Picrodendraceae

The Picrodendraceae family belongs to the order Malpighiales within the class Magnoliopsida. It is primarily distributed in tropical regions worldwide, with a few species extending into temperate zones. Most members of this family are trees or shrubs that possess both medicinal and scientific value; some species are used in traditional medicine for their ability to clear heat, detoxify, kill parasites, and relieve itching. Among them, Picrodendron is used medicinally; the medicinal parts are the root bark and stem bark, which can treat scabies and eczema. For external use, the bark can be pounded into a paste for application or boiled in water for washing. To date, natural compounds such as sesquiterpenes, flavonoids, and steroids have been isolated from this family, offering broad prospects for application.