Common Name:

General Information

Kadsura heteroclita is an evergreen climbing shrub with twining stems that can be 10 metres or more long.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is grown as an ornamental in gardens.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, southern China, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia

Habitat

Primarily in submontane to montane forests, generally over rocks, or supported by shrubs or trees[]. Forests, ravines and along the sides of rivers; at elevations from 800 - 2,000 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Climber
Height	10.00 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Kadsura heteroclita is native from warm temperate areas to the wet tropicsa of southern Asia. It has some frost tolerance and has been grown successfully in maritime climates such as western Britain.
Requires a sheltered position in a moderately fertile well-drained neutral to acid soil200]. Prefers a position in semi-shade[].
Flowers are produced on the current year's growth[]. Plants can flower and fruit all year round, especially in the moister, southerly part of its range[].
Plants do not really require pruning[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[, , ]. An unusual citrusy, sweet, mildly peppery flavour. The red, subglobose, aggregate fruit is comprised of around 33 - 41 apocarps 10 - 22mm long and 8 - 10mm wide, each containing 1 - 2 seeds[, ].

Seed[]. The pear-shaped seeds are 4 - 7mm long and wide[]. No more details are given.

Medicinal

The stems are used in southern China for the treatment of menstrual irregularities, blood deficiencies, and other female disorders[].
Derivatives of the root and stem are used as an analgesic and to ameliorate rheumatism, gastroenteritis, and malaria[].

The stems have been used in Chinese folk medicine to promote blood circulation and for the treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcer, acute and chronic gastroenteritis, postpartum abdominal pain and trauma[].

The stem contains dibenzocyclooctadiene type lignans. The plant lignans showed PAF (platelet activating factor) receptor antagonistic activity. The lignans have also been reported to be potent inhibitors of lipid peroxidation in rat liver[]..
The fruit contains gomisin D, which is an active ingredient of an antiulcer agent[].

Kadsura species are widely used for a variety of medicinal purposes throughout the geographical range of the genus. Little distinction is made between species, presumably due to the common presence of similar pharmacologically active constituents. Although it can be presumed that a wide range of different Kadsura species have been used medicinally, it is generally only themore common species that are reported in the literature[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown when it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame[]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on for at least their first winter in a greenhouse. Plant out in early summer and give some protection for their first winter outdoors.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, August in a frame. Overwinter in the greenhouse and plant out in late spring[, ]. Good percentage[].
Layering of long shoots in the autumn[].