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Ziziphora clinopodioides

Table of Contents

Details
Ethnobotanical Use
General Uses
Synonyms
Common Names
Subtypes (subspecies, varieties, subvarieties, forms)
Germination/Propagation
Distribution
Links to other databases
Genome
Scientific Literature
Phytochemical Profile
Gallery
Contributors
Collections

Details Top

Internal ID UUID643ff0f9c310e310544960
Scientific name Ziziphora clinopodioides
Authority Lam.
First published in Tabl. Encycl. 1: 63 (1791)

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.

Among the Uzbek people of the Ferghana Valley, the fragrant aerial parts of Ziziphora clinopodioides are dried and lightly crushed for a stimulating tea and to ease digestive upset, often mixed with sugar (Qasemi, 1978; Aksenov and Polozhiy, 1979). In the Turkmen populations of Turkmenistan and northern Iran, decoctions of the herb have been taken as an internal carminative and as a mild expectorant (Aksenov and Polozhiy, 1979; Ghorbani et al., 2012). In Iran, the aerial parts are infused as a calming tea and also used as a poultice for bruises and insect bites; the same species is a long‑standing culinary flavoring in bread and salads in North‑Western Iran and the Caucasian piedmont (Qasemi, 1978; Ghorbani et al., 2012; Yoshikawa et al., 2022).

A simple medicinal tea can be made by pouring hot water over 3–4 g (about 2–3 tsp) of dried aerial parts, steeping 8–10 minutes, and straining; drink 1–2 cups daily for short periods as needed. A corresponding tincture can be prepared at a 1:5 ratio (dry aerial parts to 45% ethanol) by macerating the herb in ethanol for 7–10 days with occasional shaking; 1–2 ml taken 2–3 times daily for a few days is common in contemporary practice. Safety notes: the strong aromatic oil can irritate the stomach if used in excess; avoid high doses in early pregnancy and discontinue if skin irritation appears from topical use.

The leaf and flowering tops contain substantial essential oils dominated by pulegone, menthone, and isomenthone, together with flavonoids such as luteolin and apigenin, a profile that underpins the plant’s traditional use for colic, digestive discomfort, and mild respiratory congestion (Kovatsis and Kovatsis, 1975–1977; Glaß et al., 1999).

Today, Ziziphora clinopodioides remains a minor commercial herbal product, commonly sold as dried herb for tea in Central Asian bazaars and in specialty Iranian spice shops, with modern studies mainly focusing on its essential oil composition rather than on new therapeutic claims (Yoshikawa et al., 2022; Ghorbani et al., 2012).

General Uses Top

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Scientific and model use:
Ziziphora clinopodioides is used as a non-model research organism in essential-oil chemistry and molecular systematics. Its aerial parts yield a richly terpene-rich essential oil, with major constituents such as pulegone, menthone, and carvone depending on chemotype, enabling quantitative studies of monoterpene profiles by GC–MS and chemotype characterization. The species has been employed to investigate chemo-variation across geography and populations, and as a comparative taxon in phylogenetic studies of Lamiaceae using standard molecular markers (e.g., ITS, trnL–F) and modern approaches (e.g., SSR, AFLP, DNA barcoding). Extractions of the species are included in lab teaching collections for GC–MS demonstrations and chemotaxonomy exercises. Well-documented community resources include GBIF occurrence records and NCBI nucleotide data for sequence-based analyses, with curated datasets available for comparative metabolomics and phylogenetics.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
Its essential oil components, notably pulegone, menthone, and carvone, give the herb a sharp, mint-like odor profile typical of monoterpene-rich Lamiaceae oils. No non-medicinal commercial fragrance use is documented; the species is not registered in IFRA or RIFM industry fragrance databases. Analytical standards and authentic chemical references (e.g., pulegone, menthone, carvone) are available from suppliers such as Sigma-Aldrich for calibrations used in quality assessment and forensic differentiation from related Lamiaceae oils.

Properties relevant to use:
The essential oil is dominated by monoterpenes, with pulegone, menthone, and carvone as characteristic markers. GC–MS quantified the oil’s composition and revealed intra-specific chemotypes that enable population-level comparative studies. These chemotype differences are used as proxies for population structure and ecological adaptation in research contexts. The plant is not documented to produce bast fiber, gum, tannin, or seed oil suitable for industrial applications.

Standards and regulation:
In scientific applications, analyses adhere to standard GC–MS protocols and use authenticated reference compounds with known provenance. In fragrance and flavor use, industry practice would involve compliance with IFRA standards; however, no non-medicinal commercial use of Ziziphora clinopodioides is documented.

Sustainability and sourcing:
Natural populations occur across parts of Central and Eastern Asia, including Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Xinjiang region of China. No established harvesting, cultivation, or conservation regulations are documented for a non-medicinal use pathway. Research samples are typically sourced through herbarium institutions and academic networks rather than commercial supply chains.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name Authority First published in
Ziziphora acinoides Pall. Reise Russ. Reich. 3: 362 (1776)
Ziziphora serpyllacea M.Bieb. Fl. Taur.-Caucas. 1: 18. 1808

Common names Top

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Language Common/alternative name
Arabic زيزفورة رمادية
Kazakh Иісті көкемарал
Russian Зизифора клиноподиевидная
Russian Зизифора пахучковидная
Chinese 小叶薄荷
Chinese 唇香草
Chinese 芳香新塔花
Chinese 风轮新塔花
Chinese 風輪新塔花

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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Name Authority First published in
Ziziphora clinopodioides subsp. afghanica (Rech.f.) Rech.f. Fl. Iranica 150: 488 (1982)
Ziziphora clinopodioides subsp. bungeana (Juz.) Rech.f. Fl. Iranica 150: 487 (1982)
Ziziphora clinopodioides subsp. clinopodioides Unknown
Ziziphora clinopodioides subsp. elbursensis (Rech.f.) Rech.f. Fl. Iranica 150: 487 (1982)
Ziziphora clinopodioides subsp. filicaulis (Rech.f.) Rech.f. Fl. Iranica 150: 486 (1982)
Ziziphora clinopodioides subsp. kurdica (Rech.f.) Rech.f. Fl. Iranica 150: 487 (1982)
Ziziphora clinopodioides subsp. pseudodasyantha (Rech.f.) Rech.f. Fl. Iranica 150: 485 (1982)
Ziziphora clinopodioides subsp. rigida (Boiss.) Rech.f. Fl. Iranica 150: 483 (1982)
Ziziphora clinopodioides subsp. ronnigeri (Nábělek) Rech.f. Fl. Iranica 150: 485 (1982)
Ziziphora clinopodioides subsp. szowitsii (Rech.f.) Rech.f. Fl. Iranica 150: 484 (1982)

Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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No variety added yet.

Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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No subvariety added yet.

Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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No forms added yet.

Germination/Propagation Top

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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
  • Asia-temperate
    • Caucasus
      • North Caucasus
      • Transcaucasus
    • China
      • Xinjiang
    • Middle Asia
      • Kazakhstan
      • Kirgizstan
      • Tadzhikistan
      • Turkmenistan
      • Uzbekistan
    • Mongolia
      • Mongolia
    • Siberia
      • Altay
      • Krasnoyarsk
      • Tuva
      • West Siberia
    • Western Asia
      • Afghanistan
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Lebanon-Syria
      • Turkey
  • Europe
    • Eastern Europe
      • South European Russia
    • Southeastern Europe
      • Bulgaria

Links to other databases Top

Suggest others/fix!
Database ID/link to page
World Flora Online wfo-0000335469
Tropicos 17604822
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:461978-1
The Plant List kew-215839
Open Tree Of Life 878548
Observations.org 123609
NCBI Taxonomy 751879
NBN Atlas NBNSYS0200003854
IPNI 461978-1
iNaturalist 507596
GBIF 7308799
Elurikkus 586481
USDA GRIN 42271

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)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Title Authors Publication Released IDs
Balancing Freshness and Sustainability: Charting a Course for Meat Industry Innovation and Consumer Acceptance Spada E, De Cianni R, Di Vita G, Mancuso T Foods 02-Apr-2024
PMCID:PMC11011882
doi:10.3390/foods13071092
PMID:38611396
Chemical characterization and effect of Ziziphora clinopodioides green‐synthesized silver nanoparticles on cytotoxicity, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities in streptozotocin‐induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar diabetic male rats Pirabbasi E, Zangeneh MM, Zangeneh A, Moradi R, Kalantar M Food Sci Nutr 28-Mar-2024
PMCID:PMC11077192
doi:10.1002/fsn3.4008
PMID:38726408
In vitro antimicrobial and antibiofilm screening of eighteen Iranian medicinal plants Hamidi M, Toosi AM, Javadi B, Asili J, Soheili V, Shakeri A BMC Complement Med Ther 28-Mar-2024
PMCID:PMC10976835
doi:10.1186/s12906-024-04437-x
PMID:38549139
Disclosing the Functional Potency of Three Oxygenated Monoterpenes in Combating Microbial Pathogenesis: From Targeting Virulence Factors to Chicken Meat Preservation Akermi S, Chaari M, Elhadef K, Fourati M, Chakchouk Mtibaa A, Agriopoulou S, Smaoui S, Mellouli L Foods 21-Mar-2024
PMCID:PMC10970324
doi:10.3390/foods13060965
PMID:38540955
A review on bio-based polymer polylactic acid potential on sustainable food packaging Rajendran DS, Venkataraman S, Jha SK, Chakrabarty D, Kumar VV Food Sci Biotechnol 12-Mar-2024
PMCID:PMC11091039
doi:10.1007/s10068-024-01543-x
PMID:38752115
Enhancing the lipid stability of foods of animal origin using edible packaging systems Bhat ZF, Bhat HF, Manzoor M, Abdi G, Aadil RM, Hassoun A, Aït-Kaddour A Food Chem X 14-Feb-2024
PMCID:PMC10879673
doi:10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101185
PMID:38384687
Bioactive Components, Applications, Extractions, and Health Benefits of Winery By-Products from a Circular Bioeconomy Perspective: A Review Constantin OE, Stoica F, Rațu RN, Stănciuc N, Bahrim GE, Râpeanu G Antioxidants (Basel) 14-Jan-2024
PMCID:PMC10812587
doi:10.3390/antiox13010100
PMID:38247524
Nanotechnology in leukemia: diagnosis, efficient-targeted drug delivery, and clinical trials Salama MM, Aborehab NM, El Mahdy NM, Zayed A, Ezzat SM Eur J Med Res 05-Dec-2023
PMCID:PMC10696888
doi:10.1186/s40001-023-01539-z
PMID:38053150
Ethnobotanical, Phytochemical, and Pharmacological Properties of the Subfamily Nepetoideae (Lamiaceae) in Inflammatory Diseases Ortiz-Mendoza N, Martínez-Gordillo MJ, Martínez-Ambriz E, Basurto-Peña FA, González-Trujano ME, Aguirre-Hernández E Plants (Basel) 02-Nov-2023
PMCID:PMC10648697
doi:10.3390/plants12213752
PMID:37960108
The significance of essential oils and their antifungal properties in the food industry: A systematic review Abdi-Moghadam Z, Mazaheri Y, Rezagholizade-shirvan A, Mahmoudzadeh M, Sarafraz M, Mohtashami M, Shokri S, Ghasemi A, Nickfar F, Darroudi M, Hossieni H, Hadian Z, Shamloo E, Rezaei Z Heliyon 29-Oct-2023
PMCID:PMC10637975
doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21386
PMID:37954273
Essential Oils and Their Combination with Lactic Acid Bacteria and Bacteriocins to Improve the Safety and Shelf Life of Foods: A Review Bukvicki D, D’Alessandro M, Rossi S, Siroli L, Gottardi D, Braschi G, Patrignani F, Lanciotti R Foods 01-Sep-2023
PMCID:PMC10486891
doi:10.3390/foods12173288
PMID:37685221
Mediterranean Plants as Potential Source of Biopesticides: An Overview of Current Research and Future Trends Fragkouli R, Antonopoulou M, Asimakis E, Spyrou A, Kosma C, Zotos A, Tsiamis G, Patakas A, Triantafyllidis V Metabolites 22-Aug-2023
PMCID:PMC10535963
doi:10.3390/metabo13090967
PMID:37755247
The chemical profiling of Salvia plebeia during different growth periods and the biosynthesis of its main flavonoids ingredients Dai Y, Ye Z, Liu H, Zhu R, Sun L, Li S, Xie G, Zhu Y, Zhao Y, Qin M Front Plant Sci 14-Aug-2023
PMCID:PMC10461478
doi:10.3389/fpls.2023.1228356
PMID:37645462
Development of a microencapsulated probiotic delivery system with whey, xanthan, and pectin Bordini FW, Rosolen MD, da Luz GD, Pohndorf RS, de Oliveira PD, Conceição FR, Fiorentini ÂM, da Silva WP, Pieniz S Braz J Microbiol 11-Jul-2023
PMCID:PMC10484871
doi:10.1007/s42770-023-01041-y
PMID:37434082
Eco-Efficient Systems Based on Nanocarriers for the Controlled Release of Fertilizers and Pesticides: Toward Smart Agriculture Fincheira P, Hoffmann N, Tortella G, Ruiz A, Cornejo P, Diez MC, Seabra AB, Benavides-Mendoza A, Rubilar O Nanomaterials (Basel) 29-Jun-2023
PMCID:PMC10343595
doi:10.3390/nano13131978
PMID:37446494

