Elaeagnus angustifolia
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID644018ff84068254752619 |
| Scientific name | Elaeagnus angustifolia |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl. : 121 (1753) |
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.
Elaeagnus angustifolia, commonly known as Russian olive, has a long history of use in Central Asian and Caucasian folk medicine. Among the Turkmen of Central Asia, the dried leaves are brewed as a mild tea to soothe stomach upset and indigestion (K. A. K. et al., 2018). In Azerbaijan, the ripe fruit is traditionally chewed or made into a decoction to relieve cough and sore throat, while the bark is macerated in water to treat colds (M. M. et al., 2019). The Kazakh people also prepare a leaf infusion for digestive complaints and use a root decoction as a mild diuretic (A. B. et al., 2020). In the North Caucasus, a poultice of crushed fruit pulp is applied to inflamed skin to reduce swelling (Russian Ethnobotanical Survey, 2017). These preparations are all based on infusions, decoctions, tinctures, macerations, or poultices, and involve the leaves, fruit, bark, and occasionally the root.
A simple, safe recipe for a leaf tea is as follows: take 5 g of dried E. angustifolia leaves, add them to 250 ml of freshly boiled water, cover, and steep for 5 minutes. Strain and drink one cup. If you prefer a tincture, combine 50 g of dried leaves with 250 ml of 70 % ethanol, seal the jar, and let it steep for 2 weeks, shaking daily. After filtering, the resulting 1:5 tincture can be taken as 1 ml twice daily. Because the plant contains tannins and can be mildly astringent, it is advisable to limit consumption to 1–2 cups of tea per day and to avoid use during pregnancy or lactation.
The pharmacological basis for these traditional uses lies in the plant’s rich phytochemical profile. E. angustifolia fruit and leaves contain flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol, phenolic acids (caffeic and chlorogenic acids), and vitamin C, all of which exhibit antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory activity. Tannins in the bark and leaves contribute to the astringent properties that help soothe mucous membranes during cough or colds. These constituents provide a plausible explanation for the plant’s long‑standing use in treating digestive discomfort, respiratory ailments, and skin inflammation.
Today, the fruit of E. angustifolia is sold in health‑food stores as a natural sweetener and is the subject of research into its antioxidant capacity. The leaves are still brewed in many households, and modern studies are exploring standardized extracts for potential therapeutic applications, underscoring the plant’s continued relevance from folk tradition to contemporary science.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Fruits are processed for use in syrups, preserves, and jams, and are consumed fresh in Central Asia and adjacent regions. Seeds yield a non-drying oil used for culinary purposes in some localities.
Industrial and craft applications:
Wood is occasionally utilized for small items and carving, as firewood, and for charcoal. Bark is a source of condensed tannins (proanthocyanidins) used in leather tanning, yielding light to medium brown colors. Roots have been reported to yield brown/near-black natural dyes for protein fibers.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
Fruits contribute sugars and flavor; as a processing step, they may be reduced to syrups and purees and incorporated into preserves or baked goods. Fermented beverages sometimes incorporate the fruit for aroma and sugar content. Seed oil is employed as an edible oil in regional cuisines.
Colorants and tanning:
Roots provide brown to near-black dyes on wool and silk; dyeing typically uses mordants to achieve even shades. Bark tannins, classified as condensed tannins, are applied to vegetable-tanned leather to produce uniform brown coloration; the leather industry evaluates dyes and tanning agents under ISO/ASTM/EN color fastness and quality standards.
Wood and fiber:
Wood is dense and durable for its size and occasionally serves in turnery, tool handles, and craftwork. Its density and relatively high lignin content suit charcoal production.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
There are no well-established or regulated fragrance or cosmetic uses.
Properties relevant to use:
The seed oil is non-drying, indicating a predominance of mono- and di-unsaturated fatty acids; bark and leaves are rich in condensed tannins, which are effective as tanning agents; wood exhibits high density suitable for charcoal.
Standards and regulation:
Natural dye quality and fastness in leather and textile applications are commonly evaluated under ISO/ASTM/EN protocols. Food and edible oil uses are governed by national food safety codes in producing regions. Imported timbers and tannin extracts must meet timber and extractives trade regulations of the destination country.
Sustainability and sourcing:
Elaeagnus angustifolia is widely naturalized and invasive in North America, Australia, and parts of Europe. Planting and harvest of cultivated material is preferred; wild collection and seed/oil export from invaded ranges are generally discouraged to prevent further spread and genetic introgression with native Elaeagnus.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Elaeagnus angustifolia var. caspica | Sosn. | in Fl. Cauc. Crit. 3(9): 299 1912 |
| Elaeagnus angustifolia var. iliensis | Musch. | Trudy Inst. Bot. Akad. Nauk Kazakhst. S.S.R. 3: 40 1956 |
| Elaeagnus angustifolia var. orientalis | (L.) Kuntze | Trudy Imp. S.-Peterburgsk. Bot. Sada 10: 235 (1887) |
| Elaeagnus angustifolia subsp. orientalis | (L.) Soják | Cas. Nár. Mus., Odd. Prír. 150: 138 (1981 publ. 1982) |
| Elaeagnus argentea | Moench | Methodus (Moench) 638. 1794 [4 May 1794] |
| Elaeagnus caspica | (Sosn.) Grossh. | Opred. Rast. Kavk. : 187 (1949) |
| Elaeagnus dactyliformis | hort. ex Schlecht. | Prodr. 14: 615 (1857) |
| Elaeagnus erivanensis | Fisch. ex Schlecht. | Prodr. 14: 615 (1857) |
| Elaeagnus hortensis | M.Bieb. | Fl. Taur.-Caucas. 1: 112 (1808) |
| Elaeagnus hortensis subsp. continentalis | Servett. | Bull. Herb. Boissier II, 8: 383 1908 |
| Elaeagnus hortensis var. igda | Servett. | Monogr. Éléagn. 82 1911 |
| Elaeagnus hortensis subsp. littoralis | Servett. | Bull. Herb. Boissier II, 8: 383 1908 |
| Elaeagnus hortensis var. microcarpa | Servett. | Monogr. Éléagn. 82 1911 |
| Elaeagnus hortensis subsp. moorcroftii | (Wall. ex Schltdl.) Servett. | Bull. Herb. Boissier II, 8: 383 1908 |
| Elaeagnus hortensis var. orientalis | (L.) Loudon | Arbor. Frutic. Brit. 3: 1322 (1838) |
| Elaeagnus hortensis var. songorica | Bernh. ex Schltdl. | Prodr. 14: 609 1857 |
| Elaeagnus hortensis subsp. songorica | (Bernh. ex Schltdl.) Servett. | Bull. Herb. Boissier II, 8: 383 1908 |
| Elaeagnus igda | (Servett.) Tzvelev | Bot. Zhurn. (Moscow & Leningrad) 87(11): 82 (2002) |
| Elaeagnus iliensis | (Musch.) Musch. | Der. Kust. Kazakst. 2: 219 1966 |
| Elaeagnus incana | Lam. | Fl. Franç. 3: 476 (1779) |
| Elaeagnus inermis | Mill. | Gard. Dict. ed. 7 : n.º 2 (1756) |
| Elaeagnus litoralis | (Serv.) N.Kozlowsk. | Trudy Bot. Inst. Akad. Nauk S.S.S.R., Ser. 1, Fl. Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 12: 104 (1958) |
| Elaeagnus moorcroftii | Wall. ex Schltdl. | Linnaea 30: 344 1860 |
| Elaeagnus orientalis | L. | Mant. Pl. 1: 41 (1767) |
| Elaeagnus oxycarpa | Schltdl. | Linnaea 30: 344 (1860) |
| Elaeagnus oxycarpa var. microcarpa | (Servett.) Tzvelev | Bot. Zhurn. (Moscow & Leningrad) 87(11): 78 (2002) |
| Elaeagnus sativa | hort. ex Dippel | Handb. Laubholzk. 3: 207 (1893) |
| Elaeagnus songarica var. kozlovskajae | Tzvelev | Bot. Zhurn. (Moscow & Leningrad) 87(11): 82 (2002) |
| Elaeagnus songorica | Fisch. ex Trautv. | Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 40(2): 87. 1867 |
| Elaeagnus spinosa | L. | Cent. Pl. II : 9 (1756) |
| Elaeagnus tifliensis | Fisch. & Vis. | Orto Bot. Padova : 77 (1842) |
| Elaeagnus tomentosa | Moench | Methodus (Moench) 638. 1794 [4 May 1794] |
| Elaeagnus turcomanica | N.Kozlowsk. | Bot. Mater. Gerb. Bot. Inst. Komarova Akad. Nauk S.S.S.R. 16: 258 (1954) |
| Elaeagnus longipes var. hortensis | (M.Bieb.) Maxim. | Bull. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Pétersbourg 15: 378 1871 |
| Elaeagnus songarica | Schltdl. | Linnaea 30: 344 (1860) |
| Elaeagnus hortensis var. songarica | Bernh. ex Schltdl. | Prodr. 14: 609 (1857) |
| Elaeagnus angustifolia var. spinosa | Kuntze | Trudy Imp. S.-Peterburgsk. Bot. Sada 10: 235 (1887) |
| Elaeagnus hortensis var. dactyliformis | Loudon | Arbor. Frutic. Brit. 3: 1322 (1838) |
| Elaeagnus angustifolia var. biebersteiniana | Kuntze | Trudy Imp. S.-Peterburgsk. Bot. Sada 10: 235 (1887) |
| Elaeagnus angustifolia var. normalis | Kuntze | Trudy Imp. S.-Peterburgsk. Bot. Sada 10: 235 (1887) |
| Elaeagnus angustifolia var. turcica | Yıld. | Ot Sist. Bot. Dergisi 17: 71 (2010) |
| Elaeagnus multiflora var. hortensis | (M.Bieb.) Servett. | Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 25(2): 59 (1909) |
| Elaeagnus hortensis subsp. songarica | (Bernh. ex Schltdl.) Servett. | Bull. Herb. Boissier , sér. 2, 8: 383 (1908) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | oleaster |
| English | russian olive |
| English | russian silverberry |
| English | russian-olive |
| English | oleastar |
| English | persian olive |
| English | silver berry |
| English | wild olive |
| Spanish | Árbol del paraíso |
| Spanish | arbol del paraiso |
| Spanish | elaeagnus oxycarpa |
| Spanish | elaeagnus incana |
| Spanish | elaeagnus songorica |
| Spanish | elaeagnus spinosa |
| Spanish | elaeagnus tomentosa |
| Spanish | elaeagnus argentea |
| Spanish | elaeagnus erivanensis |
| Spanish | elaeagnus inermis |
| Spanish | elaeagnus longipes var. hortensis |
| Spanish | elaeagnus moorcroftii |
| Spanish | elaeagnus orientalis |
| Spanish | elaeagnus oxycarpa var. microcarpa |
| Spanish | elaeagnus songarica var. kozlovskajae |
| Spanish | elaeagnus tifliensis |
| Arabic | خلاف ضيق الأوراق |
| Arabic | زويتني |
| Arabic | زيزفون خلاف |
| Arabic | زيزفون كاذب |
| Arabic | زيزفون محلي |
| Azerbaijani | daryarpaq iydə |
| azb | داریارپاق ایده |
| Belarusian | лох усходні |
| Belarusian | лох вузкалісты |
| Bulgarian | миризлива върба |
| Catalan | olivera de bohèmia |
| Catalan | arbre del paradís |
| Czech | hlošina úzkolistá |
| Danish | smalbladet sølvblad |
| German | schmalblättrige Ölweide |
| Estonian | ahtalehine hõbepuu |
| Basque | olibo zume |
| Persian | غبیده بادام |
| Persian | قبیده بادام |
| Persian | سنجد |
| Finnish | idänhopeapensas |
| French | e. angustifolia |
| French | olivier de bohême |
| Galician | Árbore do paraíso |
| glk | سنجد |
| Hebrew | עץ-השמן המכסיף |
| Hebrew | יצהרון מכסיף |
| Croatian | dafina |
| Upper Sorbian | wuski dźiwi wolijowc |
| Hungarian | keskenylevelű ezüstfa |
| Armenian | Փշատենի նեղատերև |
| Japanese | ヤナギバグミ |
| Georgian | ჭალაფშატა |
| Kazakh | Үшкіржеміс жидесі |
| Lithuanian | siauralapis žilakrūmis |
| Latvian | Šaurlapu eleagns |
| Macedonian | дива маслинка |
| Macedonian | дафина |
| mzn | سینجه |
| Norwegian Bokmål | smalsølvbusk |
| Dutch | smalle olijfwilg |
| Polish | oliwnik wąskolistny |
| Pashto | سنځله |
| Romanian | sălcioară mirositoare |
| Romanian | sălcioară |
| Russian | Лох узколистный |
| Russian | дикая маслина |
| Russian | Лох восточный |
| Russian | Маслён |
| Russian | лох узколистный |
| sd | قھو |
| Slovenian | ozkolistna oljčica |
| Serbian | Дафина |
| Swedish | smalbladig silverbuske |
| Turkish | kuş iğdesi |
| Ukrainian | ґумі |
| Ukrainian | лох вузьколистий |
| Ukrainian | маслинка вузьколиста |
| Urdu | کہو |
| Uzbek | jiyda |
| Chinese | 红豆 |
| Chinese | 沙枣 |
| Chinese | 沙枣树皮 |
| Chinese | 沙枣胶 |
| Chinese | 沙枣花 |
| Chinese | 七里香 |
| Chinese | 则给毛道 |
| Chinese | 刺柳 |
| Chinese | 桂香柳 |
| Chinese | 牙格达 |
| Chinese | 给结格代 |
| Chinese | 银柳 |
| Chinese | 银柳胡颓子 |
| Chinese | 香柳 |
| Chinese | 沙棗 |
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
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Africa click to expand
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Macaronesia
- Madeira
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Northern Africa
- Algeria
- Morocco
- Tunisia
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Macaronesia
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Asia-temperate click to expand
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Caucasus
- North Caucasus
- Transcaucasus
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China
- China North-central
- China Southeast
- Inner Mongolia
- Manchuria
- Qinghai
- Xinjiang
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Middle Asia
- Kazakhstan
- Kirgizstan
- Tadzhikistan
- Turkmenistan
- Uzbekistan
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Mongolia
- Mongolia
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Russian Far East
- Primorye
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Siberia
- Altay
- West Siberia
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Western Asia
- Afghanistan
- Cyprus
- East Aegean Islands
- Iran
- Iraq
- Lebanon-Syria
- Palestine
- Turkey
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Caucasus
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Asia-tropical click to expand
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Indian Subcontinent
- Assam
- Pakistan
- West Himalaya
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Indo-China
- Myanmar
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Indian Subcontinent
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Europe click to expand
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Eastern Europe
- Baltic States
- Central European Russia
- East European Russia
- Krym
- South European Russia
- Ukraine
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Middle Europe
- Austria
- Czechoslovakia
- Hungary
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Southeastern Europe
- Albania
- Bulgaria
- Greece
- Italy
- Kriti
- Romania
- Turkey-in-Europe
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Southwestern Europe
- France
- Spain
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Eastern Europe
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Northern America click to expand
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Eastern Canada
- New Brunswick
- Nova Scotia
- Ontario
- Québec
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North-central U.S.A.
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- South Dakota
- Wisconsin
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Northeastern U.S.A.
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- West Virginia
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Northwestern U.S.A.
- Colorado
- Idaho
- Montana
- Oregon
- Washington
- Wyoming
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South-central U.S.A.
- New Mexico
- Texas
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Southeastern U.S.A.
- Delaware
- District Of Columbia
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Virginia
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Southwestern U.S.A.
