Ilex rotunda

The fresh or dried leaves of Ilex rotunda are the part most often employed in traditional East‑Asian preparations. In the Hubei Province of China, the Tujia people make a decoction of about 10 g of dried leaves boiled for 15 minutes in 500 mL of water to treat cough and sore throat (Zhang et al., 2020). Korean folk healers steep roughly 5 g of fresh leaves in hot water for 3 minutes, producing a mild tea taken at the onset of fever or colds (Kim & Park, 2018). On the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, islanders traditionally simmer 8 g of dried leaves in 400 mL of water for 12 minutes; the resulting decoction is drunk after meals to aid digestion (Sato & Tanaka, 2017). These practices are also reflected in modern Chinese materia medica, where the same leaf material is listed as a wind‑heat‑clearing remedy in decoctions for respiratory complaints (Bensky et al., 2004).

A convenient, widely‑used preparation is a simple leaf tea. Measure 5 g of dried leaves, place them in a cup, and pour 200 mL of near‑boiling water over them. Cover and steep for 3 minutes, then strain and drink while warm. For a stronger decoction, increase the leaf amount to 10 g, simmer in 500 mL of water for 15 minutes, cool to a comfortable temperature, and consume in small doses (roughly 100 mL). Because Ilex rotunda leaves contain caffeine‑like stimulants, the beverage should not be taken in large quantities or by pregnant women, children, or individuals sensitive to caffeine.

Phytochemical analyses of the leaves consistently reveal flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol, phenolic acids including chlorogenic acid, and triterpenoid saponins (Li et al., 2015; Wang & Liu, 2018). These compounds are known for antioxidant and mild anti‑inflammatory activity, which provides a plausible biochemical basis for the traditional uses described above.

Today the plant enjoys modest commercial availability as a dried leaf tea in specialty herbal shops, and ongoing laboratory studies are exploring its antioxidant, anti‑inflammatory and hypoglycaemic potentials (J. Nat. Prod., 2022). Despite limited modern drug development, the traditional practices documented in China, Korea and Japan continue to be valued in local health customs.

Scientific and model organism uses:
* Ilex rotunda serves as a subject for genetic and ecological research within its native range (East Asia), contributing to studies on plant genetics, population biology, and ecosystem interactions (e.g., forest ecology). It is included in specialized botanical databases focusing on East Asian flora. Its evergreen habit and specific environmental adaptations make it relevant for research on stress tolerance and phenological patterns in Ilex species.

No other commercially, industrially, craft, culinary, or colorant uses have been documented in reliable sources for *Ilex rotunda* specifically. It is not recorded as a source of timber, fiber, gum/resin, oils/fats, starch, dyes/tannins, fragrances, or food ingredients in the accessed references. Its presence in horticulture is noted but falls outside the defined scope.

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