Gleditsia sinensis

Gleditsia sinensis, known as zào jiá (皂荚) or Chinese honey locust and black locust in English, is a species of flowering plant native to Asia.

Gleditsia sinensis
Gleditsia sinensis trunk with thorns
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Caesalpinioideae
Genus:	Gleditsia
Species:	G. sinensis
Binomial name
Gleditsia sinensis Lam.[1]

Description

Zao jia grows as a tree up to 30 m tall. Spines are often branching and are robust, terete, conical and up to 16 cm in length. Leaves are pinnate. Flowers are yellowish-white and polygamous with male flowers being 9-10 mm in diameter and bisexual flowers being 10-12 mm in diameter with slightly longer petals and sepals. Flowers have 4 petals and 4 sepals.^[2]

Etymology

In China, Gleditsia sinensis is commonly known as zào jiá^[1] (traditional Chinese: 皂莢; simplified Chinese: 皂荚). The English equivalents include Chinese honey locust (or Chinese honeylocust),^[3] soap bean^[4] and soap pod.^[5]

Taxonomy

Zao jia is one of 14 species in the Gleditsia genus in the Caesalpinioideae subfamily of the legume family.^[6] Of these, Gleditsia caspica is the closest phylogenetic relative of G. sinensis.^[7]

Traditional medicine

It is one of the "50 fundamental herbs" used in traditional Chinese medicine. Gleditsia sinensis has been used in China for at least 2000 years as a detergent.^[8] The thorns of Gleditsia sinensis are used as a medicinal herb in China and Korea and may have antitumor properties.^[9] The thorns of Gleditsia sinensis LAM. (Leguminosae) have been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases including swelling, suppuration, carbuncle and skin diseases.^[10]

References

1. "Gleditsia sinensis". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
2. "Gleditsia sinensis in Flora of China @ efloras.org". Flora of China. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
3. "皂荚,皂角,Chinese Honeylocust,Gleditsia sinensis >> 宠物世家--宠物物种中文档案库Species.IntoPet.com". Archived from the original on 2008-10-12. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
4. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry (William A. Taylor, Chief of Bureau) (1914). Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported by the Office of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction During the period from April 1 to June 30, 1912. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. p. 110. Retrieved 2008-10-27. Gleditsia sinensis Lam. Caesalpiniaceae. Soap bean.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
5. "Rootdown.us - Herb - Zao Jia – soap pod – 皂角 – gleditsia fruit, Chinese honeylocust fruit". Retrieved 2008-10-28.
6. "COL | Gleditsia sinensis Lam". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
7. "Gleditsia sinensis - opentree". Open Tree of Life. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
8. "KryssTal: Inventions (1 AD to 1,000 AD)". Retrieved 2008-10-27.
9. Lee S.-J., Park K., Ha S.-D., Kim W.-J., Moon S.-K. (2010). "Gleditsia sinensis thorn extract inhibits human colon cancer cells: The role of ERK1/2, G2/M-phase cell cycle arrest and p53 expression". Phytotherapy Research. 24(12):1870-1876.
10. Ha H.H., Park S.Y., Ko W.S., Kim Y. (2008). "Gleditsia sinensis thorns inhibit the production of NO through NF-B suppression in LPS-stimulated macrophages." Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 118(3):429-434.