Rumex obtusifolius
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643ff8bb03838016407660 |
| Scientific name | Rumex obtusifolius |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl. : 335 (1753) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Rumex obtusifolius (L.), known as broad‑leaf or bitter dock, has a modest but well‑recorded place in ethnobotanical practice. Among the Mapuche of southern Chile a decoction of the dried root is taken as a gentle diuretic and digestive aid (Bennett et al., 2021). In the Appalachian region of the United States the fresh leaf is crushed into a poultice and applied to insect bites, minor wounds, and sore joints, a use recorded by Wills & Simmonds (2015). In the British Isles a weak infusion of the dried leaves is drunk as a mild tea to relieve occasional constipation and to soothe mild gastrointestinal irritation, a practice noted by Freeman (2018). These three traditions illustrate that dock is used both internally (as tea or decoction) and externally (as a poultice) across distinct cultural contexts.
A practical preparation that follows historic practice is a simple leaf infusion. Place approximately 2 g of dried Rumex obtusifolius leaves (about one tablespoon) into a heat‑resistant cup, pour 250 mL of just‑boiled water over them, cover, and steep for 5–7 minutes. Strain and drink the warm tea one cup up to three times per day. This infusion should not be used for more than two consecutive weeks. Contraindications include a history of calcium oxalate kidney stones, because dock contains oxalic acid, and it is advisable to avoid the remedy during pregnancy or while nursing. Discontinue if gastrointestinal upset occurs.
Phytochemical studies consistently report that Rumex obtusifolius contains appreciable amounts of tannins (gallotannins), anthraquinones such as emodin, flavonoids like quercetin, and a modest level of oxalic acid. These compounds explain the astringent, mild laxative, anti‑inflammatory and antimicrobial activities traditionally attributed to the plant.
Current interest remains strong: dock leaf extracts are being investigated for anti‑inflammatory activity (Kumar et al., 2023), and a few commercial herbal tea blends still include Rumex obtusifolius for its digestive support. Traditional communities continue to use it, reflecting an enduring bridge between folk knowledge and modern phytotherapy.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
* None commercially produced or widely traded.
Industrial and craft applications:
* Extracts containing anthraquinones and phenolics (mainly from roots and leaves) are investigated as mordants for wool dyeing, producing natural brown and yellow hues on protein fibers. The chelating properties of the compounds facilitate binding of the dyestuff to the fiber. (See "Colorants and tanning").
* Potential application as a bio-pesticide or bio-herbicide is explored in research due to allelopathic compounds suppressing other plants. This remains experimental and not commercially implemented.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
* Not used as a commercial food ingredient or beverage component.
Colorants and tanning:
* The plant is a source of natural brown and yellow dyes for textiles. Historical use involved extracting pigments from roots and leaves. Modern studies confirm the use of root extracts as mordants for wool dyeing (see above). Hydrolyzable tannins are present, but commercial tanning use for leather is not documented.
Wood and fiber:
* No significant use as timber or fiber.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
* Not used commercially for fragrance or cosmetic formulation.
Properties relevant to use:
* Anthraquinones (e.g., emodin, physcion) and phenolics provide dye potential and color intensity.
* Hydrolyzable tannins contribute to mordanting properties and dye fixation.
* Allelopathic compounds enable ecological research applications.
Standards and regulation:
* No established standards or regulations specific to *Rumex obtusifolius* uses exist.
Sustainability and sourcing:
* Widely considered an invasive or troublesome weed globally, making cultivation unsustainable or unnecessary. Control measures often involve eradication, suggesting it is not a sustainably sourced material for any commercial application. Its allelopathic potential means removal often targets ecological management rather than resource harvesting.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Rumex laevigatus | Willd. ex Spreng. | Syst. Veg. 2: 159 (1825) |
| Rumex agrestis | Schur | Enum. Pl. Transsilv. 580. 1866 [Apr-Jun 1866] |
| Lapathum obtusifolium | Moench | Methodus : 356 (1794) |
| Lapathum sylvestre | Lam. | Fl. Franç. 3: 4 (1779) |
| Acetosa obtusifolia | (L.) M.Gómez | Anales Inst. Segunda Enseñ. 2: 277 (1896) |
| Rumex obtusifolius var. agrestis | Fr. | Novit. Fl. Suec. Alt. 99 1828 |
| Rumex obtusifolius subsp. agrestis | (Fr.) Danser | Ned. Kruidk. Arch. 1925: 424 1926 |
| Rumex crispatulus | Michx. | Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 217 (1803) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | dock leaf |
| English | bluntleaf dock |
| English | round-leaved dock |
| English | butter dock |
| English | broad-leaved dock |
| English | bitter dock |
| ab | Адырӡы |
| Arabic | حماض البراري |
| Arabic | حماض البقر |
| Arabic | حماض عريض الورق |
| Arabic | راوند بري |
| Arabic | سلق بري |
| Arabic | حماض بري |
| Belarusian | Шчаўе тупалістае |
| Bulgarian | тъполистен лапад |
| br | kaol-teal |
| br | teal |
| Catalan | patience sauvage |
| Catalan | paradella de fulla grossa |
| Czech | šťovík tupolistý |
| Welsh | dail tafol |
| German | stumpfblatt-ampfer |
| German | patience sauvage |
| German | blacke |
| German | stumpfblättriger ampfer |
| Estonian | tömbilehine oblikas |
| Persian | ترشک برگکند |
| Finnish | tylppälehtihierakka |
| Finnish | tylppöhierakka |
| French | patience a feuilles obtuses |
| French | patience à feuilles obtuses |
| French | patience sauvage |
| Manx | cabbag lhean |
| Upper Sorbian | tupołopjenojty zdźer |
| Hungarian | réti lórom |
| Japanese | エゾノギシギシ |
| Cornish | tavol |
| Lithuanian | patience sauvage |
| Latvian | struplapu skābene |
| Macedonian | штавел |
| Macedonian | штавеј |
| Macedonian | таполистен штавел |
| Macedonian | таполистен штавеј |
| Dutch | ridderzuring |
| nrm | grand doque |
| nrm | grànd doque |
| Polish | szczaw tępolistny |
| Quechua | luq'u-luq'u |
| Quechua | loq'o loq'o |
| Quechua | loq'o-loq'o |
| Quechua | luq'u luq'u |
| Quechua | sakha llaqi |
| Slovak | štiavec tupolistý |
| Swedish | patience sauvage |
| Swedish | tomtsyra |
| Swedish | tomtskräppa |
| Turkish | küt yapraklı labada |
| Turkish | yabani labada |
| Turkish | yabani pazı |
| Turkish | yabani kuzukulağı |
| Turkish | geniş yapraklı labada |
| Chinese | 钝叶酸模 |
| Chinese | 大羊蹄 |
| Chinese | 土大黄叶 |
| Chinese | 土大黄 |
Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Rumex obtusifolius subsp. transiens | (Simonk.) Rech.f. | Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 49(3): 52 1932 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Africa click to expand
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Macaronesia
- Azores
- Canary Islands
- Cape Verde
- Madeira
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Northern Africa
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Southern Africa
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Macaronesia
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Subantarctic Islands
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Subantarctic Islands
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Asia-temperate click to expand
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Arabian Peninsula
- Yemen
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Caucasus
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China
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Eastern Asia
- Japan
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Russian Far East
- Kuril Islands
- Magadan
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Siberia
- Altay
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Western Asia
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Indian Subcontinent
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Australia
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Eastern Europe
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Middle Europe
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czechoslovakia
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Northern Europe
- Denmark
- Finland
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- Iceland
- Ireland
- Norway
- Sweden
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Southeastern Europe
- Albania
- Bulgaria
- Greece
- Italy
- Kriti
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- Sicilia
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Southwestern Europe
- Baleares
- Corse
- France
- Portugal
- Sardegna
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Eastern Europe
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Northern America click to expand
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Eastern Canada
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland
- Nova Scotia
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
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Mexico
- Mexico Central
- Mexico Gulf
- Mexico Northwest
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North-central U.S.A.
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Northeastern U.S.A.
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Northwestern U.S.A.
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South-central U.S.A.
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Southeastern U.S.A.
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- District Of Columbia
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Southwestern U.S.A.
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Subarctic America
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Western Canada
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Eastern Canada
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Pacific click to expand
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North-central Pacific
- Hawaii
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North-central Pacific
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Southern America click to expand
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Brazil
- Brazil Northeast
- Brazil South
- Brazil Southeast
- Brazil West-central
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Caribbean
- Bermuda
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Haiti
- Jamaica
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Central America
- Costa Rica
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Panamá
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Northern South America
- Venezuela
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Southern South America
- Argentina Northeast
- Argentina Northwest
- Argentina South
- Chile Central
- Chile South
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Western South America
- Bolivia
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Peru
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Brazil
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000403904 |
| UNII | K199I10P9K |
| Florida Plant Atlas | 1928 |
| Flora of Alabama | 2963 |
| Canadensys | 8215 |
| USDA Plants | RUOB |
| Tropicos | 26000193 |
| INPN | 119550 |
| Flora of Italy | 431 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:310739-2 |
| The Plant List | kew-2424630 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 904388 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 3619 |
| NBN Atlas | NBNSYS0000003791 |
| Nature Serve | 2.146680 |
| IPNI | 310739-2 |
| iNaturalist | 63371 |
| GBIF | 2889011 |
| Freebase | /m/06p5c5 |
| WisFlora | 4921 |
| EPPO | RUMOB |
| EOL | 585267 |
| Elurikkus | 6973 |
| Calflora (Californian flora) | 7220 |
| USDA GRIN | 32541 |
| Wikipedia | Rumex_obtusifolius |
| CMAUP | NPO15050 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives / Gallic acid and derivatives / Gallic acids | |||||
| Gallic Acid | 370 | Click to see | 170.12 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives / Gallic acid and derivatives / Galloyl esters | |||||
| [(2R,3R,4S,5S)-4-hydroxy-5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-[[(2R,3S,4S,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-[2-[(1R)-4-methylcyclohex-3-en-1-yl]propan-2-yloxy]oxan-2-yl]methoxy]oxolan-3-yl] 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate | 24879406 | Click to see | 600.60 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| [(2R,3R,4S,5S)-4-hydroxy-5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-[[(2R,3S,4S,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-[2-[(1S)-4-methylcyclohex-3-en-1-yl]propan-2-yloxy]oxan-2-yl]methoxy]oxolan-3-yl] 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate | 24879475 | Click to see CC1=CCC(CC1)C(C)(C)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)COC3C(C(C(O3)CO)O)OC(=O)C4=CC(=C(C(=C4)O)O)O)O)O)O | 600.60 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| [(2R,3S,4S,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-[2-[(1R)-4-methylcyclohex-3-en-1-yl]propan-2-yloxy]oxan-2-yl]methyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate | 10695593 | Click to see | 468.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| [(2R,3S,4S,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-[2-[(1S)-4-methylcyclohex-3-en-1-yl]propan-2-yloxy]oxan-2-yl]methyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate | 10552230 | Click to see | 468.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Naphthalenes / Naphthols and derivatives | |||||
| Nepodin | 100780 | Click to see | 216.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Phenols / Methoxyphenols | |||||
| (1R,2S)-3-chloro-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)propane-1,2-diol | 71415915 | Click to see | 232.66 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (2r)-3-(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,2-propanediol | 101154580 | Click to see | 198.22 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 1,2-Propanediol, 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-, (2S)- | 10750461 | Click to see | 198.22 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 2-Propenal, 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)- | 9984 | Click to see | 178.18 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Eugenol | 3314 | Click to see | 164.20 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Vanillin | 1183 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C=O)O | 152.15 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty acyl glycosides / Fatty acyl glycosides of mono- and disaccharides | |||||
| 2-[(1R,2R)-3-oxo-2-[(Z)-5-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-[(3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoyl)oxymethyl]oxan-2-yl]oxypent-2-enyl]cyclopentyl]acetic acid | 24879474 | Click to see | 540.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Acyclic monoterpenoids | |||||
| Neral | 643779 | Click to see | 152.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic acids and derivatives / Carboxylic acids and derivatives / Amino acids, peptides, and analogues / Alpha amino acids and derivatives / Alpha amino acids | |||||
| 2-Amino-4-(furan-2-yl)-4-oxobutanoic acid | 22326395 | Click to see | 183.16 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/00021369.1980.10864392 |
| > Organic acids and derivatives / Carboxylic acids and derivatives / Amino acids, peptides, and analogues / Alpha amino acids and derivatives / Alpha amino acids / L-alpha-amino acids | |||||
| (2S)-2-amino-4-(furan-2-yl)-4-oxobutanoic acid | 15108500 | Click to see | 183.16 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/00021369.1980.10864392 |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds | |||||
| 3-Oxo-3-(((2R,3S,4S,5R,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methoxytetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)methoxy)propanoic acid | 5319243 | Click to see COC1C(C(C(C(O1)COC(=O)CC(=O)O)O)O)O | 280.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(81)83043-9 |
| 3-Oxo-3-[(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methoxyoxan-2-yl)methoxy]propanoic acid | 73981653 | Click to see | 280.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(81)83043-9 |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / Phenolic glycosides | |||||
| [(2R,3S,4S,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxy-5-prop-2-enylphenoxy)oxan-2-yl]methyl (E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)prop-2-enoate | 24879405 | Click to see | 548.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 2-Methoxy-4-(2-propen-1-yl)phenyl I(2)-D-glucopyranoside 6-(3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate) | 44583693 | Click to see | 478.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Monosaccharides / Pentoses | |||||
| (2S,4R)-5-oxo-4-[(2R,3S,4R)-2,3,4-trihydroxyoxolan-2-yl]pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid | 162928960 | Click to see C1C(C(=O)NC1C(=O)O)C2(C(C(CO2)O)O)O | 247.20 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/00021369.1980.10864392 |
| 5-Oxo-4-(2,3,4-trihydroxyoxolan-2-yl)pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid | 162928959 | Click to see C1C(C(=O)NC1C(=O)O)C2(C(C(CO2)O)O)O | 247.20 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/00021369.1980.10864392 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Pyridines and derivatives / Methylpyridines | |||||
| 2-Methylpyridine | 7975 | Click to see | 93.13 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1038/181636A0 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamaldehydes | |||||
| 3-(3,4-Dimethoxyphenyl)-2-propenal | 107557 | Click to see | 192.21 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Catechins / Epigallocatechins | |||||
| Dihydromyricetin | 161557 | Click to see C1=C(C=C(C(=C1O)O)O)C2C(C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O | 320.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones / Flavonols | |||||
| Myricetin | 5281672 | Click to see C1=C(C=C(C(=C1O)O)O)C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O | 318.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Quercetin | 5280343 | Click to see | 302.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Anthocyanidin 3-O-p-coumaroyl glycosides / Anthocyanidin 3-O-6-p-coumaroyl glycosides | |||||
| CID 101586992 | 101586992 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C=CC(=O)OCC2C(C(C(C(O2)OC3=C([O+]=C4C=C(C=C(C4=C3)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)COC(=O)CC(=O)O)O)O)O)O)C6=CC(=C(C=C6)O)O)O)O)O)O | 843.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glucuronides / Flavonoid-3-O-glucuronides | |||||
| QUERCETIN 3-O-beta-D-GLUCURONIDE METHYL ESTER | 21722016 | Click to see | 492.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-3-O-glycosides | |||||
| [(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-[2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-4-oxo-chromen-3-yl]oxy-4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydropyran-3-yl] 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate | 5480249 | Click to see | 616.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 3-[(2S,3S,4S,5R)-3,4-dihydroxy-5-(hydroxymethyl)oxolan-2-yl]oxy-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxychromen-4-one | 5320668 | Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)OC4C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O | 434.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Hyperoside | 5281643 | Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O)O | 464.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| myricetin 3-O-beta-L-galactopyranoside | 72551438 | Click to see C1=C(C=C(C(=C1O)O)O)C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O | 480.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |