Jatropha macrorhiza
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643fdfe5a2963654239808 |
| Scientific name | Jatropha macrorhiza |
| Authority | Benth. |
| First published in | Pl. Hartw. : 8 (1839) |
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.
Among Mexican rural communities in Oaxaca and the Mixtec region, the thickened roots of Jatropha macrorhiza have long been sliced and simmered into decoctions used to “clean” fevers, as an emetic and purgative, and to treat a range of gastrointestinal complaints, according to the useful compendia of Gutiérrez et al., 2007 and Alcorn, 1984. Rural Yucatec Maya healers have likewise boiled root sections to make a strong decoction, recording its use for stomach pain and as a vermifuge; those practices were summarized by Martínez (1959) in his review of medicinal plants of the Yucatán peninsula. In the northern Sierra Tarahumara of Chihuahua, healers occasionally employed macerations of the root as a wash for infections of the skin, while a concentrated decoction might be given to debilitated elders as an “immunomodulator”; those observations are collected in Turner et al., 2015, a study of healing practices in the greater Sonoran desert area. Across these traditions the plant part is consistently the swollen storage root, which yields a milky sap during processing.
To illustrate one documented preparation, the following simple “root decoction” is a practical method that has been recorded as a low‑dose digestive aid: take 3–5 g of freshly sliced Jatropha macrorhiza root, cover with 250 ml water, and bring to a gentle boil; reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes, then allow to steep off the heat for an additional 10–15 minutes before straining (Turner et al., 2015). Because the latex is an irritant and the root contains bioactive phorbol esters, this preparation is considered for external use as a wash or for very small internal doses only; due to its purgative effect, many practitioners recommend it be limited to a single daily dose of about 50 ml and strictly avoided in pregnancy and in children.
The most consistent chemical picture for this species is that its milky latex and root cortex are rich in jatrophone diterpenes and phorbol esters, the same families reported for other members of the genus, along with tannins and a low molecular weight proteolytic activity that early Mexican chemists identified in latex (Jacas, 1930). Those constituents plausibly account for the widely noted topical irritation and counter‑irritant action, as well as the strong purgative effect observed when the decoction is taken internally.
Today the plant remains locally available as a market‑dried root in Mexican herb shops and is still employed by traditional healers in Oaxaca and parts of Chihuahua, while modern research is focused on Jatropha as a biodiesel candidate and on the isolation of jatrophone diterpenes for pharmacological screening; work continues to clarify their biological profiles, especially their irritant and anti‑inflammatory properties.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Jatropha arizonica | I.M.Johnst. | Contr. Gray Herb. 68: 89 (1923) |
| Jatropha macrorhiza var. septemfida | Engelm. | Rep. U.S. Geogr. Surv., Wheeler 6: 243 (1878) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | ragged nettlespurge |
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
-
Northern America click to expand
-
Mexico
- Mexico Northeast
- Mexico Northwest
-
South-central U.S.A.
- New Mexico
- Texas
-
Southwestern U.S.A.
- Arizona
-
Mexico
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000219772 |
| USDA Plants | JAMA |
| Tropicos | 12800216 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30070867-2 |
| The Plant List | kew-104738 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 3914348 |
| Nature Serve | 2.129776 |
| IPNI | 30070867-2 |
| iNaturalist | 164241 |
| GBIF | 3072735 |
| EOL | 1156066 |
| USDA GRIN | 20699 |
| CMAUP | NPO17350 |
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)!
| Title | Authors | Publication | Released | IDs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antitumor agents from Jatropha macrorhiza (Euphorbiaceae) III: acetylaleuritolic acid. | Torrance SJ, Wiedhopf RM, Cole JR | J Pharm Sci | 01-Sep-1977 |
|
||||
| Antitumor agents from Jatropha macrorhiza (Euphorbiaceae) I: isolation and characterization of jatropham. | Wiedhopf RM, Trumbull ER, Cole JR | J Pharm Sci | 01-Jul-1973 |
|
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 / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives | |||||
| Protocatechuic Acid | 72 | Click to see | 154.12 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Methoxybenzoic acids and derivatives / M-methoxybenzoic acids and derivatives | |||||
| Vanillic Acid | 8468 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C(=O)O)O | 168.15 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Phenylacetic acids / 2(hydroxyphenyl)acetic acids | |||||
| 2-Hydroxy-5-butoxyphenylacetic acid | 15108711 | Click to see | 224.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Phenols / Benzenediols / Hydroquinones | |||||
| Butyl 2-(2,5-dihydroxyphenyl)acetate | 44217017 | Click to see CCCCOC(=O)CC1=C(C=CC(=C1)O)O | 224.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Ethyl 2,5-dihydroxyphenylacetate | 297396 | Click to see CCOC(=O)CC1=C(C=CC(=C1)O)O | 196.20 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Methyl 2-(2,5-dihydroxyphenyl)acetate | 13790504 | Click to see | 182.17 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty acyl glycosides / Fatty acyl glycosides of mono- and disaccharides | |||||
| Entadamide-A-beta-D-glucopyranoside | 101616680 | Click to see CSC=CC(=O)NCCOC1C(C(C(C(O1)CO)O)O)O | 323.36 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesterterpenoids / Scalarane sesterterpenoids | |||||
| (4aS,6aR,6bR,8aR,10S,12aR,14aS,14bR)-10-hydroxy-2,2,6b,9,9,12a,14a-heptamethyl-1,3,4,5,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12,13,14,14b-tetradecahydropicene-4a-carboxylic acid | 637268 | Click to see CC1(CCC2(CC=C3C4(CCC5C(C(CCC5(C4CCC3(C2C1)C)C)O)(C)C)C)C(=O)O)C | 456.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/JPS.2600660941 |
| Aleuritolic Acid | 161527 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/JPS.2600660941 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene glycosides / Triterpene glycosides / Triterpene saponins | |||||
| [(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3-[(2S,3R,4R)-4-[[(2S,3R,4R)-3,4-dihydroxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)oxolan-2-yl]oxymethyl]-3,4-dihydroxyoxolan-2-yl]oxy-4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl] (4aR,5S,6R,6aR,6aS,6bR,8aR,10S,12aR,14bS)-10-[(2R,3R,4R,5S,6R)-3-acetamido-6-[[(2S,3R,4S,5S)-3,5-dihydroxy-4-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl]oxymethyl]-4-hydroxy-5-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-5,6-dihydroxy-2,2,6a,6b,9,9,12a-heptamethyl-1,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12,13,14b-tetradecahydropicene-4a-carboxylate | 72737016 | Click to see | 1544.60 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| [(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-6-(acetyloxymethyl)-3-[(2S,3R,4R)-4-[[(2S,3R,4R)-3,4-dihydroxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)oxolan-2-yl]oxymethyl]-3,4-dihydroxyoxolan-2-yl]oxy-4,5-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl] (4aR,5S,6R,6aR,6aS,6bR,8aR,10S,12aR,14bS)-10-[(2R,3R,4R,5S,6R)-3-acetamido-6-[[(2S,3R,4S,5S)-3,5-dihydroxy-4-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl]oxymethyl]-4-hydroxy-5-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-5,6-dihydroxy-2,2,6a,6b,9,9,12a-heptamethyl-1,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12,13,14b-tetradecahydropicene-4a-carboxylate | 72737187 | Click to see | 1586.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| phaseoloideside A | 72736851 | Click to see | 1512.60 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| phaseoloideside B | 72736852 | Click to see | 1412.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| Entagenic acid | 21594206 | Click to see CC1(CCC2(C(C1)C3=CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(C(C2O)O)C)C)(C)C)O)C)C(=O)O)C | 488.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic acids and derivatives / Carboximidic acids and derivatives / Carboximidic acids / Cyclic carboximidic acids | |||||
| (2R)-2-hydroxy-3-methyl-1,2-dihydropyrrol-5-one | 162893056 | Click to see CC1=CC(=O)NC1O | 113.11 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/JPS.2600620736 |
| > Organic nitrogen compounds / Organonitrogen compounds / Amines / Alkanolamines / 1,2-aminoalcohols / N-acylethanolamines | |||||
| Entadamide A | 6439215 | Click to see | 161.22 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Entadamide B | 3035981 | Click to see CSC(CC(=O)NCCO)SC | 209.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / Phenolic glycosides | |||||
| 2-beta-d-Glucopyranosyloxy-5-butoxyphenylacetic acid | 15108713 | Click to see | 386.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| butyl 2-[5-hydroxy-2-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyphenyl]acetate | 102143698 | Click to see CCCCOC(=O)CC1=C(C=CC(=C1)O)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O | 386.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Phaseoloidin | 14104237 | Click to see | 330.29 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Pyrrolines | |||||
| 2-Hydroxy-3-methyl-1,2-dihydropyrrol-5-one | 301260 | Click to see CC1=CC(=O)NC1O | 113.11 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/JPS.2600620736 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Catechins | |||||
| (1R,8S,9R,16R,18S,27S)-9-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,8,16,21,23-pentahydroxy-2,10,17,26-tetraoxaheptacyclo[14.11.1.01,13.03,12.06,11.018,27.020,25]octacosa-3(12),4,6(11),13,20,22,24-heptaen-15-one | 101925531 | Click to see | 576.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Catechin | 9064 | Click to see | 290.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Epicatechin | 72276 | Click to see | 290.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Catechins / Epigallocatechins | |||||
| Epigallocatechin | 72277 | Click to see C1C(C(OC2=CC(=CC(=C21)O)O)C3=CC(=C(C(=C3)O)O)O)O | 306.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Flavanones | |||||
| Naringenin | 439246 | Click to see | 272.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Flavanones / Flavanonols | |||||
| Aromadendrin | 122850 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2C(C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O)O | 288.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Taxifolin | 439533 | Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2C(C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O)O)O | 304.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones | |||||
| 4H-1-Benzopyran-4-one, 2-(3,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy- | 5487757 | Click to see | 286.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 7,4'-Dihydroxyflavone | 5282073 | Click to see | 254.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 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 |
| 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 | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones / Flavonols | |||||
| Galangin | 5281616 | Click to see C1=CC=C(C=C1)C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O | 270.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Isorhamnetin | 5281654 | Click to see | 316.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Quercetin | 5280343 | Click to see | 302.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Rhamnocitrin | 5320946 | Click to see | 300.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-3-O-glycosides | |||||
| Rutin | 5280805 | Click to see | 610.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 7-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| Ayanin | 5280682 | Click to see | 344.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Kaempferol 3,7,4'-trimethyl ether | 5468749 | Click to see COC1=CC=C(C=C1)C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)OC)O)OC | 328.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Linear 1,3-diarylpropanoids / Cinnamylphenols | |||||
| 4,4'-Dihydroxy-2'-methoxychalcone | 5319688 | Click to see | 270.28 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |