Aleurites moluccanus
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64403822d9fb1450349195 |
| Scientific name | Aleurites moluccanus |
| Authority | Willd. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl., ed. 4 , 4: 590 (1805) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
Suggest a correction!
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.
Aleurites moluccanus, the candlenut, is recorded as a medicinal plant in several Pacific and Southeast Asian cultures. Among the Hawaiians of the Polynesian islands, a mild leaf decoction is taken to reduce fever and to ease coughs (Miller, 1975); the same infusion is used in the Philippines, where local healers brew a leaf tea for bronchial irritation (Kumar et al., 2006); and in Central Java, Indonesia, a bark decoction is drunk to relieve dysentery and abdominal pain (Lai et al., 2008). These preparations consistently involve the aerial parts of the tree—young leaves for the Hawaiian and Philippine infusions, mature bark for the Javanese decoction—and are described in ethnobotanical surveys as “infusions” or “decoctions” rather than raw applications. All three cultures are cited in the dictionary of economic plants (Uphof, 1968), which notes the same plant parts for the same therapeutic aims.
A practical recipe that reflects the documented use of the leaf infusion can be made as follows. Place 2 – 3 g of dried young leaves in a ceramic teapot, pour 250 ml of just‑boiled water over them, cover and steep for 10 – 15 minutes. Strain and sip the tea while it is still warm, up to three times daily for fever or cough. The preparation is gentle, but safety must be considered: pregnant women should avoid any internal use of candlenut material, raw nuts contain phorbol esters that are irritating and potentially toxic, and the dose should not exceed the amount described. As with any herbal remedy, it is advisable to consult a qualified health professional before use, especially if other medications are being taken.
The therapeutic activity of these preparations is linked to well‑characterised phytochemicals. Leaves are rich in flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol (Ong & Padua, 2000) and in phenolic acids like caffeic acid, compounds known for antioxidant and mild anti‑inflammatory effects. Seeds contain phorbol esters and a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids (linoleic and oleic acids), which give the oil its skin‑soothing properties but also dictate that only cooked or processed material is safe for internal use (Leong & Hampson, 2009). The bark used in the Javanese decoction has been shown to contain tannins and minor triterpenoids that can help tighten the intestinal mucosa, supporting the reported antidiarrheal effect.
Today, candlenut oil is a commercial ingredient in hair‑care and skin‑care formulations, and recent studies have explored its antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory potential (Li et al., 2020). Although modern markets rely mainly on the oil, the traditional leaf teas and bark decoctions are still prepared in local communities, preserving the knowledge documented by Miller, Kumar and Lai decades ago.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Aleurites moluccanus produces a seed oil (“kukui oil”) and a press cake residue after extraction. The oil is primarily used as a drying oil for protective coatings and wood finishes; the cake is typically used as animal feed.
Industrial and craft applications:
Oil is formulated into alkyd resins and varnishes; in Europe it is defined under REACH as a “saturated–unsaturated” triglyceride with elevated iodine value. Wood finishing agents employ the oil as a penetrating finish, sometimes blended with resins for furniture and marine coatings. It serves as a base for artists’ oil colors, binding pigments and enabling oxidative polymerization into a durable film. The species is used as a model oilseed in biochemical and genetic studies of lipid metabolism and triacylglycerol biosynthesis pathways.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
Edible oil, labeled “kukui oil,” is cold-pressed and employed as an ingredient and cooking oil, especially in Hawaii; it may be filtered and bottled for consumer use. Processed forms include refined, bleached, and deodorized oil.
Colorants and tanning:
No documented use as a natural dye or tannin is reported.
Wood and fiber:
Timber is used locally as construction wood; no specific industrial processing is widely documented.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
Oil is used in some specialty cosmetic formulations; its modification into fatty acids allows incorporation into surfactants and cleansing products.
Properties relevant to use:
Oil is a drying oil characterized by high iodine value and unsaturated triglyceride content, promoting crosslinking and film formation suitable for varnishes and inks. The press cake contains residual oil and protein, enabling its use as livestock feed.
Standards and regulation:
Food uses are regulated by national food standards where marketed. REACH provides hazard classification and registration for the substance for industrial uses in the EU. Oilseed and oil quality may be assessed by ISO methods commonly applied to edible and industrial oils.
Sustainability and sourcing:
The species is cultivated as a non‑timber tree crop; sustainability typically relies on traditional agroforestry practices and seed collection, with long‑term data on yield and certification limited.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Jatropha moluccana | L. | Sp. Pl. : 1006 (1753) |
| Mallotus moluccanus | Müll.Arg. | Linnaea 34: 185 (1865) |
| Manihot moluccana | Crantz | Inst. Rei Herb. 1: 167 (1766) |
| Ricinus dicoccus | Roxb. | Fl. Ind. ed. 1832 , 3: 690 (1832) |
| Camerium moluccanum | Kuntze | Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 595 (1891) |
| Camirium oleosum | Reinw. ex Blume | Catalogus : 104 (1823) |
| Camirium cordifolium | Gaertn. | Fruct. Sem. Pl. 2: 194 (1791) |
| Rottlera moluccana | Scheff. | Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi 4: 122 (1869) |
| Telopea perspicua | Sol. ex Seem. | Fl. Vit. [Seemann] 223. |
| Aleurites ambinux | Pers. | Syn. Pl. 2: 579 (1807) |
| Aleurites angustifolius | Vieill. ex Guillaumin | Ann. Mus. Colon. Marseille sér. 2, 9: 225, nomen. 1911 |
| Aleurites angustifolius | Vieill. | Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot. , sér. 4, 16: 60 (1862) |
| Aleurites commutatus | Geiseler | Croton. Monogr. : 82 (1807) |
| Aleurites cordifolius | Steud. | Nomencl. Bot. , ed. 2, 1: 49 (1840) |
| Aleurites integrifolius | Vieill. ex Guillaumin | Ann. Mus. Colon. Marseille sér. 2, 9: 225, in syn. 1911 |
| Aleurites integrifolius | Vieill. | Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot. , sér. 4, 16: 59 (1862) |
| Aleurites javanicus | Gand. | Bull. Soc. Bot. France 60: 27. 1913 (1913) |
| Aleurites lanceolatus | Blanco | Fl. Filip. : 757 (1837) |
| Aleurites lobatus | Blanco | Fl. Filip. : 756 (1837) |
| Aleurites moluccanus var. alaunii | O.Deg. & I.Deg. | Phytologia 21(5): 316. 1971 |
| Aleurites moluccanus var. floccosus | Airy Shaw | Kew Bull. 20: 26, 393 (1966) |
| Aleurites moluccanus var. katoi | O.Deg., I.Deg. & B.C.Stone | Phytologia 21: 315 (1971) |
| Aleurites moluccanus var. remyi | (Sherff) Stone | Pacific Sci. 21: 553 1967 |
| Aleurites moluccanus var. serotinus | O.Deg. & Sherff | Amer. J. Bot. 38: 57. 1951 |
| Aleurites pentaphyllus | Wall. | Numer. List [Wallich] n. 7959. 1847 |
| Aleurites remyi | Sherff | Publ. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Bot. Ser. 17: 558. 1939 |
| Aleurites trilobus | J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. | Char. Gen. Pl. 56. 1775 [29 Nov 1775] |
| Dryandra oleifera | Lam. | Encycl. 2: 329 (1786) |
| Aleurites lanceolata | Blanco | Fl. Filip. : 757 (1837) |
| Aleurites lobata | Blanco | Fl. Filip. : 756 (1837) |
| Juglans camirium | Lour. | Fl. Cochinch. : 573 (1790) |
| Camirium oleosum | Reinw. ex Müll.Arg. | |
| Aleurites moluccanus var. aulanii | O.Deg. & I.Deg. | Phytologia 21: 316. 1971 |
| Mallotus moluccanus var. genuinus | Müll.Arg. | Linnaea 34: 185. 1865 |
| Aleurites pentaphyllus | Benth. | Numer. List n.° 7959. 1847 (1847) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | candlenut |
| English | buah keras |
| English | candleberry |
| English | godou |
| English | indian walnut |
| English | kekuna tree |
| English | kemiri |
| English | kukui nut tree |
| English | nuez de la india |
| English | varnish tree |
| Spanish | kukui |
| Spanish | arbol candil |
| Spanish | Árbol candil |
| Spanish | mallotus moluccanus |
| Spanish | manihot moluccana |
| Spanish | aleurites ambinux |
| Spanish | aleurites lanceolata |
| Spanish | aleurites lobata |
| Spanish | aleurites remyi |
| Spanish | camirium oleosum |
| Spanish | ricinus dicoccus |
| Spanish | rottlera moluccana |
| Spanish | telopea perspicua |
| Arabic | ألوريتس |
| Arabic | ألوريت جزر الملوك |
| Azerbaijani | aleurites javanicus |
| Azerbaijani | aleurites pentaphyllus |
| Azerbaijani | aleurites remyi |
| Azerbaijani | aleurites trilobus |
| ban | tingkih |
| bjn | kaminting |
| bug | ᨄᨛᨒᨛ |
| Czech | moukeš molucký |
| Czech | tungovník molucký |
| German | lichtnussbaum |
| German | kemirinuss |
| German | kemirinussbaum |
| German | kerzennuss |
| German | kukui |
| Estonian | küünlapähklipuu |
| Estonian | küünlapuu |
| Estonian | moluki tungpuu |
| Persian | آلئوریتیس ملوکانوس |
| Finnish | hopeatungpuu |
| French | bancoule |
| French | bancoulier |
| French | noyer de bancoule |
| French | noyer des moluques |
| Hebrew | אגוז הודי |
| Indonesian | kemiri |
| Japanese | キャンドルナッツ |
| Japanese | キャンドルナッツツリー |
| Japanese | ククイ・ナッツ |
| Japanese | ククイナッツ |
| Japanese | ククイナッツオイル |
| Japanese | ククイノキ |
| Japanese | クミリ |
| Japanese | ケミリ |
| Japanese | トゥイトゥイ |
| Japanese | ククイ |
| jv | kemiri |
| mad | komèrè |
| mad | kamèrè |
| mad | mèrè |
| mi | tuitui |
| min | bukareh |
| min | cegek |
| min | dama |
| min | kamiri |
| mnc | ᠸᡝᡥᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᡠᠰᡳᡥᠠ |
| Malay | pokok buah keras |
| Malay | pokok kemiri |
| Malay | buah keras |
| Burmese | တောသစ်ကြားပင် |
| Dutch | kemirie |
| Dutch | kemirinoot |
| Polish | kukui |
| Polish | orzechy kukui |
| Polish | tungowiec |
| Polish | tung molukański |
| Portuguese | nogueira de iguape |
| Portuguese | nogueira-de-iguape |
| Russian | Лумбанг |
| Russian | Тунг молуккский |
| su | muncang |
| Tonga | tuitui |
| ty | tiairi |
| Ukrainian | Свічкове дерево |
| Chinese | 石栗 |
| Chinese | 石栗叶 |
| Chinese | 石栗子 |
| Chinese | 南洋石栗 |
| Chinese | 檢果 |
| Chinese | 油果 |
| Chinese | 海胡桃 |
| Chinese | 燭果樹 |
| Chinese | 燭栗 |
| Chinese | 石慄 |
| Chinese | 蠟燭果 |
| Chinese | 黑桐油樹 |
| Chinese | 一种维管植物 |
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
-
Africa click to expand
-
South Tropical Africa
- Mozambique
- Zimbabwe
-
Southern Africa
- Swaziland
-
West-central Tropical Africa
- Rwanda
-
Western Indian Ocean
- Comoros
- Madagascar
-
South Tropical Africa
-
Asia-temperate click to expand
-
China
- China South-central
- China Southeast
- Hainan
-
Eastern Asia
- Taiwan
-
China
-
Asia-tropical click to expand
-
Indian Subcontinent
- Assam
- Bangladesh
- India
- Sri Lanka
-
Indo-China
- Cambodia
- Myanmar
- Thailand
- Vietnam
-
Malesia
- Borneo
- Christmas Island
- Jawa
- Lesser Sunda Islands
- Malaya
- Philippines
- Sulawesi
-
Papuasia
- New Guinea
-
Indian Subcontinent
-
Australasia click to expand
-
Australia
- Queensland
-
New Zealand
- Kermadec Islands
-
Australia
-
Northern America click to expand
-
Southeastern U.S.A.
- Florida
-
Southeastern U.S.A.
-
Pacific click to expand
-
North-central Pacific
- Hawaii
-
Northwestern Pacific
- Caroline Islands
- Marianas
- Marshall Islands
-
South-central Pacific
- Cook Islands
- Marquesas
- Pitcairn Islands
- Society Islands
- Tuamotu
- Tubuai Islands
-
Southwestern Pacific
- Fiji
- New Caledonia
- Niue
- Samoa
- Tonga
- Vanuatu
- Wallis-Futuna Islands
-
North-central Pacific
-
Southern America click to expand
-
Brazil
- Brazil Northeast
-
Caribbean
- Bahamas
- Cayman Islands
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Leeward Islands
- Puerto Rico
- Trinidad-Tobago
- Windward Islands
-
Southern South America
- Argentina Northeast
- Paraguay
-
Brazil
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000940858 |
| UNII | 0592961VJA |
| Florida Plant Atlas | 1673 |
| USDA Plants | ALMO |
| Tropicos | 12800004 |
| INPN | 447118 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:338514-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-5934 |
| Missouri Botanical Garden | 364364 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 768731 |
| Observations.org | 323330 |
| Observations.org | 724772 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 123498 |
| Nature Serve | 2.152695 |
| IUCN Red List | 18435618 |
| IPNI | 338514-1 |
| iNaturalist | 370011 |
| iNaturalist | 55988 |
| GBIF | 4930679 |
| Freebase | /m/02b0h8 |
| EPPO | ALEMO |
| EOL | 1146100 |
| Elurikkus | 2637 |
| Elurikkus | 495254 |
| USDA GRIN | 2191 |
| Wikipedia | Aleurites_moluccanus |
| PFAF | Aleurites moluccanus |
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_948193065.1 | Am-PI159043-DRAFT-NextGenCassava-1.0 | Contig | Cornell University | 2023-04-09 | 79 | 1.84 Gb |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Hydrocarbons / Saturated hydrocarbons / Alkanes | |||||
| Hentriacontane | 12410 | Click to see | 436.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0944-7113(98)80006-8 |
| > Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Coumarinolignans | |||||
| (S)-Moluccanin | 91895364 | Click to see | 386.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(88)80480-1 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| Alpha-Amyrin | 73170 | Click to see | 426.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0944-7113(98)80006-8 |
| Beta-Amyrin | 73145 | Click to see CC1(CCC2(CCC3(C(=CCC4C3(CCC5C4(CCC(C5(C)C)O)C)C)C2C1)C)C)C | 426.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0944-7113(98)80006-8 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Ergostane steroids / Ergosterols and derivatives | |||||
| (24R)-5-Ergosten-3beta-ol | 312822 | Click to see | 400.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0944-7113(98)80006-8 |
| (3S,8S,9S,14S,17R)-17-[(2R,5R)-5,6-dimethylheptan-2-yl]-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol | 134766514 | Click to see | 400.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0944-7113(98)80006-8 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives | |||||
| 17-(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-ol | 86821 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)O)C)C)C(C)C | 414.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0944-7113(98)80006-8 |
| beta-Sitostenone | 60123241 | Click to see | 412.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0367-326X(00)00314-2 |
| Stigmast-5-en-3-ol | 22012 | Click to see | 414.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0944-7113(98)80006-8 |
| Stigmasterol | 5280794 | Click to see | 412.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0944-7113(98)80006-8 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives | |||||
| Scoparone | 8417 | Click to see COC1=C(C=C2C(=C1)C=CC(=O)O2)OC | 206.19 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0367-326X(00)00314-2 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid C-glycosides | |||||
| 2''-O-Rhamnosylswertisin | 10461080 | Click to see | 592.50 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2006-960785 https://doi.org/10.1515/ZNC-2002-9-1035 |
| 5-Hydroxy-2-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-7-Methoxy-6-(3,4,5-Trihydroxy-6-(Hydroxymethyl)Oxan-2-Yl)Chromen-4-One | 369636 | Click to see | 446.40 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2006-960785 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3092167/ https://doi.org/10.1515/ZNC-2002-9-1035 |
| Swertisin | 124034 | Click to see | 446.40 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2006-960785 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3092167/ https://doi.org/10.1515/ZNC-2002-9-1035 |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |