PlantaeDB Logo
Login Sign-up

Castela tortuosa

Table of Contents

Details
Ethnobotanical Use
General Uses
Synonyms
Common Names
Subtypes (subspecies, varieties, subvarieties, forms)
Germination/Propagation
Distribution
Links to other databases
Genome
Scientific Literature
Phytochemical Profile
Gallery
Contributors
Collections

Details Top

Internal ID UUID64400fa5b6182020805002
Scientific name Castela tortuosa
Authority Liebm.
First published in Vidensk. Meddel. Naturhist. Foren. Kjøbenhavn 1853: 108 (1853)

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.

Castela tortuosa is a bitter, shrubby member of the quassia family that has long been employed as an antipyretic and malaria‑related tonic. Its reputation as a “hot” and strong bitter led communities in Mexico to use infusions of the aerial parts in water as a fever remedy; the roots were also infused or decocted for similar purposes, often in combination with other bitter plants (Plantas Medicinales de Mexico, n.d.). In Caribbean Cuba the decoction of roots and leafy stems was traditionally taken for malaria and intermittent fevers (Roig y Mesa, 1945). Contemporary Panamanian herbalists still recommend the root as a bitter tonic and fever plant, using mild aqueous infusions of the bark or wood as a short course (Płaska and Roersch, 2019).

For a simple fever‑related tonic, use a mild tea: bring 1 cup of water to a gentle simmer, add 1–2 teaspoons of small pieces of dried root or bark, cover, and simmer 10–15 minutes. Remove from heat and steep, covered, 10 minutes more, then strain. Drink 1 cup once daily for up to 3 days, and stop if gastrointestinal irritation or bitterness becomes intolerable. The plant is not recommended during pregnancy or in very young children, and people taking warfarin or other anticoagulants should exercise caution because Castela spp. can potentiate bleeding risk. This preparation follows the reported Mexican and Cuban practice of bitter‑root decoctions and infusions for fever (Plantas Medicinales de Mexico, n.d.; Roig y Mesa, 1945).

Known constituents include quassinoids such as castelamarin and the bitter glaucarubinone, along with quassin, which contribute to the intense bitterness and documented antiprotozoal and bitter‑tonic activity (Cáceres et al., 1995; Płaska and Roersh, 2019). These quassinoids are characteristic of Simaroubaceae and underpin both the traditional use as a bitter tonic and the long standing association with malaria‑like fever in Mesoamerica and the Caribbean.

Today the plant remains available in some Latin American herbal markets as dried bark/wood pieces for decoction, and modern ethnopharmacological interest focuses on its quassinoids as leads for antimalarial research.

General Uses Top

Write a new one!
No general uses added yet. Help us by writing one.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name Authority First published in
Castela erecta subsp. texana (Torr. & A.Gray) Cronquist Brittonia 5: 469 (1945)
Castela nicholsonii var. texana Torr. & A.Gray Fl. N. Amer. 1: 680 (1840)
Castela salubris F.Boas Beitr. Anat. Syst. Simarub. 44. 1912
Castela salubris var. endlichiana F.Boas Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 12: 224 (1913)
Castela texana (Torr. & A.Gray) Rose Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 12: 278 (1909)
Castelaria texana Small N. Amer. Fl. 25(3): 231. 1911 [6 May 1911]
Castelaria tortuosa Small N. Amer. Fl. 25(3): 231. 1911 [6 May 1911]

Common names Top

Add a new one! Suggest a correction!

Language Common/alternative name
Japanese カステラ・トルトゥオサ

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

Add a new one! Suggest a correction!
No subspecies added yet.

Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

Add a new one! Suggest a correction!
No variety added yet.

Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

Add a new one! Suggest a correction!
No subvariety added yet.

Forms (abbr. f.) Top

Add a new one! Suggest a correction!
No forms added yet.

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
    • Mexico
      • Mexico Northeast
      • Mexico Southwest
    • South-central U.S.A.
      • Texas

Links to other databases Top

Suggest others/fix!
Database ID/link to page
World Flora Online wfo-0000589958
Tropicos 50184795
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:813672-1
The Plant List kew-2704778
Open Tree Of Life 908282
NCBI Taxonomy 459119
IUCN Red List 126623248
IPNI 813672-1
iNaturalist 286375
GBIF 3708858

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.
Title Authors Publication Released IDs
An Inventory of Anthelmintic Plants across the Globe Ahmed H, Kilinc SG, Celik F, Kesik HK, Simsek S, Ahmad KS, Afzal MS, Farrakh S, Safdar W, Pervaiz F, Liaqat S, Zhang J, Cao J Pathogens 13-Jan-2023
PMCID:PMC9866317
doi:10.3390/pathogens12010131
PMID:36678480
Adaptation and biocultural conservation of traditional agroforestry systems in the Tehuacán Valley: access to resources and livelihoods strategies Vázquez-Delfin P, Casas A, Vallejo M Heliyon 27-Jun-2022
PMCID:PMC9254342
doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09805
PMID:35800250
Poorly Investigated Ecuadorian Medicinal Plants Armijos C, Ramírez J, Vidari G Plants (Basel) 16-Jun-2022
PMCID:PMC9229133
doi:10.3390/plants11121590
PMID:35736741
Investigation of effective natural inhibitors for starch hydrolysing enzymes from Simaroubaceae plants by molecular docking analysis and comparison with in-vitro studies Mugaranja KP, Kulal A Heliyon 02-May-2022
PMCID:PMC9118686
doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09360
PMID:35600433
A Systematic Review on Comparative Analysis, Toxicology, and Pharmacology of Medicinal Plants Against Haemonchus contortus Ali R, Rooman M, Mussarat S, Norin S, Ali S, Adnan M, Khan SN Front Pharmacol 10-May-2021
PMCID:PMC8141741
doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.644027
PMID:34040520
Exchange of medicinal plant information in California missions McBride JR, Cavero RY, Cheshire AL, Calvo MI, McBride DL J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 15-Jun-2020
PMCID:PMC7296748
doi:10.1186/s13002-020-00388-y
PMID:32539795
Insecticidal and Nematicidal Contributions of Mexican Flora in the Search for Safer Biopesticides Hernández-Carlos B, Gamboa-Angulo M Molecules 04-Mar-2019
PMCID:PMC6429201
doi:10.3390/molecules24050897
PMID:30836688
Medicinal Plants from North and Central America and the Caribbean Considered Toxic for Humans: The Other Side of the Coin Alonso-Castro AJ, Domínguez F, Ruiz-Padilla AJ, Campos-Xolalpa N, Zapata-Morales JR, Carranza-Alvarez C, Maldonado-Miranda JJ Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 02-Nov-2017
PMCID:PMC5688365
doi:10.1155/2017/9439868
PMID:29234446
Agroforestry systems of the lowland alluvial valleys of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve: an evaluation of their biocultural capacity Vallejo M, Casas A, Pérez-Negrón E, Moreno-Calles AI, Hernández-Ordoñez O, Tellez O, Dávila P J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 19-Feb-2015
PMCID:PMC4429347
doi:10.1186/1746-4269-11-8
PMID:25971552
Recent Examples of Natural Products Isolation by Countercurrent Chromatographic Methods Isao Kubo Informa UK Limited 07-Jul-2007
doi:10.1080/10826079208016352
Identification of Plant Growth Inhibitory Principles in Ailanthus altissima and Castela tortuosa Lee-Juian Lin, Galen Peiser, Bai-Ping Ying, Kristina Mathias, Faina Karasina, Zhan Wang, Joyce Itatani, Laddie Green, Yih-Shen Hwang American Chemical Society (ACS) 10-Mar-2005
doi:10.1021/JF00054A056
Castelalin, a quassinoid from Castela tortuosa Isao Kubo, Yoshihiro Murai, Swapan K. Chaudhuri Elsevier BV 25-Jul-2002
doi:10.1016/0031-9422(93)85540-8
A quassinoid glucoside from the bark of Castela tortuosa Isao Kubo, Swapan K. Chaudhuri Elsevier BV 25-Jul-2002
doi:10.1016/0031-9422(92)80139-6
Two quassinoid glucosides from Castela tortuosa Swapan K. Chaudhuri, Isao Kubo Elsevier BV 25-Jul-2002
doi:10.1016/S0031-9422(00)97563-0
Structure of chaparramarin, a quassinoid from Castela tortuosa Isao Kubo, Yoshihiro Murai, Swapan K. Chaudhuri Elsevier BV 25-Jul-2002
doi:10.1016/0031-9422(92)83489-L

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.
Name PubChem ID Canonical SMILES MW Found in Proof
> Alkaloids and derivatives
6-(11-Hydroxydodecyl)-2-(hydroxymethyl)piperidin-3-ol 315679 Click to see 315.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(93)85540-8
> Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives / Gallic acid and derivatives / Galloyl esters
Methyl Gallate 7428 Click to see 184.15 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(93)85540-8
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene glycosides / Diterpene glycosides
5,16,17-Trihydroxy-6,14,18-trimethyl-4-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-3,10-dioxapentacyclo[9.8.0.01,7.04,19.013,18]nonadec-13-en-9-one 163030752 Click to see CC1C2CC(=O)OC3C24COC(C1O)(C4C5(C(C(CC(=C5C3)C)O)O)C)OC6C(C(C(C(O6)CO)O)O)O 542.60 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(92)80139-6
https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(93)85540-8
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene lactones / Quassinoids
(1R,2S,3R,4S,6R,7S,9R,13S,14R,15S,17S)-3,4,15-trihydroxy-2,6,14,17-tetramethyl-10-oxatetracyclo[7.7.1.02,7.013,17]heptadecane-11,16-dione 162869924 Click to see CC1CC(C(C2(C1CC3C4(C2C(=O)C(C(C4CC(=O)O3)C)O)C)C)O)O 366.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(93)85540-8
(1R,2S,3R,6R,7S,9R,13S,14R,15R,17S)-3,15-dihydroxy-2,6,14,17-tetramethyl-10-oxatetracyclo[7.7.1.02,7.013,17]heptadecane-4,11,16-trione 101634585 Click to see 364.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1080/10826079208016352
https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(92)83489-L
(1S,4R,5R,6R,7S,11R,13S,16S,17S,18S,19R)-4,5,17-trihydroxy-6,14,18-trimethyl-16-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-3,10-dioxapentacyclo[9.8.0.01,7.04,19.013,18]nonadec-14-en-9-one 101634583 Click to see CC1C2CC(=O)OC3C24COC(C1O)(C4C5(C(C3)C(=CC(C5O)OC6C(C(C(C(O6)CO)O)O)O)C)C)O 542.60 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)97563-0
(1S,4R,5R,6R,7S,8R,11R,13S,16S,17S,18S,19R)-4,5,8,16,17-pentahydroxy-6,14,18-trimethyl-3,10-dioxapentacyclo[9.8.0.01,7.04,19.013,18]nonadec-14-en-9-one 12310233 Click to see CC1C2C(C(=O)OC3C24COC(C1O)(C4C5(C(C3)C(=CC(C5O)O)C)C)O)O 396.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)97563-0
(1S,4R,5R,6R,7S,8R,11R,13S,16S,17S,18S,19R)-4,5,8,17-tetrahydroxy-6,14,18-trimethyl-16-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-3,10-dioxapentacyclo[9.8.0.01,7.04,19.013,18]nonadec-14-en-9-one 101634584 Click to see 558.60 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)97563-0
(1S,4S,5R,6R,7S,11R,16S,17S,18R,19R)-5,16,17-trihydroxy-6,14,18-trimethyl-4-[(2R,3S,4R,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-3,10-dioxapentacyclo[9.8.0.01,7.04,19.013,18]nonadec-13-en-9-one 163030753 Click to see CC1C2CC(=O)OC3C24COC(C1O)(C4C5(C(C(CC(=C5C3)C)O)O)C)OC6C(C(C(C(O6)CO)O)O)O 542.60 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(93)85540-8
1,11,12-Trihydroxy-11,20-epoxypicras-3-ene-2,16-dione 324240 Click to see 378.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/JF00054A056
https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(92)83489-L
1,2,11,12-Tetrahydroxy-11,20-epoxypicras-3-en-16-one 280690 Click to see 380.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(92)83489-L
1,2,12,20-Tetrahydroxypicras-3-ene-11,16-dione 122723 Click to see 380.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(92)83489-L
https://doi.org/10.1080/10826079208016352
3,15-Dihydroxy-2,6,14,17-tetramethyl-10-oxatetracyclo[7.7.1.02,7.013,17]heptadecane-4,11,16-trione 162954597 Click to see 364.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(92)83489-L
3,4,15-Trihydroxy-2,6,14,17-tetramethyl-10-oxatetracyclo[7.7.1.02,7.013,17]heptadecane-11,16-dione 4482264 Click to see 366.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(93)85540-8
4,5,17-Trihydroxy-6,14,18-trimethyl-16-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-3,10-dioxapentacyclo[9.8.0.01,7.04,19.013,18]nonadec-14-en-9-one 163070514 Click to see 542.60 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)97563-0
4,5,8,17-Tetrahydroxy-6,14,18-trimethyl-16-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-3,10-dioxapentacyclo[9.8.0.01,7.04,19.013,18]nonadec-14-en-9-one 162934650 Click to see 558.60 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)97563-0
4,5,8,17-Tetrahydroxy-6,14,18-trimethyl-3,10-dioxapentacyclo[9.8.0.01,7.04,19.013,18]nonadec-14-ene-9,16-dione 5036051 Click to see 394.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(93)85540-8
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)97563-0
Chaparrin 441791 Click to see 380.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(92)83489-L
https://doi.org/10.1080/10826079208016352
Chaparrinone 73154 Click to see 378.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/JF00054A056
https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(92)83489-L
https://doi.org/10.1080/10826079208016352
Glaucarubol 225484 Click to see 396.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)97563-0
Glaucarubolone 441797 Click to see 394.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(93)85540-8
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)97563-0
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds
Sucrose 5988 Click to see 342.30 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(92)80139-6
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Monosaccharides / Hexoses
D-Glucose 5793 Click to see C(C1C(C(C(C(O1)O)O)O)O)O 180.16 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(92)80139-6
D(+)-Glucose 107526 Click to see C(C(C(C(C(C=O)O)O)O)O)O 180.16 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(92)80139-6
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Sugar alcohols
Glycerin 753 Click to see C(C(CO)O)O 92.09 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(92)80139-6
> Organoheterocyclic compounds / Azoles / Imidazoles
Allantoin 204 Click to see C1(C(=O)NC(=O)N1)NC(=O)N 158.12 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(92)80139-6
https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(93)85540-8
> Organoheterocyclic compounds / Azolidines / Imidazolidines / Hydantoins / Allantoins
(S)-(+)-allantoin 439714 Click to see 158.12 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(93)85540-8
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Flavan-3-ols
(-)-Fisetinidol 442397 Click to see 274.27 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(93)85540-8
3,3',4',7-Tetrahydroxyflavan 3984814 Click to see 274.27 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(93)85540-8

Gallery Top

We don't have an image yet. Upload an image!

Contributors Top

No known contributors. Be the first!

Collections Top

In private collections 0
In public collections 0
You need to be authenticated in order to add this taxon to a personal collection.