Uncaria sessilifructus
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643ff00a5f20b932191555 |
| Scientific name | Uncaria sessilifructus |
| Authority | Roxb. |
| First published in | Fl. Ind. 2: 130 (1824) |
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
- Gambir (catechu) is the principal commercial product derived from Uncaria sessilifructus. It is a water‑soluble, reddish‑brown, resinous extract obtained by boiling the leaves and young shoots and evaporating the liquid to a dry powder or solid that is traded internationally under the names “catechu” and “gambir‑tannin”.
Industrial and craft applications:
- The extract is a source of condensed tannins (flavan‑3‑ol polymers) used in leather tanning; the tannins cross‑link collagen fibers, providing dimensional stability and resistance to hydrolysis.
- Condensed tannins from gambir are incorporated into tannin‑based wood adhesives; when combined with aldehydes they act as reactive binders that meet the strength requirements of EN 312 particle‑board standards.
- The material serves as a natural binding agent in paper sizing and as a mordant in textile printing, taking advantage of its protein‑binding phenolics to improve color fixation on protein fibers.
- Its high phenolic content also makes it useful as a component in natural brown inks, where the tannins provide adhesion and a stable brown hue.
Colorants and tanning:
- Gambir produces a deep brown to reddish‑brown color on protein fibers such as silk and wool; the colorfastness stems from phenolic‑protein complexes that resist fading.
- In the leather industry the same tannins impart a characteristic brown coloration to the finished product while enhancing its durability.
Food and beverages (non‑medicinal):
- Dried gambir is employed as a flavoring and coloring agent in a range of Southeast Asian sauces, soups, and spice blends, where its astringent, slightly bitter taste and brown hue contribute to sensory profile. The product is listed in the U.S. FDA’s “Flavoring Substances” (21 CFR 182.20) and recognized in the EU’s “Flavouring Regulation” (EC 1334/2008) as a natural flavoring.
Properties relevant to use:
- The extract contains 30–45 % total phenolics, predominantly catechin and epicatechin units polymerized into condensed tannins. This high phenolic content confers strong protein‑binding capacity, low solubility at neutral pH, and a characteristic reddish‑brown color, all of which underpin its tanning, dyeing, and adhesive functions.
- It is water‑soluble, forming stable solutions at pH 4–5, which allows direct application in tanning baths and dye vats and facilitates incorporation into aqueous adhesive formulations.
Standards and regulation:
- Gambir is classified as a natural tannin material under ISO 17088 (Quantitative determination of condensed tannins), a standard referenced for tannin content analysis in leather and wood‑adhesive applications.
- The United States FDA lists it as a Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) flavoring substance (21 CFR 182.20), and the EU’s flavouring regulation (EC 1334/2008) similarly permits its use as a natural flavoring.
Sustainability and sourcing:
- Uncaria sessilifructus is cultivated on smallholder agro‑forestry plots in Indonesia, Malaysia, and southern India. Harvesting typically involves cutting 1‑ to 2‑year‑old shoots, which regenerate quickly; yields of 1–2 kg dried gambir per 100 kg fresh material are common. The liana can be grown on trellises, minimizing pressure on forest timber resources and supporting sustainable production.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Nauclea ovalifolia | Spreng. | Syst. Veg. 4(2): 80 (1827) |
| Nauclea sessilifructus | D.Dietr. | Syn. Pl. 1: 792 (1839) |
| Uncaria ovalifolia | Roxb. | Fl. Ind. 2: 128 (1824) |
| Uruparia ovalifolia | Kuntze | Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 301 (1891) |
| Uruparia sessilifructus | Kuntze | Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 301 (1891) |
| Nauclea scandens | Roxb. ex Hook.f. | Fl. Brit. India 3: 30 (1880) |
| Nauclea sessilis | Spreng. | Syst. Veg., ed. 16. 4(2): 81 (1827) |
| Nauclea uncaria | D.Dietr. | Syn. Plant. 1: 791 (1839) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 钩藤 |
| Chinese | 钩藤根 |
| Chinese | 白钩藤 |
| Chinese | 白钩藤（无柄果钩藤） |
| Chinese | 长梗钩藤 |
| Chinese | 无柄果钩藤 |
| Chinese | 白鈎藤 |
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
-
Asia-temperate click to expand
-
China
- China South-central
- China Southeast
-
China
-
Asia-tropical click to expand
-
Indian Subcontinent
- Assam
- Bangladesh
- East Himalaya
- India
- Nepal
-
Indo-China
- Laos
- Myanmar
- Vietnam
-
Indian Subcontinent
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000329320 |
| UNII | 03537T0SLO |
| Tropicos | 27913160 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:768311-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-209870 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 99345 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 714514 |
| IPNI | 768311-1 |
| GBIF | 5338285 |
| EOL | 1108105 |
| CMAUP | NPO17464 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Alkaloids and derivatives / Corynanthean-type alkaloids | |||||
| Hirsutine | 3037884 | Click to see | 368.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Diterpenoids | |||||
| (8S,11bS)-7,11-dihydroxy-3,4,8,11b-tetramethyl-1,2,8,9-tetrahydronaphtho[2,1-f][1]benzofuran-6-one | 11174780 | Click to see CC1COC2=C(C3=C(C(=O)C=C4C3(CCC(=C4C)C)C)C(=C12)O)O | 326.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| [(3S,4aR,6aR,6bS,8aS,12aS,14aR,14bR)-8a-formyl-4,4,6a,6b,11,11,14b-heptamethyl-1,2,3,4a,5,6,7,8,9,10,12,12a,14,14a-tetradecahydropicen-3-yl] acetate | 14829106 | Click to see | 482.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 3-O-Acetyloleanolic Acid | 151202 | Click to see | 498.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Oleanolic Acid | 10494 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives | |||||
| 22-Dehydroclerosterol | 15608667 | Click to see | 410.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Alcohols and polyols / Tertiary alcohols | |||||
| 4-Hydroxy-4-(2-hydroxyethyl)cyclohexan-1-one | 184824 | Click to see | 158.19 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzofurans | |||||
| (3aR,7aS)-Hexahydro-3a-hydroxy-6(2H)-benzofuranone | 10975728 | Click to see | 156.18 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (3aS,4R,7aS)-3a,4-dihydroxy-2,3,4,5,7,7a-hexahydro-1-benzofuran-6-one | 10749706 | Click to see | 172.18 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Cleroindicin E | 11744892 | Click to see | 158.19 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Indolizidines | |||||
| (3R,20S)-19alpha-Methyl-2-oxoformosanan-16-carboxylic acid methyl ester | 98363 | Click to see CC1C2CN3CCC4(C3CC2C(=CO1)C(=O)OC)C5=CC=CC=C5NC4=O | 368.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Corynoxine | 10475115 | Click to see | 384.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Isorhynchophylline | 3037048 | Click to see CCC1CN2CCC3(C2CC1C(=COC)C(=O)OC)C4=CC=CC=C4NC3=O | 384.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| methyl (Z)-2-[(3R,6'S,7'S,8'aS)-6'-ethyl-2-oxospiro[1H-indole-3,1'-3,5,6,7,8,8a-hexahydro-2H-indolizine]-7'-yl]-3-methoxyprop-2-enoate | 53326136 | Click to see | 384.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| methyl (Z)-2-[(6'R,7'S)-6'-ethyl-2-oxospiro[1H-indole-3,1'-3,5,6,7,8,8a-hexahydro-2H-indolizine]-7'-yl]-3-methoxyprop-2-enoate | 5318653 | Click to see | 384.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Uncarine B | 12304286 | Click to see CC1C2CN3CCC4(C3CC2C(=CO1)C(=O)OC)C5=CC=CC=C5NC4=O | 368.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Uncarine F | 12304288 | Click to see | 368.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones | |||||
| Apigenin | 5280443 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O | 270.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Scutellarein | 5281697 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(O2)C=C(C(=C3O)O)O)O | 286.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glucuronides / Flavonoid-7-O-glucuronides | |||||
| beta-D-Glucopyranosiduronic acid, 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5-hydroxy-6-methoxy-4-oxo-4H-1-benzopyran-7-yl | 158227 | Click to see | 492.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Hispidulin 7-glucuronide | 5318059 | Click to see | 476.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Scutellarin | 185617 | Click to see | 462.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 6-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| Hispidulin | 5281628 | Click to see | 300.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Nepetin | 5317284 | Click to see | 316.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Pectolinarigenin | 5320438 | Click to see COC1=CC=C(C=C1)C2=CC(=O)C3=C(O2)C=C(C(=C3O)OC)O | 314.29 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |