Details Top

Internal ID UUID64400a35ca1ae236259448
Scientific name Ardisia humilis
Authority Vahl
First published in Symb. Bot. 3: 40 (1794)

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.

Ardisia humilis is employed as a simple bitter tea and decoction in several Southeast Asian traditions. In Malaysia, both the leaves and stems are used in village practice as a tonic and diuretic (Burkill, 1935). Among communities in the Philippines, the leaves are brewed for colic and as a gentle stomachic (Quisumbing, 1978). In southern China, roots of Ardisia species are taken as a decoction to “clear heat and dampness,” with Ardisia humilis sometimes specified for inflammatory conditions of the throat and digestive tract (Perry and Metzger, 1980). For a traditional throat gargle, prepare a mild infusion by steeping 8–10 g of air‑dried leaves in 250 ml of just‑boiled water for 5–10 minutes, then cool to a comfortable temperature and gargle 2–3 times daily. For an internal decoction, simmer 6–10 g of chopped roots in 300 ml of water for 15–20 minutes, cool, and take 1/3 to 1/2 cup two to three times daily; avoid use during pregnancy and lactation due to limited safety data (Natural Medicines, 2023).

A concise practical preparation is a 1:5 tincture using 20 g of freshly chopped leaves macerated in 100 ml of 45% ethanol for two to three weeks in a dark place, shaking daily. Strain and keep in a stoppered bottle. Dose is generally 1–2 ml two to three times daily, taken with water; people with liver disease or on anticoagulants should consult a practitioner (Natural Medicines, 2023).

Well‑documented phytochemicals for this species include a range of dammarane and cycloartane triterpenoid saponins, ardisic acids, benzopyran derivatives such as ardisinol, and robustin (formerly rapanone); these bitter, astringent and anti‑inflammatory constituents plausibly underlie the traditional diuretic, stomachic, and anti‑inflammatory uses (Dreyer, 1970; Suksamrarn et al., 1997).

The plant is occasionally available in specialist ethnobotanical collections, and in vitro studies continue to profile its saponins, though clinical evidence remains limited; in many parts of Southeast Asia, leaf infusions and root decoctions remain in everyday use for digestive and throat complaints (Perry and Metzger, 1980; Natural Medicines, 2023).

General Uses Top

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Synonyms Top

Scientific name Authority First published in
Willughbeia drupacea Blanco Fl. Filip. : 132 (1837)
Ardisia arborescens Wall. ex A.DC. Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17: 120 (1834)
Ardisia doma Wall. ex A.DC. Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17(1): 118. 1834 [1837 publ. 26 Apr-8 May 1834]
Ardisia drupacea (Blanco) Merr. Sp. Blancoan. : 298 (1918)
Ardisia hainanensis Mez Pflanzenr. , IV, 236: 138 (1902)
Ardisia nana Buch.-Ham. ex A.DC. Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17: 118 (1834)
Ardisia obovata Blume Bijdr. Fl. Ned. Ind. 13: 688. 1826 [24 Jan 1826]
Ardisia oleracea Buch.-Ham. ex A.DC. Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17: 118 (1834)
Ardisia polycephala Wight Ill. Ind. Bot. t. 145.
Ardisia pyrgina St.-Lag. Ann. Soc. Bot. Lyon 7: 119 (1880)
Ardisia pyrgus Roem. & Schult. Syst. Veg., ed. 15 bis [Roemer & Schultes] 4: 518. 1819
Ardisia racemosa (Lour.) Mez Pflanzenr. (Engler) Myrsin. 138. 1902 [6 May 1902]
Ardisia salicifolia A.DC. Prodr. 8: 129 (1844)
Ardisia sinensis Steud. Nomencl. Bot. , ed. 2, 1: 122 (1840)
Bladhia racemosa (Lour.) Nakai Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 55: 524 (1941)
Climacandra multiflora Miq. Pl. Jungh. : 200 (1852)
Climacandra obovata Miq. Pl. Jungh. : 199 (1852)
Climacandra salicifolia (A.DC.) Miq. Pl. Jungh. : 200 (1852)
Ardisia humilis var. arborescens C.B.Clarke Fl. Brit. India 3: 530 1882
Pyrgus racemosa Lour. Fl. Cochinch. : 121 (1790)
Tinus racemosa (Lour.) Kuntze Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 974. 1891 [5 Nov 1891]
Tinus humilis (Vahl) Kuntze Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 405. 1891 [5 Nov 1891]
Bladhia humilis (Vahl) Sasaki List Pl. Formosa : 324 (1928)