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 / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives / Gallic acid and derivatives
Methyl Syringate 70164 Click to see 212.20 unknown https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00629776
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty acyl glycosides / Fatty acyl glycosides of mono- and disaccharides
2-Hex-3-enoxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol 73981610 Click to see CCC=CCCOC1C(C(C(C(O1)CO)O)O)O 262.30 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
3-Hexenyl-beta-glucopyranoside 5318046 Click to see 262.30 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene glycosides
(2S,5R)-5-methyl-2-[(2S)-1-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxypropan-2-yl]cyclohexan-1-one 162889170 Click to see 332.39 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
(2S,5R)-5-methyl-2-[(E)-1-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyprop-1-en-2-yl]cyclohexan-1-one 57345671 Click to see CC1CCC(C(=O)C1)C(=COC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O)C 330.37 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
cis-(2R,5R)-5-methyl-2-[(E)-1-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyprop-1-en-2-yl]cyclohexan-1-one 56971213 Click to see 330.37 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
cis-(2R,5R)-5-methyl-2-[1-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyprop-1-en-2-yl]cyclohexan-1-one 162882518 Click to see 330.37 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
trans-(2S,5R)-5-methyl-2-[1-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyprop-1-en-2-yl]cyclohexan-1-one 162882521 Click to see 330.37 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids
(+)-Ursolic Acid 64945 Click to see 456.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
(1S,2R,4aS,6aR,6aS,6bR,8aR,10S,12aR)-10-hydroxy-1,2,6a,6b,9,9,12a-heptamethyl-2,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12,13,14b-tetradecahydro-1H-picene-4a-carboxylic acid 6918472 Click to see 456.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00574356
2,3-Dihydroxy-12-oleanen-28-oic acid 3694932 Click to see 472.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
3-Hydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid 619166 Click to see 456.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
Maslinic Acid 73659 Click to see 472.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
Oleanolic Acid 10494 Click to see 456.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
Urs-12-en-28-oic acid, 3-hydroxy-, (3beta)- 220774 Click to see 456.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00574356
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds
(2E,5R)-5-methyl-2-[1-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxypropan-2-ylidene]cyclohexan-1-one 163189403 Click to see 330.37 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
(5R)-5-methyl-2-[1-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxypropan-2-ylidene]cyclohexan-1-one 162859269 Click to see 330.37 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
(5R)-5-methyl-2-[2-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxypropan-2-yl]cyclohex-2-en-1-one 56971212 Click to see 330.37 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
2-(Hydroxymethyl)-6-phenylmethoxyoxane-3,4,5-triol 4984739 Click to see 270.28 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
2-phenylethyl beta-D-glucopyranoside 468284 Click to see 284.30 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
Benzyl beta-d-glucopyranoside 188977 Click to see 270.28 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
Phenylethyl beta-D-glucopyranoside 11289099 Click to see C1=CC=C(C=C1)CCOC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O 284.30 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / Phenolic glycosides
4-Acetylphenyl hexopyranoside 539591 Click to see 298.29 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
Picein 92123 Click to see 298.29 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbonyl compounds / Phenylketones / Alkyl-phenylketones
4'-Hydroxyacetophenone 7469 Click to see 136.15 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/J.FITOTE.2011.11.023
Acetovanillone 2214 Click to see 166.17 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/J.FITOTE.2011.11.023
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives / Coumaric acids and derivatives
Ethyl 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)prop-2-enoate 66883 Click to see 208.21 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
Ethyl Caffeate 5317238 Click to see 208.21 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids
3-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)Prop-2-Enoic Acid 2518 Click to see 180.16 unknown https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00598551
3-(4-Hydroxy-3-Methoxyphenyl)Prop-2-Enoic Acid 709 Click to see 194.18 unknown https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00598551
Caffeic Acid 689043 Click to see 180.16 unknown https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00629776
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00598551
Ferulic Acid 445858 Click to see 194.18 unknown https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00598551
> 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 https://doi.org/10.1016/J.FITOTE.2011.11.023
https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
Chrysin 5281607 Click to see 254.24 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/J.FITOTE.2011.11.023
Luteolin 5280445 Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O)O 286.24 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00629776
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 4-O-methylated flavonoids
Acacetin 5280442 Click to see 284.26 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/J.FITOTE.2011.11.023
Diosmetin 5281612 Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O 300.26 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.60.397
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 8-O-methylated flavonoids
4',5-Dihydroxy-3',6,7,8-tetramethoxyflavone 181092 Click to see 374.30 unknown https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00629776
Thymonin 442662 Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C(=C(C(=C3O2)OC)OC)O)O)O 360.30 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/J.FITOTE.2011.11.023
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00629776

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