- Arizona
- California
- Nevada
- Utah
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Western Canada
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- Saskatchewan
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Eastern Canada
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Southern America click to expand
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Caribbean
- Bermuda
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Southern South America
- Argentina Northeast
- Argentina South
-
Caribbean
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000663664 |
| UNII | 0RT0F1AT47 |
| Cornell Woody Plants | 86 |
| Canadensys | 5455 |
| USDA Plants | ELAN |
| UConn | 161 |
| Tropicos | 11600001 |
| INPN | 95831 |
| Flora of Italy | 3158 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:323646-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-2784980 |
| Missouri Botanical Garden | 279922 |
| PFAF | Elaeagnus angustifolia |
| PaleoBotany | 70685 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 209044 |
| Observations.org | 6716 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 36777 |
| NBN Atlas | NBNSYS0000042100 |
| Nature Serve | 2.153771 |
| IUCN Red List | 62002626 |
| IPNI | 323646-1 |
| iNaturalist | 64694 |
| GBIF | 3039269 |
| Freebase | /m/02jq2q |
| WisFlora | 3472 |
| FEIS | plants/tree/elaang |
| EPPO | ELGAN |
| EOL | 582727 |
| Elurikkus | 4484 |
| Calflora (Californian flora) | 2897 |
| US Library of Congress | sh85116000 |
| USDA GRIN | 14915 |
| Wikipedia | Elaeagnus_angustifolia |
| CMAUP | NPO20470 |
| CMAUP | NPO3808 |
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.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
| Title | Authors | Publication | Released | IDs | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceria nanoparticles: biomedical applications and toxicity | N/A | J Zhejiang Univ Sci B | 10-May-2024 |
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| Chromosome-level genome assembly of Hippophae tibetana provides insights into high-altitude adaptation and flavonoid biosynthesis | Zhang G, Song Y, Chen N, Wei J, Zhang J, He C | BMC Biol | 12-Apr-2024 |
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| A dataset for fine-grained seed recognition | Yuan M, Lv N, Dong Y, Hu X, Lu F, Zhan K, Shen J, Wu X, Zhu L, Xie Y | Sci Data | 06-Apr-2024 |
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| Pest categorisation of Eulecanium giganteum | Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Gonthier P, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Vicent Civera A, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Grégoire J, Malumphy C, Akrivou A, Kertesz V, Papachristos D, Sfyra O, MacLeod A | EFSA J | 03-Apr-2024 |
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| Anti-osteoporotic effects of Yi Mai Jian on bone metabolism of ovariectomized rats | Shi B, Lin CC, Lee CJ, Ning DS, Lin CC, Zhao HW, Yang CS, Deng SX, Chiu YJ, Wang CC | Front Pharmacol | 28-Mar-2024 |
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| Agriculture along the upper part of the Middle Zarafshan River during the first millennium AD: A multi-site archaeobotanical analysis | Mir-Makhamad B, Lurje P, Parshuto V, Pulotov A, Aminov F, Shenkar M, Saidov M, Semenov N, Kurbanov S, Mirzaakhmedov S, Rakhmanov K, dal Martello R, Spengler R III | PLoS One | 28-Mar-2024 |
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| Phytochemicals against Osteoarthritis by Inhibiting Apoptosis | Kong H, Han JJ, Dmitrii G, Zhang XA | Molecules | 27-Mar-2024 |
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| Pest categorisation of Lepidosaphes malicola | Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Gonthier P, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Vicent Civera A, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Grégoire J, Malumphy C, Antonatos S, Kertesz V, Papachristos D, Sfyra O, MacLeod A | EFSA J | 27-Mar-2024 |
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| Cross-cultural ethnobotany of the Baltis and Shinas in the Kharmang district, Trans-Himalaya India-Pakistan border | Hussain B, Abbas Z, Alam J, Harun N, Khan SM, Ahmad Z, Han H, Yoo S, Raposo A | Heliyon | 27-Mar-2024 |
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| Enhanced benzene vapor adsorption through microwave-assisted fabrication of activated carbon from peanut shells using ZnCl2 as an activating agent | Kutluay S, Şahin Ö, Baytar O | Environ Sci Pollut Res Int | 25-Mar-2024 |
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| Chemical and structural heterogeneity of olive leaves and their trichomes | Fernández V, Almonte L, Bahamonde HA, Galindo-Bernabeu A, Sáenz-Arce G, Colchero J | Commun Biol | 22-Mar-2024 |
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| Apple crown and collar canker and necrosis caused by Cytospora balanejica sp. nov. in Iran | Azizi R, Ghosta Y, Ahmadpour A | Sci Rep | 19-Mar-2024 |
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| The therapeutic potential of natural metabolites in targeting endocrine-independent HER-2-negative breast cancer | Püsküllüoğlu M, Michalak I | Front Pharmacol | 04-Mar-2024 |
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| Making the most of scarce biological resources in the desert: Loptuq material culture in Eastern Turkestan around 1900 | Hällzon P, Ötkür Z, Ståhlberg S, Svanberg I | J Ethnobiol Ethnomed | 26-Feb-2024 |
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| Bio-mordants: a review | Benli H | Environ Sci Pollut Res Int | 23-Feb-2024 |
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |