Lignum Quassia

At a glance

Origin / distribution: Asia, India(Punjab), Japan, JP, TW

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Fever, Insecticide, Itch, Pulicide

Science studied: 1-ACETYL-BETA-CARBOLINE, BETA-CARBOLIN-1-YL-4,8-DIMETHOXY-BETA-CARBOLIN-1-YL-ETHYL..., 4,8-DIMETHOXY-1-ETHYL-BETA-CARBOLINE, 4,8-DIMETHOXY-1-(2-METHOXYETHYL)-BETA-CARBOLINE

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

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

Names and identity

Family: Simaroubaceae

Scientific name: Picrasma quassioides

Common names: Lignum Quassia, Nigaki, Shurni, Bitter ash, Bitter wood, Bitterwood, horkavec kvasiovitý, hořčina hořkoňová, ku shu, nigaki, shurni, Пикрасма квассиевидная, ニガキ, 苦木, 苦木叶, 苦木根, 苦树, 苦树皮, 苦树（苦木）, 苦樹

POWO: 813963-1 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in Asia, India(Punjab), Japan, Elsewhere, JP, TW.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Fever
• Insecticide
• Itch
• Pulicide
• Stomachic

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• Asia
• India(Punjab)
• Japan
• Elsewhere
• JP
• TW

Documented cultural uses

• Fever
• Insecticide
• Itch
• Pulicide
• Stomachic

Cultural record detail

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

• Fever · Asia · "
• Insecticide · India(Punjab) · "
• Insecticide · Japan · "
• Itch · Elsewhere · "
• Pulicide · Elsewhere · "
• Stomachic · Elsewhere · "
• Fever · India(Punjab) · "

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

• Design, synthesis and anti-tumor activation of β-carboline alkaloids derivatives from Picrasma quassioides. · 2026 source ↗
• Exploring the molecular mechanism of cellular senescence induced by Picrasma quassioides in HepG2 based on RNA sequencing · 2026 source ↗
• Decoding the Chloroplast Genome of Bitterwood (<i>Picrasma quassioides</i>): Structure, Variability, and Evolutionary Relationships. · 2025 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• 1-ACETYL-BETA-CARBOLINE
• BETA-CARBOLIN-1-YL-4,8-DIMETHOXY-BETA-CARBOLIN-1-YL-ETHYL...
• 4,8-DIMETHOXY-1-ETHYL-BETA-CARBOLINE
• 4,8-DIMETHOXY-1-(2-METHOXYETHYL)-BETA-CARBOLINE
• 1-HYDROXYMETHYL-BETA-CARBOLINE
• KUSULACTONE
• 3-METHYLCANTHIN-2,6-DIONE
• METHYLNIGAKINONE
• NEOQUASSIN
• NIGAKIHEMIACETAL-A
• NIGAKILACTONE-A
• NIGAKILACTONE-C
• NIGAKILACTONE-E
• NIGAKILACTONE-F
• PALMITIC-ACID
• PETROSELINIC-ACID

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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