spina gleditsiae

Spina gleditsiae is the dried spine (thorn) of the plant Gleditsia sinensis Lam., a member of the Leguminosae family. It is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb known as 皂角刺 (Zao Jiao Ci) and has been used for centuries in East Asian medicine. Traditionally, it is employed for its anticancer, detoxification, detumescence (reducing swelling), apocenosis (promoting discharge of pus), and antiparasitic effects[1][2][4][5]. Modern pharmacological studies have identified a wide range of bioactive compounds in spina gleditsiae—including flavonoids, phenolic acids, triterpenoids, steroids, saponins, coumarins and polysaccharides—which contribute to its reported activities such as anti-inflammatory, antiatherogenic (preventing arterial plaque), antimicrobial/antibacterial/antiviral effects and immunomodulation[6][8][10]. Recent research highlights its potential antioxidant properties due to polysaccharide content[4], as well as possible roles in cancer therapy through inhibition of oncogene expression and modulation of targets like TNF-α and IL-6 via active flavonoids such as fisetin[8]. Spina gleditsiae is listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia.

Other names

Gleditsiae SpinaZao Jiao Ci皂角刺Gleditsia Thornspine of Gleditsia sinensis