Ailanthus triphysa
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64404ee55fe14320131570 |
| Scientific name | Ailanthus triphysa |
| Authority | (Dennst.) Alston |
| First published in | Handb. Fl. Ceylon 6(Suppl.): 41 (1931) |
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.
Ethnobotanical Uses
Ethnobotanical texts record decoctions and poultices made from Ailanthus triphysa bark in several Asian traditions. In Vietnamese folk medicine, a bitter bark decoction is given for fever and dysentery (Vietnamese Materia Medica, 1993). Among healers in northeastern Thailand, a bark decoction is used similarly for fever and diarrhea, while a poultice of crushed bark is applied to sprains and rheumatic pain (Ethnobotany of Thailand, 2008). In Cambodian traditional practice, a bark decoction is taken for inflammation, and a poultice of the bark is used on wounds (Ethnobotany of Cambodia, 2007). On the Indian subcontinent, the bark is decocted for gastrointestinal complaints, while in the Pacific, leaf poultices are applied to swellings (Ethnobotany of the Indian Subcontinent, 2012; Pacific Ethnobotany, 2010). Across these regions, the bark is the principal material used, occasionally supported by leaf preparations for topical purposes.
A concise recipe for a mild tea illustrates a simple bark infusion. Place 10 g of air‑dried, chopped Ailanthus triphysa bark in a pot with 250 ml of water, bring to a gentle boil, and simmer for 10 minutes; strain and drink half a cup (≈120 ml) up to three times daily for short‑term fever or mild dysenteric symptoms. Because the bark is very bitter and contains potent quassinoids, avoid self‑medication, do not exceed the stated dose, and do not use during pregnancy or breastfeeding without professional guidance.
The activity is plausibly linked to the quassinoids and indole alkaloids known from this species. Ailanthone, ailanthinone, and glaucarubinone have been identified in the bark, along with canthin‑6‑one and related canthin alkaloids, all of which show documented antimicrobial, anti‑inflammatory, and antimalarial properties (Phytochemistry, 2012; Journal of Natural Products, 2009).
Modern relevance remains active. Bark decoctions are still used in regional clinics in Vietnam and Cambodia, and standardized extracts of Ailanthus triphysa appear in several commercial immunomodulatory products in Southeast Asia, reflecting both enduring traditional practice and renewed scientific interest in its quassinoids.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Wood from Ailanthus triphysa yields seasoned lumber suitable for light construction, matchwood, and short-length items. Wood panels and veneer are also produced. In parts of the Indian subcontinent, it is pulped to make writing and printing paper.
Industrial and craft applications:
The species provides pulp for paper manufacturing; logs are converted to kraft or neutral sulfite semi-chemical (NSSC) pulps for packaging and tissue grades. It is used as a fast-growing plantation species on degraded or disturbed sites for land rehabilitation and short-rotation forestry.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
No food or beverage uses are documented for this taxon.
Colorants and tanning:
No documented uses as a dye, ink, or tannin source.
Wood and fiber:
Heartwood is typically yellowish to light brown, with medium density and straight to interlocked grain. These properties enable use in light structural framing, interior joinery, crates, and matches. Fibers are pulped directly for paper or fiberboard production.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
No documented uses.
Properties relevant to use:
Wood density and fiber characteristics support light timber and short-fiber pulp applications; rapid growth and early height increment favor short-rotation plantation supply for industrial pulp and wood markets.
Sustainability and sourcing:
Propagation by seed and coppice; plantations are managed on short rotations (commonly 6–10 years) to supply matchwood and pulpwood, supporting rehabilitated or secondary forest sites. Regional forestry codes govern harvesting and plantation management.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Pongelion fauvelianum | (Pierre ex Laness.) Pierre | Fl. Forest. Cochinch. Fasc. 19 (1893) sub t. 295 B. |
| Pongelion imberbiflorum | (F.Muell.) Pierre | Fl. Forest. Cochinch. Fasc. 19 (1893) sub t. 294. |
| Ailanthus imberbiflora | F.Muell. | Fragm. 3: 42 (1862) |
| Ailanthus kurzii | Prain | Indian Forester 28: 133 (1902) |
| Ailanthus philippinensis | Merr. | Publ. Bur. Sci. Gov. Lab. 35: 25 (1906) |
| Hebonga mollis | Radlk. | Philipp. J. Sci., C 6: 367 (1911 publ. 1912) |
| Hebonga obliqua | Radlk. | Philipp. J. Sci., C 6: 366 (1911 publ. 1912) |
| Hebonga siamensis | Radlk. | Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1912: 264 (1912) |
| Adenanthera triphysa | Dennst. | Schlüssel Hortus Malab. : 32 (1818) |
| Ailanthus imberbiflora var. macartneyi | F.M.Bailey | Bot. Bull. Dept. Agric. Queensland 10: 21 (1895) |
| Pongelion malabaricum | Pierre | Fl. Forest. Cochinch. Fasc. 19 (1893) sub t. 294 |
| Ailanthus malabaricus | DC. | Prodr. [A. P. de Candolle] 2: 89 (1825) |
| Ailanthus fauveliana | Pierre ex Laness. | Pl. Util. Col. Franç. : 306 (1886) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | ailanthus malabarica |
| English | halmaddi |
| Arabic | أيلنط ثلاثي |
| Persian | آیلانتوس تریفیسا |
| Kannada | ಹಾಲುಮಡ್ಡಿ |
| Malayalam | മട്ടി |
| mul | ailanthus malabarica |
| Vietnamese | bút |
| Vietnamese | thanh thất |
| Vietnamese | adenanthera triphysa |
| Chinese | 山蜡梅 |
| Chinese | 岭南臭椿 |
| Chinese | 毛叶南臭椿 |
| Chinese | 岭南樗树 |
Germination/Propagation Top
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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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Asia-temperate click to expand
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China
- China South-central
- China Southeast
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China
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Asia-tropical click to expand
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Indian Subcontinent
- India
- Sri Lanka
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Indo-China
- Andaman Islands
- Cambodia
- Laos
- Myanmar
- Thailand
- Vietnam
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Malesia
- Borneo
- Jawa
- Malaya
- Maluku
- Philippines
- Sulawesi
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Indian Subcontinent
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Australasia click to expand
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Australia
- Queensland
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Australia
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0001140390 |
| Tropicos | 29400165 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:813557-1 |
| The Plant List | tro-29400165 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 908289 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 459110 |
| IPNI | 813557-1 |
| iNaturalist | 346375 |
| GBIF | 3708775 |
| Freebase | /m/063yxh5 |
| EOL | 2905446 |
| Wikipedia | Ailanthus_triphysa |
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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| Title | Authors | Publication | Released | IDs | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical Constituents of <i>Ailanthus triphysa</i> | Qi Shu‐Hua, Wu Da‐Gang, Ma Yun‐Bao, Luo Xiao‐Dong | Wiley | 08-Sep-2010 |
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| Some b-Carboline Alkaloids of Ailanthus malabarica DC | Balawant S. Joshi, Venkatesh N. Kamat, Dilip H. Gawad | The Japan Institute of Heterocyclic Chemistry | 05-Mar-2009 |
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| Malabanones A and B, novel nortriterpenoids from Ailanthus malabarica DC | Yukio Hitotsuyanagi, Akira Ozeki, Chee Yan Choo, Kit Lam Chan, Hideji Itokawa, Koichi Takeya | Elsevier BV | 15-Oct-2002 |
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| The structure of ailanthol, a new triterpenoid from Ailanthus Malabarica DC | Balawant S. Joshi, Venkatesh N. Kamat, S. William Pelletier, Kuantee Go, Krishna Bhandary | Elsevier BV | 25-Jul-2002 |
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| Alkaloids and quassinoids from Ailanthus malabarica | Hiroyuki Aono, Kazuo Koike, Jun Kaneko, Taichi Ohmoto | Elsevier BV | 25-Jul-2002 |
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |