Jalap

At a glance

Origin / distribution: Turkey, Mexico, BR, IN, TW

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Cathartic, Hydragogue, Purgative, Diuretic

Science studied: CAFFEIC-ACID, CETYL-ALCOHOL, EXEGONIC-ACID, IPURANOL

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

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

Names and identity

Family: Convolvulaceae

Scientific name: Ipomoea purga

Common names: Jalap, Calapa, Herbst-Prunkwinde, Jalap-lehtertapp, Jalape, Vaistinis sukutis, Veracruz jalap, Wilec przeczyszczający, campanilla, campanúla, chupamiel, hoja de jalapa, jalap, jalapa

POWO: 269627-1 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in Elsewhere, Turkey, Mexico, BR, IN, TW.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Cathartic
• Hydragogue
• Purgative
• Diuretic
• Sore

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• Elsewhere
• Turkey
• Mexico
• BR
• IN
• TW

Documented cultural uses

• Cathartic
• Hydragogue
• Purgative
• Diuretic
• Sore

Cultural record detail

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

• Cathartic · Elsewhere · "
• Cathartic · Turkey · "
• Hydragogue · Elsewhere · "
• Purgative · Elsewhere · "
• Diuretic · Mexico · "
• Sore · Mexico · "

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

• Resin glycosides from the herbal drug jalap (Ipomoea purga). · 2011 source ↗
• Purgin II, a resin glycoside ester-type dimer and inhibitor of multidrug efflux pumps from Ipomoea purga. · 2012 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• CAFFEIC-ACID
• CETYL-ALCOHOL
• EXEGONIC-ACID
• IPURANOL
• JALAPINOLIC-ACID
• METHYL-ETHYL-ACETIC-ACID
• QUINOVOSIDES
• RESIN
• SCOPOLETIN
• STARCH
• VALERIC-ACID
• CAFFEIC-ACID-METHYL-ESTER
• CONVOLVULINE
• JALAPINE
• ORIZABINE
• SCAMMONINE

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

checking published revisions…