Quillaja saponaria
Quillaja saponaria
The Soap-Bark Tree (Quillaja saponaria Molina) is an arboreal species belonging to the Quillajaceae family.
Systematics –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota Domain,
Kingdom Plantae,
Subarign Tracheophytes,
Superdivision Angiosperms,
Magnoliopsida class,
Subclass Rosidae,
Fabales Order,
Quillajaceae family,
Genus Quillaja,
Species Q. saponaria.
The terms are synonymous:
– Leucoxyla saponaria (Molina) Rojas Acosta;
– Quillaja poeppigii Walp .;
– Smegmadermos marginalized Ruiz & Pav ..
Etymology –
The term Quillaja derives from the Chilean vulgar name of this species, culay.
The specific soap epithet comes from sápo, sapónis soap: which produces soapy substances.
Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Quillaja saponaria is a plant native to warm temperate central Chile. In Chile it is found from about 32 to 40 ° south latitude and up to 2000 m above sea level.
Its natural habitat is that of the forests of La Campana National Park and Cerro La Campana, where it is associated with the Chilean wine palm, Jubaea chilensis. Here it resists drought and tolerates low temperatures down to about -12 ° C.
It is often used for reforestation on arid land. It was introduced as an ornamental tree in California. The trees have been acclimatized in Spain but are rarely cultivated.
Description –
Quillaja saponaria is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 15–20 m in height.
The tree has a thick, dark bark.
The leaves are evergreen smooth, leathery, shiny, oval, 3–5 cm long.
The flowers are white in the shape of a star of 15 mm in diameter carried in dense corymbs.
The fruit is dry, with five follicles each containing 10-20 seeds.
Cultivation –
Quillaja saponaria is a plant that, in its areas of origin, can grow up to 2000 meters above sea level. and withstand aridity and temperatures down to about -12 ° C.
The plant is collected in nature, by local populations, both for medicinal use and for other uses.
The plant can be grown in its habitat in areas with a milder climate but requires well-drained fertile soil in a sunny position.
Young seedlings can be damaged by late frosts, so it is best to place the plants in a location that is sheltered from the early morning sun.
This species is cultivated in some warm temperate areas of the world for the saponins present in its bark.
Propagation occurs by seed which is sown in spring. The young seedlings are then transplanted into single and protected pots for the first winter and permanently transplanted outdoors in the following spring.
It is also possible to prepare cuttings of fully mature one year old wood to root in autumn.
Customs and Traditions –
Quillaja saponaria is a plant whose inner bark can be reduced to powder and used as a substitute for soap, as it forms a foam with water, due to the presence of a glycosidic saponin, sometimes distinguished as quillaia saponin. It is also applied as an agricultural spray adjuvant. The same substance, or a very similar substance, is found in soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) and sarsaparilla. Wood is used in cabinet making and the scents derived from the tree are used in perfumes and cosmetics.
This tree has a long history of medicinal use, with the Andean people using it as a treatment for various chest problems. It is the source of quillaia, the extract of which is used as a food additive and as an ingredient in pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and fire fighting foam. It is used as an additive in photographic films and as a foaming agent for beverages. The saponin content of the cortex helps stimulate the production of more watery mucus in the airways, thus facilitating the removal of phlegm through coughing. Saponins from this tree are also believed to have adjuvant properties for vaccine solutions. QS21 adjuvant is a saponin obtainable from Quillaja saponaria extract. Novavax anti_COVID-19 vaccine uses this adjuvant.
The inner bark contains about 9% complex saponins and is a very gentle and effective cleanser.
It also contains calcium oxalate and tannin. The bark also contains significant amounts of carbonate of lime.
The sap from the bark is used as a source of compounds for the pharmaceutical industry.
It is still used externally as a skin stimulant in the treatment of ulcers and rashes, dandruff, etc.
Fresh or dried inner bark is a soap substitute.
It is used to clean fabrics and skin.
It can also be used as a hair tonic.
Saponins are also used in dandruff shampoos and exfoliating cleansers.
Despite its wide use, Quillaja saponaria is a plant that still has a very wide distribution; currently it does not face major threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2018).
The internal use of this plant must be carefully monitored by a doctor.
The plant is in fact toxic if taken internally, tending to dissolve red blood cells.
Although poisonous, saponins also have a wide range of medicinal applications and many saponin-rich plants are used in herbal medicine (particularly as emetics, expectorants and febrifuges) or as raw material sources for the pharmaceutical industry.
Saponins have a rather bitter taste and are generally poorly absorbed by the human body, so most pass through without damage. They can be removed by thorough leaching in running water. Full cooking, and perhaps changing the cooking water once, will normally remove most of them as well. However, it is not recommended to eat large amounts of raw foods that contain saponins.
Saponins are much more toxic to many cold-blooded creatures, such as fish, and hunter tribes have traditionally placed large quantities of them in streams, lakes, etc. to cloud or kill the fish and make them easy to catch.
Preparation Method –
The bark of the Quillaja saponaria is reduced to a powder and used as a substitute for soap, as it forms a foam with water.
This is also applied as a spray adjuvant for agriculture.
Wood is used in cabinet making and the scents derived from the tree are used in perfumes and cosmetics.
Guido Bissanti
Sources
– Acta Plantarum – Flora of the Italian Regions.
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– Useful Tropical Plants Database.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (ed.), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora of Italy, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Treben M., 2000. Health from the Lord’s Pharmacy, Advice and experiences with medicinal herbs, Ennsthaler Editore.
Fone photo:
– https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:731377-1
Warning: Pharmaceutical applications and alimurgical uses are indicated for informational purposes only, they do not represent in any way a medical prescription; therefore no responsibility is taken for their use for curative, aesthetic or food purposes.