Sapindus trifoliatus
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64404deb9f6ef370482071 |
| Scientific name | Sapindus trifoliatus |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl. : 367 (1753) |
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
The dried pericarp of Sapindus trifoliatus fruit is sold as natural laundry soap, dish‑washing powder, liquid detergent and gentle hair cleanser. Commercial forms include powdered pericarp, concentrated aqueous extracts, dried flakes and solid pericarp‑based soap bars. In India and Nepal the product appears under names such as “Ritha” and “Sopari,” and is used in both rural households and urban eco‑friendly stores.
Industrial and craft applications:
Saponins extracted from the pericarp serve as biodegradable surfactants in textile scouring, leather processing and mineral froth flotation, where stable foam is needed. Their surface‑active properties make them suitable for industrial cleaning of machinery, floor washing and as a wetting agent in paper‑pulp processing. The foam‑stabilising effect is employed in eco‑friendly concrete admixtures and in treating oil‑contaminated wastewater.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
Pericarp extracts are incorporated into shampoo, body wash, shower gel and facial cleanser formulations as a natural, mild surfactant. The saponins provide cleansing and persistent foam without synthetic petrochemical surfactants, and are listed as “soapnut extract” or “Sapindus fruit saponins” on INCI labels.
Properties relevant to use:
The pericarp contains 10–15 % triterpenoid saponins, mainly oleanolic and hederagenin derivatives. These amphiphilic molecules lower water surface tension to ≈ 30 mN m⁻¹, generate stable foam (Ross‑Miles > 80 mm after 5 min) and remain functional between pH 4 and 10. They are highly water‑soluble, exhibit low skin irritation (in vitro IC₅₀ > 200 µg mL⁻¹) and are readily biodegradable (OECD 301F > 80 % CO₂ evolution in 28 days).
Standards and regulation:
Sapindus trifoliatus pericarp is listed as a permitted cosmetic ingredient under EU Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Surfactants derived from it must meet ISO 11014 (Safety Data Sheet) and ASTM D4258 (Standard Test Method for Surface‑Active Agents). In the United States, products containing the pericarp are subject to FIFRA when marketed as cleaning agents, and to TSCA for industrial surfactant registration.
Sustainability and sourcing:
The species is cultivated on marginal, non‑irrigated land in India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Mature trees yield 150–300 kg of fresh fruit per year; the pericarp is manually harvested, sun‑dried for 2–3 days and separated from the seed, producing a low‑impact, renewable by‑product. Harvesting provides cash income for smallholder farmers and supports agroforestry diversification. Life‑cycle analyses estimate a carbon footprint of 0.6–0.9 kg CO₂ eq kg⁻¹ dried pericarp, substantially lower than that of synthetic surfactants.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Sapindus abstergens | Roxb. ex Wight & Arn. | Prodr. Fl. Ind. Orient. : 111 (1834) |
| Sapindus acutus | Roxb. ex Wight & Arn. | Prodr. Fl. Ind. Orient. : 111 (1834) |
| Sapindus mollis | Blume | Rumphia 3: 98 (1847 publ. 1849) |
| Sapindus maduriensis | Perr. | Mém. Soc. Linn. Paris 3: 144 (1825) |
| Sapindus emarginatus | Vahl | Symb. Bot. 3: 54 (1794) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | threeleaf soapberry |
| Arabic | صابونية ثلاثية الأوراق |
| Burmese | ကုလားကင်ပွန်း |
| Chinese | 三叶无患子 |
| Chinese | 三葉無患子 |
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
-
East Tropical Africa
- Kenya
- Tanzania
- Uganda
-
Western Indian Ocean
- Rodrigues
-
East Tropical Africa
-
Asia-tropical click to expand
-
Indian Subcontinent
- Bangladesh
- India
- Pakistan
- Sri Lanka
-
Indo-China
- Andaman Islands
- Myanmar
-
Indian Subcontinent
-
Southern America click to expand
-
Caribbean
- Trinidad-Tobago
-
Caribbean
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0001135030 |
| UNII | AVK580175F |
| USDA Plants | SATR10 |
| Tropicos | 28600995 |
| INPN | 706772 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:784697-1 |
| The Plant List | tro-28600995 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 730999 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 290988 |
| IPNI | 784697-1 |
| iNaturalist | 915030 |
| GBIF | 5421131 |
| EPPO | SAKTF |
| EOL | 483643 |
| USDA GRIN | 33092 |
| Wikipedia | Sapindus_trifoliatus |
| CMAUP | NPO24019 |
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)!
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Phytochemical Profile Top
Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene glycosides | |||||
| (2R,3R,4R,5R,6S)-2-[(2R,3R,4S,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-2-[(2E,6E,10E)-12-[(2R,3R,4S,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3-[(2S,3S,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl]oxy-4-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-3,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,6,10-trienoxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)-4-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-3-yl]oxy-6-methyloxane-3,4,5-triol | 163011014 | Click to see | 1119.20 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(88)80128-6 |
| (2R,3R,4R,5R,6S)-2-[(2R,3R,4S,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-2-[(2E,6E,10E)-12-hydroxy-3,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,6,10-trienoxy]-4-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-3-yl]oxy-6-methyloxane-3,4,5-triol | 163052223 | Click to see | 678.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(88)80128-6 |
| (2S,3R,4R,5R,6S)-2-[(2R,3R,4S,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-2-[(2E,6E,10E)-12-[(2R,3R,4S,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3-[(2S,3R,4R,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl]oxy-4-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-3,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,6,10-trienoxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)-4-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-3-yl]oxy-6-methyloxane-3,4,5-triol | 101616724 | Click to see | 1119.20 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(88)80128-6 |
| (2S,3S,4S,5S,6R)-2-[(2R,3R,4S,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-2-[(2E,6E,10E)-12-hydroxy-2,6,10-trimethyldodeca-2,6,10-trienoxy]-4-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-3-yl]oxy-6-methyloxane-3,4,5-triol | 162944765 | Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2C(C(C(OC2OCC(=CCCC(=CCCC(=CCO)C)C)C)CO)O)OC3C(C(C(CO3)O)O)O)O)O)O | 678.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(88)80128-6 |
| 2-[5-Hydroxy-2-[12-[5-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3-(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl)oxy-4-(3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl)oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-3,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,6,10-trienoxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)-4-(3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl)oxyoxan-3-yl]oxy-6-methyloxane-3,4,5-triol | 163011013 | Click to see | 1119.20 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(88)80128-6 |
| 2-[5-Hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-2-(12-hydroxy-2,6,10-trimethyldodeca-2,6,10-trienoxy)-4-(3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl)oxyoxan-3-yl]oxy-6-methyloxane-3,4,5-triol | 162944764 | Click to see | 678.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(88)80128-6 |
| 2-[5-Hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-2-(12-hydroxy-3,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,6,10-trienoxy)-4-(3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl)oxyoxan-3-yl]oxy-6-methyloxane-3,4,5-triol | 163052222 | Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2C(C(C(OC2OCC=C(C)CCC=C(C)CCC=C(C)CO)CO)O)OC3C(C(C(CO3)O)O)O)O)O)O | 678.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(88)80128-6 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| (1S,2S,5S,10S,14R,15R,18R,21R,22R)-1,2,8,8,15,21-hexamethyl-19-oxahexacyclo[12.10.0.02,11.05,10.015,22.018,21]tetracos-11-ene-5-carboxylic acid | 162987188 | Click to see CC1(CCC2(CCC3(C(=CCC4C3(CCC5C4(CCC6C5(CO6)C)C)C)C2C1)C)C(=O)O)C | 454.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02147773 |
| (4aS,6aR,6aS,6bR,8aR,9R,10S,12aR,14bS)-10-[(2S,3R,4S,5S)-3-[(2S,3R,4R,5S,6S)-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4-[(2S,3R,4S,5S)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-4,5-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-9-(hydroxymethyl)-2,2,6a,6b,9,12a-hexamethyl-1,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12,13,14b-tetradecahydropicene-4a-carboxylic acid | 21637697 | Click to see | 883.10 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1675 |
| (4aS,6aR,6aS,6bR,8aR,9R,10S,12aR,14bS)-10-[(2S,3R,4S,5S)-3-[(2S,3R,4R,5S,6S)-4-[(2S,3R,4R,5R)-4,5-diacetyloxy-3-hydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl]oxy-4,5-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-9-(hydroxymethyl)-2,2,6a,6b,9,12a-hexamethyl-1,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12,13,14b-tetradecahydropicene-4a-carboxylic acid | 21637700 | Click to see | 967.10 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1675 |
| (4aS,6aR,6aS,6bR,8aR,9R,10S,12aR,14bS)-10-[(2S,3R,4S,5S)-3-[(2S,3R,4R,5S,6S)-4-[(2S,3R,4R,5R)-5-acetyloxy-3,4-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl]oxy-4,5-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-9-(hydroxymethyl)-2,2,6a,6b,9,12a-hexamethyl-1,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12,13,14b-tetradecahydropicene-4a-carboxylic acid | 102316696 | Click to see | 925.10 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1675 |
| (4aS,6aR,6aS,6bR,8aR,9R,10S,12aR,14bS)-10-[(2S,3R,4S,5S)-3-[(2S,3R,4R,5S,6S)-4-[(2S,3R,4R,5S)-4,5-diacetyloxy-3-hydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl]oxy-4,5-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-9-(hydroxymethyl)-2,2,6a,6b,9,12a-hexamethyl-1,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12,13,14b-tetradecahydropicene-4a-carboxylic acid | 102316698 | Click to see | 967.10 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1675 |
| (4aS,6aR,6aS,6bR,8aR,9R,10S,12aR,14bS)-10-[(2S,3R,4S,5S)-3-[(2S,3R,4R,5S,6S)-4-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-4-acetyloxy-3,5-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl]oxy-4,5-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-9-(hydroxymethyl)-2,2,6a,6b,9,12a-hexamethyl-1,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12,13,14b-tetradecahydropicene-4a-carboxylic acid | 21637699 | Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2C(C(COC2OC3CCC4(C(C3(C)CO)CCC5(C4CC=C6C5(CCC7(C6CC(CC7)(C)C)C(=O)O)C)C)C)O)O)O)OC8C(C(C(CO8)O)OC(=O)C)O)O | 925.10 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1675 |
| (4aS,6bR,9S,10S,12aR)-10-[(2S,3R,4S,5S)-3-[(2S,3R,4R,5S,6S)-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-4,5-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-9-(hydroxymethyl)-2,2,6a,6b,9,12a-hexamethyl-1,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12,13,14b-tetradecahydropicene-4a-carboxylic acid | 6325965 | Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2C(C(COC2OC3CCC4(C(C3(C)CO)CCC5(C4CC=C6C5(CCC7(C6CC(CC7)(C)C)C(=O)O)C)C)C)O)O)O)OC8C(C(C(CO8)O)O)O)O | 883.10 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(88)80128-6 |
| 1,2,8,8,15,21-Hexamethyl-19-oxahexacyclo[12.10.0.02,11.05,10.015,22.018,21]tetracos-11-ene-5-carboxylic acid | 156963326 | Click to see CC1(CCC2(CCC3(C(=CCC4C3(CCC5C4(CCC6C5(CO6)C)C)C)C2C1)C)C(=O)O)C | 454.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02147773 |
| 10-[3-[4-(4-Acetyloxy-3,5-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl)oxy-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl]oxy-4,5-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-9-(hydroxymethyl)-2,2,6a,6b,9,12a-hexamethyl-1,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12,13,14b-tetradecahydropicene-4a-carboxylic acid | 73818286 | Click to see | 925.10 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1675 |
| 10-[3-[4-(4,5-Diacetyloxy-3-hydroxyoxan-2-yl)oxy-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl]oxy-4,5-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-9-(hydroxymethyl)-2,2,6a,6b,9,12a-hexamethyl-1,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12,13,14b-tetradecahydropicene-4a-carboxylic acid | 16196966 | Click to see | 967.10 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1675 |
| 10-[3-[4-(5-Acetyloxy-3,4-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl)oxy-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl]oxy-4,5-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-9-(hydroxymethyl)-2,2,6a,6b,9,12a-hexamethyl-1,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12,13,14b-tetradecahydropicene-4a-carboxylic acid | 74029772 | Click to see | 925.10 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1675 |
| CID 15625347 | 15625347 | Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2C(C(COC2OC3CCC4(C(C3(C)CO)CCC5(C4CC=C6C5(CCC7(C6CC(CC7)(C)C)C(=O)O)C)C)C)O)O)O)OC8C(C(C(CO8)O)O)O)O | 883.10 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1675 |
| Sapindoside B | 161686 | Click to see | 883.10 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(88)80128-6 https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1675 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Hydroxycoumarins / 7-hydroxycoumarins | |||||
| Scopoletin | 5280460 | Click to see | 192.17 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Catechins | |||||
| Catechin | 9064 | Click to see | 290.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Catechins / Epigallocatechins | |||||
| Gallocatechin | 65084 | Click to see | 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 / Flavonols | |||||
| Quercetin | 5280343 | Click to see | 302.23 | 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 / Hydroxyflavonoids / 7-hydroxyflavonoids | |||||
| (2S)-2-hydroxynaringenin | 86311108 | Click to see C1C(=O)C2=C(C=C(C=C2OC1(C3=CC=C(C=C3)O)O)O)O | 288.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |