Lock vine - Lock vine

Japanese: カギカズラ - かぎかずら

A climbing woody plant of the Rubiaceae family with modified hooks on its stems, it grows in evergreen forests such as those of shrines and temples, and in areas where trees have been cut down. It can reach a height of several tens of meters and has many branches, so it is easy to spot even from a distance (illustration). The hooks are called koutou or chiyoutoukou, and contain an alkaloid called rhynchophilline, which is used as a sedative and analgesic for rheumatism, mental instability, convulsions, night crying in children, and epilepsy. In recent years, it has also been found to have a blood pressure lowering effect, making it effective for heart and cerebrovascular disease, nephritis, and anemic hypertension.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

アカネ科のつる性木本，茎の変形した鉤（かぎ）があり，社寺林などの常緑樹林内や伐採跡などにも生え，高さ数十mの樹冠まで達し，よく枝を張るので，遠目にもそれとすぐわかる（イラスト）。鉤は鉤藤（こうとう），釣藤鉤（ちようとうこう）と呼ばれ，リンコフィリンrhynchophillineというアルカロイドを含み，鎮静，鎮痛薬としてリウマチ，精神不安定，けいれん，小児の夜泣き，てんかんなどに用いられる。近年，血圧降下作用のあることもわかり，心臓および脳血管の病変，腎炎あるいは貧血性の高血圧症に効果がある。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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