Common names Top

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Language Common/alternative name
English low shoebutton
Chinese 凉伞盖珍珠
Chinese 小乔木紫金牛
Chinese 地打果树皮
Chinese 矮紫金牛

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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Germination/Propagation Top

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Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
  • Asia-tropical
    • Indian Subcontinent
      • Assam
      • Bangladesh
      • East Himalaya
    • Indo-China
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Malesia
      • Lesser Sunda Islands

Links to other databases Top

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Database ID/link to page
World Flora Online wfo-0000544431
USDA Plants ARHU8
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:587087-1
The Plant List kew-2648056
Open Tree Of Life 477105
NCBI Taxonomy 587400
IPNI 587087-1
iNaturalist 427937
GBIF 5558193
Freebase /m/02pxrgx
EPPO ADAHU
EOL 2891546
USDA GRIN 3884
Wikipedia Ardisia_humilis
CMAUP NPO3939

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

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Scientific Literature Top

Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Title Authors Publication Released IDs
Lotus japonicus karrikin receptors display divergent ligand-binding specificities and organ-dependent redundancy Carbonnel S, Torabi S, Griesmann M, Bleek E, Tang Y, Buchka S, Basso V, Shindo M, Boyer FD, Wang TL, Udvardi M, Waters MT, Gutjahr C PLoS Genet 28-Dec-2020
PMCID:PMC7808659
doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1009249
PMID:33370251
Infrequent use of medicinal plants from India in snakebite treatment Upasani MS, Upasani SV, Beldar VG, Beldar CG, Gujarathi PP Integr Med Res 06-Nov-2017
PMCID:PMC5884010
doi:10.1016/j.imr.2017.10.003
PMID:29629287
Medicinal Plants for the Treatment of Local Tissue Damage Induced by Snake Venoms: An Overview from Traditional Use to Pharmacological Evidence Félix-Silva J, Silva-Junior AA, Zucolotto SM, Fernandes-Pedrosa MD Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 21-Aug-2017
PMCID:PMC5585606
doi:10.1155/2017/5748256
PMID:28904556

Phytochemical Profile Top

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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
Name PubChem ID Canonical SMILES MW Found in Proof
> Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Methoxybenzenes / Dimethoxybenzenes
3,4-Dimethoxycinnamyl alcohol 5387770 Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C=CCO)OC 194.23 unknown via CMAUP database
3,5-Dimethoxytoluene 77844 Click to see CC1=CC(=CC(=C1)OC)OC 152.19 unknown via CMAUP database
Methyleugenol 7127 Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)CC=C)OC 178.23 unknown via CMAUP database
> Benzenoids / Phenol ethers / Anisoles
Asarone 636822 Click to see 208.25 unknown via CMAUP database
Elemicin 10248 Click to see 208.25 unknown via CMAUP database
Estragole 8815 Click to see 148.20 unknown via CMAUP database
gamma-Asarone 636750 Click to see 208.25 unknown via CMAUP database
> Hydrocarbons / Saturated hydrocarbons / Alkanes
Pentadecane 12391 Click to see 212.41 unknown via CMAUP database
> Hydrocarbons / Unsaturated hydrocarbons / Branched unsaturated hydrocarbons
Gamma-Terpinene 7461 Click to see 136.23 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Furanoid lignans
(-)-Asarinin 11869417 Click to see 354.40 unknown via CMAUP database
4-[(3R,3aR,6S,6aR)-3-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-1,3,3a,4,6,6a-hexahydrofuro[3,4-c]furan-6-yl]-2,6-dimethoxyphenol 57404419 Click to see COC1=CC(=CC(=C1O)OC)C2C3COC(C3CO2)C4=CC5=C(C=C4)OCO5 386.40 unknown via CMAUP database
4-[(3S,3aR,6R,6aR)-6-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-1,3,3a,4,6,6a-hexahydrofuro[3,4-c]furan-3-yl]benzene-1,2-diol 46917405 Click to see 342.30 unknown via CMAUP database
5-[(3S,3aS,6R,6aS)-6-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-1,3,3a,4,6,6a-hexahydrofuro[3,4-c]furan-3-yl]-2-methoxyphenol 10089592 Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C2C3COC(C3CO2)C4=CC5=C(C=C4)OCO5)O 356.40 unknown via CMAUP database
Epipinoresinol 637584 Click to see 358.40 unknown via CMAUP database
Pluviatilol 70695727 Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C2C3COC(C3CO2)C4=CC5=C(C=C4)OCO5)O 356.40 unknown via CMAUP database
Sesamin 72307 Click to see C1C2C(COC2C3=CC4=C(C=C3)OCO4)C(O1)C5=CC6=C(C=C5)OCO6 354.40 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Furanoid lignans / Tetrahydrofuran lignans / 7,9-epoxylignans
Sesaminone 158370 Click to see C1C(C(C(O1)C2=CC3=C(C=C2)OCO3)CO)C(=O)C4=CC5=C(C=C4)OCO5 370.40 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty alcohol esters
(2R)-1-(5-Methoxy-3,6-dioxocyclohexa-1,4-dien-1-yl)pentadecan-2-yl acetate 46190943 Click to see 406.60 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty alcohols
1-Triacontanol 68972 Click to see 438.80 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty amides / N-acyl amines
(2E,4E,8Z)-N-(2-methylpropyl)dodeca-2,4,8,10-tetraenamide 70693621 Click to see CC=CC=CCCC=CC=CC(=O)NCC(C)C 247.38 unknown via CMAUP database
Pellitorine 5318516 Click to see 223.35 unknown via CMAUP database
Sanshool 6440935 Click to see 247.38 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Acyclic monoterpenoids
Myrcene 31253 Click to see 136.23 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Aromatic monoterpenoids
P-Cymene 7463 Click to see 134.22 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Bicyclic monoterpenoids
(-)-alpha-Pinene 440968 Click to see CC1=CCC2CC1C2(C)C 136.23 unknown via CMAUP database
(-)-Camphene 440966 Click to see 136.23 unknown via CMAUP database
(+)-Sabinene 10887971 Click to see 136.23 unknown via CMAUP database
(+/-)-Asarinol A 46174001 Click to see 166.22 unknown via CMAUP database
Bornyl acetate, (-)- 93009 Click to see 196.29 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Menthane monoterpenoids
(+)-alpha-Terpineol 442501 Click to see 154.25 unknown via CMAUP database
(+)-Limonene 440917 Click to see 136.23 unknown via CMAUP database
(1S,6R)-6-Isopropyl-3-methyl-cyclohex-2-en-1-ol 11367127 Click to see CC1=CC(C(CC1)C(C)C)O 154.25 unknown via CMAUP database
Terpinolene 11463 Click to see 136.23 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Monocyclic monoterpenoids
Eucarvone 136330 Click to see CC1=CC=CC(CC1=O)(C)C 150.22 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives
(3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-[[(3S,8S,9S,10R,13R,14S)-17-[(2R,5R)-5-ethyl-6-methylheptan-2-yl]-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-yl]oxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol 52940117 Click to see 576.80 unknown via CMAUP database
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbonyl compounds / Cyclic ketones
2,7,7-Trimethylcyclohepta-2,4-dienone 85794676 Click to see 150.22 unknown via CMAUP database
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbonyl compounds / Phenylketones / Alkyl-phenylketones
[2-[11-(2,6-dihydroxy-4-methoxy-phenyl)-11-oxo-undecyl]-3-hydroxy-phenyl] Acetate 11476642 Click to see 458.50 unknown via CMAUP database
1-(2,4,6-Trihydroxyphenyl)-11-(2-hydroxyphenyl)undecan-1-one 11234557 Click to see 386.50 unknown via CMAUP database
1-(2,6-Dihydroxy-4-methoxy-phenyl)-11-(2,6-dihydroxyphenyl)undecan-1-one 11395926 Click to see 416.50 unknown via CMAUP database
11-(2,6-Dihydroxyphenyl)-1-(2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl)undecan-1-one 11418215 Click to see 402.50 unknown via CMAUP database
> Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzodioxoles
Croweacin 5316141 Click to see 192.21 unknown via CMAUP database
Kakuol 596894 Click to see 194.18 unknown via CMAUP database
Safrole 5144 Click to see 162.18 unknown via CMAUP database
Sarisan 95289 Click to see COC1=CC2=C(C=C1CC=C)OCO2 192.21 unknown via CMAUP database

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