Smilax ornata
| Smilax ornata | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| Order: | Liliales |
| Family: | Smilacaceae |
| Genus: | Smilax |
| Species: | S. ornata |
| Binomial name | |
| Smilax ornata Lem. | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Smilax ornata is a perennial, trailing vine with prickly stems that is native to Mexico and Central America.[3] Common names include sarsaparilla (/ˌsæspəˈrɪlə/ or /ˌsɑːspəˈrɪlə/),[4] Honduran sarsaparilla,[4] and Jamaican sarsaparilla.[4] It is known in Spanish as zarzaparrilla, which is derived from the words zarza meaning "bramble" (from Basque sartzia "bramble"), and parrilla, meaning "little grape vine".[5][6][7][8][9]
Uses
Food
S. ornata is used as the basis for a soft drink frequently called sarsaparilla. It is also a primary ingredient in old fashioned-style root beer,[10] in conjunction with sassafras,[11] which was more widely available prior to studies of its potential health risks.[12]
Traditional medicine
S. ornata was considered by Native Americans to have medicinal properties, and was a popular European treatment for syphilis when it was introduced from the New World. From 1820 to 1910, it was registered in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia as a treatment for syphilis.
Gallery
Triterpenes, a constituent of sarsaparilla
Sarsaparilloside, a constituent of sarsaparilla
Sarsaparilla R1
Sarsaparilla R2
Parillin, a constituent of sarsaparilla
See also
- Hemidesmus indicus, Indian sarsaparilla
- Aralia nudicaulis, wild sarsaparilla or false sarsaparilla
- Sweet sarsaparilla (Smilax glyciphylla), a vine native to eastern Australia[13]
References
- ↑ "The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species". Retrieved 12 August 2014.
- ↑ "Tropicos.org". Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- ↑ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
- 1 2 3 "Smilax regelii Killip & C. V. Morton". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2010-02-03. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
- ↑ Sarsaparilla
- ↑ Davidse, G. & al. (eds.) (1994). Flora Mesoamericana 6: 1-543. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F..
- ↑ Balick, M.J., Nee, M.H. & Atha, D.E. (2000). Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Belize with Common Names an Uses: 1-246. New York Botanic Garden Press, New York.
- ↑ Espejo Serena, A. & López-Ferrari, A.R. (2000). Las Monocotiledóneas Mexicanas una Sinopsis Florística 1(9-11): 1-337. Consejo Nacional de la Flora de México, México D.F..
- ↑ Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
- ↑ Encyclopædia Britannica. "sarsaparilla (flavouring) – Britannica Online Encyclopedia". Britannica.com. Retrieved 2010-07-15.
- ↑ Era, P (1893). The era formulary: 5000 formulas for druggists. A collection of original and prize formulas, to which has been added a selection of formulas from standard authorities in the English, French and German ... D. O. Haynes & company. p. 400. ISBN 978-1-145-42702-0.
- ↑ Dietz, B; Bolton, Jl (Apr 2007). "Botanical Dietary Supplements Gone Bad". Chemical research in toxicology. 20 (4): 586–90. ISSN 0893-228X. PMC 2504026
. PMID 17362034. doi:10.1021/tx7000527. - ↑ "PlantNET – FloraOnline". Plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 2010-07-15.
External links
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Wikispecies has information related to: Smilax ornata |
- Sarsaparilla Root and Herb Information
- Whatever happened to the soft drink sarsaparilla? Cecil Adams, 1977