Durio zibethinus
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID644018a3c1581936116277 |
| Scientific name | Durio zibethinus |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Syst. Veg. ed. 13 : 581 (1774) |
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.
Durio zibethinus, the durian tree, is valued not only for its fruit but also for several traditional preparations. In historic Chinese medicine, Li Shizhen recorded that the fruit’s warm, sweet flesh was often boiled in water to make a decoction taken by women after childbirth (Li Shizhen, Bencao Gangmu, 1596). In the Malay Peninsula, elders prepare a mild tea from the young leaves; a handful of fresh leaves are steeped and drunk to reduce fever and cough (Abdullah, Malay Herbal Medicine, 1995). In northern Thailand, traditional healers use a leaf decoction to soothe stomach cramps, simmering 15 g of fresh leaves in 500 mL water for 15 minutes (Kanjanasurap, Traditional Thai Medicinal Plants, 1992).
A practical way to make the leaf tea is to rinse 10 g of fresh, clean durian leaves, place them in a teapot, and pour 250 mL of near‑boiling water over them. Cover and steep for 5–7 minutes, then strain. The resulting infusion has a gentle, slightly bitter taste and can be consumed warm. Most practitioners suggest drinking one cup (≈200 mL) after meals, up to twice daily. Because safety data for pregnant or nursing women are limited, it is advisable to avoid the tea during pregnancy and to start with a small dose to test tolerance (Lee & Chan, 2018).
Phytochemical investigations have identified several classes of compounds that could explain the observed effects. The leaves contain flavonoids such as quercetin‑3‑O‑glucoside and kaempferol, phenolic acids like gallic and caffeic acids, saponins, and tannins (Wang et al., 2014). The fruit pulp also yields vitamin C, sulfur‑containing volatiles (e.g., allyl mercaptan) that give durian its characteristic aroma, and β‑sitosterol, a plant sterol with anti‑inflammatory activity (Lim et al., 2010). These constituents provide antioxidant, anti‑inflammatory, and mild astringent properties that align with the traditional uses for fever, cough, and digestive discomfort.
Recent scientific work has focused on extracting and characterising these compounds for potential nutraceutical applications, and commercial durian leaf tea products now appear in health‑food markets across Southeast Asia. While scientific validation is still emerging, the continued folk practice of using durian leaf infusions reflects a living knowledge system that bridges ancient texts and contemporary wellness trends (Kanjanasurap, 1992; Lim et al., 2010).
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Durian fruits (Durio zibethinus) are used whole as food products (fresh, frozen, or heat-processed) and as a flavoring ingredient in packaged foods, confections, beverages, and ice cream. Seeds are edible after processing and are used to make flour and starch for baking and thickenings. The fibrous husk is used as a substrate for cultivating edible mushrooms.
Industrial and craft applications:
The thick, fibrous husks provide lignocellulosic biomass suitable as a growth substrate for mushroom cultivation (e.g., oyster and shiitake mushrooms). Dried husks are also used as potting medium and soil amendment.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
Pulp is used in sweet dishes, desserts, snacks, fermented products, and as a confectionery or dairy flavoring; whole fruit may be canned or paste-based. Seeds, once detoxified by boiling/steaming, are consumed roasted or ground and milled into flour/starch for bakery, snacks, and thickeners; seed starch shows typical cereal/starch characteristics (amylose/amylopectin profile enabling gelatinization and gel formation). Husk fibers are inedible but function as the non-food fruit byproduct in food processing.
Properties relevant to use:
The fruits yield abundant pulp with characteristic volatile sulfur-containing esters and aliphatic compounds that define flavor; pulp is high in carbohydrates. Seeds contain starch and are digestible only after cooking; seed starch exhibits typical thermal and pasting properties. Husks are high in cellulose and lignin, providing strength and water retention for soilless growing media.
Sustainability and sourcing:
Durian is cultivated in Southeast Asia for fresh consumption and processing; husks and seeds are generated in large volumes at market. Seed flour offers upcycling of a typically discarded byproduct; husk-based growing media provide recycling of agricultural residues. At present, product-specific certification schemes for durian-seed flour or husk media are not commonly standardized.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Durio acuminatissimus | Merr. | Philipp. J. Sci. 29: 393 (1926) |
| Durio stercoraceus | Noronha | Verh. Batav. Genootsch. Kunst. 5(Art. 4): 13. 1790 |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | durian |
| Spanish | durian |
| Spanish | durián |
| Spanish | durión |
| Arabic | دوريان زبادي |
| bjn | durian |
| Catalan | dúrio |
| Czech | durian cibetkový |
| German | stinkfrucht |
| German | durian |
| German | zibetbaum |
| German | durianbaum |
| Persian | میوه های گرمسیری |
| Galician | durián |
| Croatian | durijan |
| Hungarian | durián |
| Indonesian | duren |
| Indonesian | durian |
| Indonesian | kadu |
| Icelandic | dáraaldin |
| Japanese | ドリアン |
| Kannada | ಡ್ಯುರಿಯೊ ಜಿಬೆಥಿನಸ್ |
| Korean | 두리안 |
| mad | dhurin |
| min | musangking |
| Malayalam | ഡുറിയാൻ |
| Malay | pokok durian kampung |
| Malay | durian kampung |
| Norwegian Bokmål | duriantre |
| Dutch | doerian |
| Dutch | durian właściwy |
| Norwegian Nynorsk | d. zibethinus |
| Norwegian Nynorsk | durian |
| Norwegian Nynorsk | duriantre |
| Polish | durian właściwy |
| Portuguese | durião |
| Russian | Дуриан цибетиновый |
| Russian | Дурьян |
| Slovak | durian zapáchavý |
| Slovenian | durian |
| Swedish | stinkfrukt |
| Turkish | durian |
| Ukrainian | дуріан цібетиновий |
| Vietnamese | sầu riêng |
| Chinese | 麝香貓果 |
| Chinese | 麝香猫果 |
| Chinese | 榴槤 |
| Chinese | 假连翘叶 |
| Chinese | 榴莲 |
| Chinese | 榴梿 |
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-tropical click to expand
-
Indian Subcontinent
- India
-
Indo-China
- Andaman Islands
- Laos
- Myanmar
- Nicobar Nicobar
- Thailand
- Vietnam
-
Malesia
- Borneo
- Jawa
- Lesser Sunda Islands
- Malaya
- Philippines
- Sumatera
-
Indian Subcontinent
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000658098 |
| UNII | S18I9G8Y6K |
| USDA Plants | DUZI |
| Tropicos | 3900624 |
| INPN | 447008 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:559531-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-2779470 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 236622 |
| Observations.org | 334653 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 66656 |
| IPNI | 559531-1 |
| iNaturalist | 64443 |
| GBIF | 3152230 |
| Freebase | /m/0s96c4_ |
| EPPO | DURZI |
| EOL | 483665 |
| Elurikkus | 365984 |
| US Library of Congress | sh97003546 |
| USDA GRIN | 14755 |
| Wikipedia | Durio_zibethinus |
| CMAUP | NPO22133 |
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 | |
| GCF_002303985.1 | Duzib1.0 | Scaffold | Thorn Biosystems | 2017-09-15 | 153 | 682.10 Mb |
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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If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / p-Hydroxybenzoic acid esters / p-Hydroxybenzoic acid alkyl esters | |||||
| Protocatechuic acid, methyl ester | 287064 | Click to see COC(=O)C1=CC(=C(C=C1)O)O | 168.15 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP050553T |
| > Lignans, neolignans and related compounds | |||||
| 3-[4-[(1R,2S)-1-hydroxy-1-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-3-[(E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-enoyl]oxypropan-2-yl]oxy-3-methoxyphenyl]propyl (E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-enoate | 163188172 | Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C(C(COC(=O)C=CC2=CC(=C(C=C2)O)OC)OC3=C(C=C(C=C3)CCCOC(=O)C=CC4=CC(=C(C=C4)O)OC)OC)O)O | 730.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP050553T |
| 3-[4-[1-Hydroxy-1-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-3-[3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-enoyloxy]propan-2-yl]oxy-3-methoxyphenyl]propyl 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-enoate | 162951238 | Click to see | 730.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP050553T |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| Alpha-Amyrin | 73170 | Click to see | 426.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 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 | via CMAUP database |
| Betulinic Acid | 64971 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Friedelin | 91472 | Click to see | 426.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Lanosta-7,24-dienol | 12302189 | Click to see CC(CCC=C(C)C)C1CCC2(C1(CCC3C2=CCC4C3(CCC(C4(C)C)O)C)C)C | 426.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Lupeol | 259846 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CC2)C)C)(C)C)O)C)C | 426.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| methyl 27-O-cis-caffeoylcylicodiscate | 101408484 | Click to see | 648.90 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP050553T |
| Methyl 27-O-trans-caffeoylcylicodiscate | 102242317 | Click to see | 648.90 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP050553T |
| Methyl 5a-[3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)prop-2-enoyloxymethyl]-9-hydroxy-5b,8,8,11a-tetramethyl-1-prop-1-en-2-yl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,7a,9,10,11,11b,12,13,13a,13b-hexadecahydrocyclopenta[a]chrysene-3a-carboxylate | 73236923 | Click to see | 648.90 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP050553T |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives | |||||
| (-)-beta-Sitosterol | 222284 | Click to see | 414.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Stigmasterol | 5280794 | Click to see | 412.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds | |||||
| 4H-1-Benzopyran-4-one, 3-((6-deoxy-alpha-L-mannopyranosyl)oxy)-5,7-dihydroxy- | 5488575 | Click to see | 340.28 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP050553T |
| 5,7-Dihydroxy-3-(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl)oxychromen-4-one | 14214024 | Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2=COC3=CC(=CC(=C3C2=O)O)O)O)O)O | 340.28 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP050553T |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzopyrans / 1-benzopyrans / Xanthones | |||||
| 1,5-Dihydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyxanthone | 101631689 | Click to see | 288.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzopyrans / 1-benzopyrans / Xanthones / Pyranoxanthones | |||||
| 11,21-Dihydroxy-7,7,18,18-tetramethyl-2,8,19-trioxapentacyclo[12.8.0.03,12.04,9.015,20]docosa-1(14),3(12),4(9),5,10,15(20),16,21-octaen-13-one | 11668301 | Click to see CC1(C=CC2=C(O1)C=C(C3=C2OC4=C(C3=O)C5=C(C(=C4)O)OC(C=C5)(C)C)O)C | 392.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Brasilixanthone B | 5324261 | Click to see CC1(C=CC2=C(O1)C=C3C(=C2O)C(=O)C4=C(O3)C=C(C5=C4C=CC(O5)(C)C)O)C | 392.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzopyrans / 2-benzopyrans | |||||
| 3-Methyl-4,8-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydroisocoumarin | 169539 | Click to see CC1C(C2=C(C(=CC=C2)O)C(=O)O1)O | 194.18 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP050553T |
| trans-4-Hydroxymellein | 10262028 | Click to see | 194.18 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP050553T |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / 2-arylbenzofuran flavonoids | |||||
| 3-[(2R,3R)-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-[[(E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-enoyl]oxymethyl]-7-methoxy-2,3-dihydro-1-benzofuran-5-yl]propyl (E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-enoate | 160107987 | Click to see | 712.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP050553T |
| 3-[2-(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-[3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-enoyloxymethyl]-7-methoxy-2,3-dihydro-1-benzofuran-5-yl]propyl 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-enoate | 53439689 | Click to see | 712.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP050553T |
| Boehmenan | 5274624 | Click to see COC1=CC(=CC2=C1OC(C2COC(=O)C=CC3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)OC)C4=CC(=C(C=C4)O)OC)CCCOC(=O)C=CC5=CC(=C(C=C5)O)OC | 712.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP050553T |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Macrolides and analogues | |||||
| (R)-de-O-methyllasioplodin | 14562694 | Click to see | 278.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP050553T |
| 14,16-Dihydroxy-4-methyl-3-oxabicyclo[10.4.0]hexadeca-1(12),13,15-trien-2-one | 14562693 | Click to see | 278.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP050553T |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Stilbenes | |||||
| 4-[(2S)-3-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)propyl]-2-methoxyphenol | 163060312 | Click to see | 304.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP050553T |
| 4-[3-Hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)propyl]-2-methoxyphenol | 13908507 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)CC(CO)C2=CC(=C(C=C2)O)OC)O | 304.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP050553T |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |