Chinese Senega

At a glance

Origin / distribution: China

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Abscess, Amnesia, Cardiotonic, Expectorant

Science studied: N-ACETYL-D-GLUCOSAMINE, BETA-AMYRIN, ARSENIC, CALCIUM

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Polygalaceae

Scientific name: Polygala tenuifolia

Common names: Chinese Senega, Chinese senega-root, Thin-leaf milkwort, istod tonkolistnyj, kinesisk senegarot, wonji, yuan zhi, 원지

POWO: 692440-1 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in China.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Abscess
• Amnesia
• Cardiotonic
• Expectorant
• Nervine
• Renitis
• Sore
• Apprehension

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• China

Documented cultural uses

• Abscess
• Amnesia
• Cardiotonic
• Expectorant
• Nervine
• Renitis
• Sore
• Apprehension
• Cold
• Insomnia
• Swelling
• Cough

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Abscess · China · "
• Amnesia · China · "
• Cardiotonic · China · "
• Expectorant · China · "
• Nervine · China · "
• Renitis · China · "
• Sore · China · "
• Apprehension · China · "
• Cold · China · "
• Insomnia · China · "
• Swelling · China · "
• Cough · China · "

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• Methyl jasmonate induces the biosynthesis and accumulation of triterpenoid saponins in Polygala tenuifolia hairy roots. · 2026 source ↗
• Independent recruitment of enzymes for phenylpropanoid sucrose ester biosynthesis in Polygala tenuifolia. · 2026 source ↗
• A new oligolignan and a new phenylpropanoid from the roots of <i>Polygala tenuifolia</i> with anti-neuroinflammatory activity. · 2026 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• N-ACETYL-D-GLUCOSAMINE
• BETA-AMYRIN
• ARSENIC
• CALCIUM
• COPPER
• 6-HYDROXY-1,2,3,7-TETRAMETHOXYXANTHONE
• IRON
• MAGNESIUM
• MANGANESE
• ONJISAPONIN-B
• ONJISAPONIN-C
• ONJISAPONIN-E
• ONJISAPONIN-F
• 1,2,3,6,7-PENTAMETHOXYXANTHONE
• 2,3,6,7,8-PENTAMETHOXYXANTHONE
• POLYGALITOL

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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