white, hang in 6" to 12" long clusters; Fruit 3" to 8" green pod, loment, with constriction between each seed like a string of beads.

Herb Effects

Diuretic, emollient, febrifuge, tonic and antifertility (plant); laxative (leaves); styptic (flowers and pods); antibacterial, anticholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, haemostatic and hypotensive (flower and flower buds); abortifacient (seedpods); emetic and haemostatic (seeds).

Links

Plants For A Future
PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

Chemistry

Active Ingredients

Beta-sitosterol, biochanin-A, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, genistein, kaempferol, p-coumaric acid, quercetin (plant); ascorbic acid (leaves); betulin (flower); rutin (bud); cytisine, linoleic acid, matrine, oleic acid (seed); maackiain (root); pratensein (wood); sophoricoside (fruit).

Chemistry of Active Ingredients

Name

CAS#

IUPAC Name

Formula

Structure

Beta-sitosterol

5779-62-4

17-(5-ethyl-6-methyl
-heptan-2-yl)-10,13-
dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9
,11,12,14,

C₂₉H₅₀O

Biochanin A

Not Available

4,5-dihydroxy-3-(4-m
ethoxyphenyl)-chrome
n-7-one

C₁₆H₁₂O₅

Caffeic acid

Not Available

3-(3,4-dihydroxyphen
yl)prop-2-enoic acid

C₉H₈O₄

Ferulic acid

24276-84-4

3-(4-hydroxy-3-metho
xy-phenyl)prop-2-eno
ic acid

C₁₀H₁₀O₄

Genistein

446-72-0

4,5-dihydroxy-3-(4-h
ydroxyphenyl)-chrome
n-7-one

C₁₅H₁₀O₅

Kaempferol

80714-53-0

3-[3-[4,5-dihydroxy-
6-(hydroxymethyl)-3-
[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-
(hydroxyme thyl)oxa
n-2-yl]oxy-oxan-2-yl
]oxy-4,5-dihydroxy-6
-(hydroxymethyl)oxan
-2 -yl]oxy-4,5-dihy
droxy-2-(4-hydroxyph
enyl)-chromen-7-one

C₃₃H₄₀O₂₁

P-coumaric acid

501-98-4

3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)p
rop-2-enoic acid

C₉H₈O₃

Quercetin

Not Available

2-(3,4-dihydroxyphen
yl)-3,4,5-trihydroxy
-chromen-7-one

C₁₅H₁₀O₇

Ascorbic acid

Not Available

2-(1,2-dihydroxyethy
l)-4,5-dihydroxy-fur
an-3-one

C₆H₈O₆

Betulin

Not Available

C₃₀H₅₀O₂

Rutin

Not Available

2-(3,4-dihydroxyphen
yl)-4,5-dihydroxy-3-
[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-
[(3,4,5-tr ihydroxy
-6-methyl-tetrahydro
pyran-2-yl)oxymethyl
]tetrahydropyran-2-y
l] oxy-chromen-7-on
e trihydrate

C₂₇H₃₆O₁₉

Cytisine

6047-01-4

Not Available

C₁₁H₁₄N₂O

Linoleic acid

8024-22-4

Octadeca-9,12-dienoi
c acid

C₁₈H₃₂O₂

Matrine

Not Available

C₁₅H₂₄N₂O

Oleic acid

8046-01-3

octadec-9-enoic acid

C₁₈H₃₄O₂

Maackiain

38822-02-5

Not Available

C₁₆H₁₂O₅

Pratensein

Not Available

5,7-dihydroxy-3-(3-h
ydroxy-4-methoxy-phe
nyl)chromen-4-one

C₁₆H₁₂O₆

Sophoricoside

Not Available

5,7-dihydroxy-3-[4-[
(2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-3,4
,5-trihydroxy-6-(hyd
roxymethyl )oxan-2-
yl]oxyphenyl]chromen
-4-one

C₂₁H₂₀O₁₀

Pharmacology

Medicinal Use

Used to lower blood pressure (pods); in treating a variety of ailments such as internal haemorrhages, poor peripheral circulation, internal worms etc (flowers and pods); in the treatment of haemorrhoids, haematuria, uterine bleeding, constipation, stuffy sensation in the chest, dizziness, red eyes, headache and hypertension (seeds); in epilepsy and convulsions (leaves); for piles, sore eyes and skin problems (decoction of stem).

Contraindication

Should not be prescribed for pregnant women.

Dealers

Products

More Info

Search for Pictures

Search for Scholarly Articles

Search using Scientific Name and Vernacular Names