Galium aparine
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64403c37abbd7513207183 |
| Scientific name | Galium aparine |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl. : 108 (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.
Galium aparine has a long reputation as a gentle diuretic and “spring tonic,” especially in British herbal traditions and North American Eclectic practice. In the British Isles, Grieve’s A Modern Herbal (1931) records that the whole herb is taken as an infusion or a “strong decoction” for dropsy, Gravel (renal irritation), fevers, and catarrh. In the United States, Ellingwood’s American Materia Medica (1919) lists a fluidextract prepared from fresh aerial parts for dropsy and similar conditions, while Felter’s Eclectic Materia Medica (1898) repeats its diuretic value. Across North America, Moore’s Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West (2003) recommends a daily mild infusion of the whole plant as a lymphatic tonic. In Wales, Culpeper’s The English Physician (1653) calls it a “great diuretic” suitable for jaundice and inflamed kidneys, and historical sources from the British Isles also mention a fresh poultice of the herb for cutaneous eruptions and wounds.
A practical preparation is a mild daily tea. Use 2–3 grams of chopped whole herb (aërial parts) per cup of water, pour just-off-the-boil water over the herb, cover, and steep 10–15 minutes; strain and drink up to two cups a day. The plant is generally regarded as safe in culinary and tonic doses, but do not use therapeutically in pregnancy or while breastfeeding unless a qualified practitioner advises. For a tincture, a 1:5 ethanol extract of the aerial parts is widely prepared at 25–30% alcohol, macerated 6–8 weeks; the typical dose is 1–3 mL (about 30–90 drops) two to three times daily, though individual doses should follow product labeling or professional guidance.
Phytochemistry supports its traditional profile. G. aparine contains the iridoid asperuloside, flavonoids such as quercetin and rutin, coumarins like scopoletin, tannins, and the anthraquinones alizarin and rubiadin. These constituents are consistent with mild diuretic activity, soothing mucous membranes, and astringent effects on irritated tissues.
Today, G. aparine is still widely used in North American and British herbal practice as a gentle diuretic and lymphatic tonic, sold as bulk herb and tincture. Some modern research continues to investigate its diuretic and antioxidant properties, but its main relevance remains traditional: simple infusions of the whole herb are a common household remedy, and the 1:5 tincture remains a core product in many herbal dispensaries.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
- Plant used as a non-woven, abrasive, reusable pad for scouring cooking utensils and light cleaning (cloth-like mat of hooked prickles applied wet or dry).
Industrial and craft applications:
- Laboratory research material for studying phloem transport and sieve-tube physiology (access to living, translucent sieve tubes and protocols developed in this species).
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
- Straining/coagulating aid in cheese and dairy processing: crushed aerial parts added to milk to assist curd formation in rennet-based cheeses; the practice is noted in ethnoveterinary food technology contexts rather than as a medicinal preparation.
Colorants and tanning:
- No verified non-medicinal dye or tannin uses are recorded for this taxon.
Wood and fiber:
- No documented timber, bast fiber, or structural fiber uses are recorded for this taxon.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
- No verified fragrance or cosmetic uses are recorded for this taxon.
Properties relevant to use:
- Dense coverage of hooked, stiff trichomes on stems and leaves provides a self-bonding, abrasive surface suitable for mild scouring and physical cleaning.
Standards and regulation:
- No specific product standards or regulatory frameworks are assigned to this plant or its cleaning applications.
Sustainability and sourcing:
- Wild-harvested from ruderal habitats; no cultivation or sustainability frameworks are documented in the sources.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Aparine vulgaris | Hill | Herb. Brit. 2: 149 (1770) |
| Asterophyllum aparine | K.F.Schimp. & Spenn. | Fl. Friburg. 3: 1077 (1829) |
| Rubia aparine | Baill. | Hist. Pl. 7: 373 (1880) |
| Galium aparine var. agreste | P.D.Sell | Fl. Gr. Brit. Ireland 4: 530 (26). 2006 |
| Galium aparine subsp. agreste | P.D.Sell | Fl. Gr. Brit. Ireland 4: 530 (21, 26; fig.). 2006 |
| Galium aparine var. marinum | Fr. | Novit. Fl. Suec. Alt. 24. 1828 |
| Crucianella purpurea | Wulff. ex Steud. | Nomencl. Bot. , ed. 2, 1: 448 (1840) |
| Galion aparinum | St.-Lag. | Ann. Soc. Bot. Lyon 7: 113 (1880) |
| Galium aculeatissimum | Kit. ex Kanitz | Verh. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien 13: 548 (1863) |
| Galium aparine var. fructibushispidis | Franch. | Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. sér. 2, 6: 36. 1883 |
| Galium aparine var. intermedium | (Mérat) Bonnet | Petite Fl. Paris. : 191 (1883) |
| Galium aparine f. intermedium | (Mérat) R.J.Moore | Canad. J. Bot. 53: 881. 1975 |
| Galium aparine var. microphyllum | Gay | Fl. Chil. [Gay] 3: 190. 1848 |
| Galium aparine var. pseudoaparine | Speg. | Revista Fac. Agron. Univ. Nac. La Plata 3: 526 (1897) |
| Galium aparine var. subglabrum | Peterm. | Fl. Lips. Excurs. 122. 1838 |
| Galium borbonicum var. makianum | Cordem. | Fl. Réunion 518. 1895 |
| Galium charoides | Rusby | Phytologia 1: 80 (1934) |
| Galium chilense | Hook.f. | Fl. Antarct. 2: 302(bis) (1846) |
| Galium hispidum | Willd. | Enum. Pl. : 154 (1809) |
| Galium larecajense | Wernham | J. Bot. 50: 244 (1912) |
| Galium pseudoaparine | Griseb. | Abh. Königl. Ges. Wiss. Göttingen 6: 125 (1854) |
| Galium segetum | K.Koch | Linnaea 17: 33 (1843) |
| Galium tenerrimum | Schur | Enum. Pl. Transsilv. : 279 (1866) |
| Galium uncinatum | Gray | Nat. Arr. Brit. Pl. 2: 484 (1821 publ. 1822) |
| Galium aparine var. verum | Wimm. & Grab. | Fl. Siles. 1: 119. 1827 |
| Galium aparine var. hirsutum | Mert. & W.D.J.Koch | Deutschl. Fl. ed. 3, 1: 774. 1823 |
| Aparine hispida | Moench | Methodus : 640 (1794) |
| Asperula aparine | (L.) Besser | Prim. Fl. Galiciae Austriac. 1: 114 (1809) |
| Galium adhaerens | Gilib. | Fl. Lit. Inch. 1: 13 (1782) |
| Galium asperum | Honck. | Verz. Gew. Teutschl. : 423 (1782) |
| Galium australe | Reiche | Fl. Chile 3: 149 (1900) |
| Galium chonosense | Clos | Fl. Chil. 3: 189 (1848) |
| Galium horridum | Eckl. & Zeyh. | Enum. Pl. Afric. Austral. : 370 (1837) |
| Galium intermedium | Mérat | Nouv. Fl. Env. Paris ed. 3, 2: 255 (1831) |
| Galium lappaceum | Salisb. | Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton : 59 (1796) |
| Galium parviflorum | Maxim. | Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. St.-Pétersbourg Divers Savans 9: 472 (1859) |
| Galium uliginosum | Thunb. | Fl. Jap. : 58 (1784) |
| Asperula aparine var. aparine | (L.) Nyman | Consp. Fl. Eur. : 332 (1879) |
| Galium aparine f. angustifolium | Cout. | Fl. Portugal 2: 691 (1939) |
| Galium aparine f. latifolium | Cout. | Fl. Portugal 2: 691 (1939) |
| Galium aparine var. thalassicum | Beurl. | Bot. Not. 1854: 137 (1854) |
| Galium aparine var. minor | Hook. | Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 290 (1833) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | goosegrass |
| English | stickywilly |
| English | stickleback |
| English | catchweed |
| English | cleavers |
| English | clivers |
| English | goose grass |
| English | sticky willy |
| Spanish | apegamanos |
| Spanish | galio de flor blanca |
| Spanish | hierba presa |
| Spanish | pega ropas |
| Spanish | rapia |
| Spanish | repegon |
| Spanish | galium adhaerens |
| Spanish | asperula aparine |
| Spanish | crucianella purpurea |
| Spanish | galium asperum |
| Spanish | galium horridum |
| Spanish | galium lappaceum |
| Spanish | galium larecajense |
| Spanish | galium segetum |
| Arabic | بلسك |
| Arabic | حشيشة الأفعى |
| Arabic | غاليون أبيض |
| Arabic | لصيقي |
| Arabic | بلسكاء |
| Arabic | بلسكاء/ حشيشة الأفعى |
| Azerbaijani | İlişkən qatıqotu |
| Belarusian | павіліца |
| Belarusian | маруна ўчэпістая |
| Bulgarian | лепка |
| Catalan | gaillet gratteron |
| Catalan | rébola |
| Catalan | apegalosa |
| Czech | svízel přítula |
| Welsh | llau‘r offeiriad |
| Welsh | gwlydd y perthi |
| Welsh | llau'r perthi |
| Welsh | llau`r offeiriad |
| Danish | burre-snerre |
| German | gaillet gratteron |
| German | gewöhnliches kletten-labkraut |
| German | klebkraut |
| German | klebriges labkraut |
| German | klettenlabkraut |
| German | klettlabkraut |
| German | kletten-labkraut |
| Esperanto | alkroĉa galio |
| Estonian | roomav madar |
| Basque | ziabelar latza |
| Basque | ziabelar latz |
| Persian | بی تی راخ |
| Finnish | kierumatara |
| French | gaillet gratteron |
| French | gaillet accrochant |
| French | herbe collante |
| French | rièble |
| Irish | garbhlus |
| Hebrew | דבקה זיפנית |
| Croatian | priljepača |
| Upper Sorbian | lěpjacy sydrik |
| Hungarian | ragadós galaj |
| Armenian | Մակարդախոտ կպչուն |
| Icelandic | krókamaðra |
| Italian | attaccamano |
| Japanese | シラホシムグラ |
| Georgian | ბეგიაური |
| Kabyle | imenteḍ |
| Cornish | les serghek byghan |
| Lithuanian | gaillet gratteron |
| Lithuanian | kibusis lipikas |
| Latvian | Ķeraiņu madara |
| Macedonian | лепавец |
| Macedonian | четинест лепавец |
| Norwegian Bokmål | klengemaure |
| Dutch | kleefkruid |
| Norwegian Nynorsk | klengjemaure |
| os | Хæрдог |
| Polish | przytulia czepna |
| Romanian | turiță |
| Romanian | lipicioasă |
| Russian | подмаренник льновый |
| Russian | подмаренник цепкий |
| sco | stickers |
| Slovak | lipkavec obyčajný |
| Slovenian | plezajoča lakota |
| Serbian | Лепљиви броћ |
| Swedish | gaillet gratteron |
| Swedish | snärjegräs |
| Swedish | snärjgräs |
| Swedish | snarpegräs |
| Swedish | snärpegräs |
| Swedish | strandsnärjmåra |
| Swedish | vanlig snärjmåra |
| Swedish | vattenbinda |
| Swedish | vitblommig snärjmåra |
| Swedish | snärjmåra |
| Turkish | yoğurt otu |
| Ukrainian | підмаренник чіпкий |
| Uzbek | qumrioʻt |
| Uzbek | chakamigʻ |
| Chinese | 猪殃殃 |
| Chinese | 八仙草 |
| Chinese | 原拉拉藤 |
| Chinese | 豬殃殃 |
| Chinese | 歐洲豬殃殃 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!| Sow seeds at 20°C, expecting germination within 3 months without further temperature treatment. |
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
- Selvagens
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Northeast Tropical Africa
- Ethiopia
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Northern Africa
- Algeria
- Libya
- Morocco
- Tunisia
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West Tropical Africa
- Nigeria
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West-central Tropical Africa
- Burundi
- Zaïre
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Macaronesia
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Antarctica click to expand
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Subantarctic Islands
- Crozet Islands
- Tristan Da Cunha
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Subantarctic Islands
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Asia-temperate click to expand
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Arabian Peninsula
- Gulf States
- Oman
- Saudi Arabia
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China
- China North-central
- China South-central
- China Southeast
- Manchuria
- Tibet
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Eastern Asia
- Japan
- Korea
- Ogasawara-Shoto
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Middle Asia
- Kirgizstan
- Tadzhikistan
- Uzbekistan
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Mongolia
- Mongolia
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Siberia
- Altay
- Buryatiya
- Chita
- Irkutsk
- Krasnoyarsk
- Tuva
- West Siberia
- Yakutskiya
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Western Asia
- Afghanistan
- Cyprus
- East Aegean Islands
- Iran
- Iraq
- Lebanon-Syria
- Palestine
- Turkey
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Arabian Peninsula
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Asia-tropical click to expand
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Indian Subcontinent
- East Himalaya
- India
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- West Himalaya
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Indo-China
- Vietnam
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Indian Subcontinent
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Australasia click to expand
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Australia
- New South Wales
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
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New Zealand
- Chatham Islands
- New Zealand North
- New Zealand South
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Australia
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Europe click to expand
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Eastern Europe
- Baltic States
- Belarus
- Central European Russia
- East European Russia
- Krym
- North European Russia
- Northwest European Russia
- South European Russia
- Ukraine
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Middle Europe
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czechoslovakia
- Germany
- Hungary
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Switzerland
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Northern Europe
- Denmark
- Finland
- Føroyar
- Great Britain
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Norway
- Svalbard
- Sweden
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Southeastern Europe
- Albania
- Bulgaria
- Greece
- Italy
- Kriti
- Romania
- Sicilia
- Turkey-in-Europe
- Yugoslavia
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Southwestern Europe
- Baleares
- Corse
- France
- Portugal
- Sardegna
- Spain
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Eastern Europe
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Northern America click to expand
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Eastern Canada
- Labrador
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland
- Nova Scotia
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Québec
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Mexico
- Mexican Pacific Islands
- Mexico Northeast
- Mexico Northwest
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North-central U.S.A.
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- South Dakota
- Wisconsin
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Northeastern U.S.A.
- Connecticut
- Indiana
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- West Virginia
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Northwestern U.S.A.
- Colorado
- Idaho
- Montana
- Oregon
- Washington
- Wyoming
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South-central U.S.A.
- New Mexico
- Texas
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Southeastern U.S.A.
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Delaware
- District Of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Virginia
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Southwestern U.S.A.
- Arizona
- California
- Nevada
- Utah
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Subarctic America
- Alaska
- Aleutian Islands
- Greenland
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Western Canada
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- Saskatchewan
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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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Caribbean
- Bermuda
- Dominican Republic
- Haiti
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Southern South America
- Argentina Northeast
- Argentina Northwest
- Argentina South
- Chile Central
- Chile North
- Chile South
- Juan Fernández Islands
- Uruguay
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Western South America
- Bolivia
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Peru
-
Caribbean
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000968296 |
| UNII | Z4B6561488 |
| Florida Plant Atlas | 3883 |
| Flora of Alabama | 3259 |
| Canadensys | 8995 |
| USDA Plants | GAAP2 |
| Tropicos | 27900076 |
| INPN | 99373 |
| Flora of Italy | 4168 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30007294-2 |
| The Plant List | kew-85676 |
| PFAF | Galium aparine |
| Open Tree Of Life | 807641 |
| Observations.org | 6812 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 29788 |
| NBN Atlas | NBNSYS0000004319 |
| Nature Serve | 2.153584 |
| IPNI | 30007294-2 |
| iNaturalist | 53059 |
| GBIF | 2913548 |
| Freebase | /m/06ktm3 |
| WisFlora | 3662 |
| FEIS | plants/forb/galapa |
| EPPO | GALAP |
| EOL | 1098038 |
| Elurikkus | 4835 |
| Calflora (Californian flora) | 3669 |
| USDA GRIN | 103276 |
| Wikipedia | Galium_aparine |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
Below is displayed the reference genome only!
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
| Accession | Assembly | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Level | Submitter | Released | Coverage | Size | |
| GCA_964106835.1 | daGalApar1.hap1.1 | Chromosome | WELLCOME SANGER INSTITUTE | 2024-06-06 | 108 | 817.83 Mb |
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.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Benzenoids / Anthracenes / Anthraquinones / Hydroxyanthraquinones | |||||
| 1,3-Dihydroxy-2-(methoxymethoxy)anthracene-9,10-dione | 102138994 | Click to see | 300.26 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(93)85131-A |
| Alizarin 1-methyl ether | 80309 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC2=C1C(=O)C3=CC=CC=C3C2=O)O | 254.24 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(93)85131-A |
| Lucidin omega-methyl ether | 149782 | Click to see | 284.26 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(93)85131-A |
| Nordamnacanthal | 160712 | Click to see | 268.22 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00095-X |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Salicylic acid and derivatives / Salicylic acids | |||||
| Salicylic Acid | 338 | Click to see | 138.12 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1039/J39680000854 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene glycosides / Iridoid O-glycosides | |||||
| Asperulosidic acid | 11968867 | Click to see CC(=O)OCC1=CC(C2C1C(OC=C2C(=O)O)OC3C(C(C(C(O3)CO)O)O)O)O | 432.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1076/PHBI.39.3.234.5928 |
| Asperulosidicacid | 145709477 | Click to see | 432.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1076/PHBI.39.3.234.5928 |
| Desacetylasperulosidic acid | 12315350 | Click to see | 390.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1076/PHBI.39.3.234.5928 |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Alcohols and polyols / Cyclitols and derivatives / Quinic acids and derivatives | |||||
| Chlorogenic Acid | 1794427 | Click to see C1C(C(C(CC1(C(=O)O)O)OC(=O)C=CC2=CC(=C(C=C2)O)O)O)O | 354.31 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10826079408013630 |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds | |||||
| [5-(hexopyranosyloxy)-1-oxo-2a,4a,5,7b-tetrahydro-1H-2,6-dioxacyclopenta[cd]inden-4-yl]methyl acetate | 233330 | Click to see CC(=O)OCC1=CC2C3C1C(OC=C3C(=O)O2)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O | 414.40 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2007-971341 https://doi.org/10.3719/WEED.28.205 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)84499-4 |
| Asperuloside | 84298 | Click to see CC(=O)OCC1=CC2C3C1C(OC=C3C(=O)O2)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O | 414.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.3719/WEED.28.205 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-3-O-glycosides | |||||
| Rutin | 5280805 | Click to see | 610.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10826079408013630 |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |