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Family Compositae
Endiba
Cichorium endivia Linn .
ENDIVE

Ku ju

Scientific names Common names
Cichorium casnia Wall. Endiba (Tag.)
Cichorium casnia C.B.Clarke Endive (Engl.)
Cichorium crispum Mill. [Illegitimate] Escarole (Engl.)
Cichorium endivia L.  
Cichorium esculentum Salisb. [Illegitimate]  
Cichorium intybus var. endivia (L.) C.B.Clarke  
Cichorium endivia L. is an accepted name. The Plant List

Other vernacular names
ARABIC: Hindiba, Kasiniyah, Sikuri.
CHINESE: Ku ju.
DANISH: Endivie.
ESTONIAN: Endiiviasigur.
FINNISH: Endiivi.
FRENCH: Chicon, Chicorée blanche, Petite endive, Scarole..
GERMAN: Endivienwegwarte, Endivien, Endivie, Escariol.
ITALIAN: Indivia, Endivia.
JAPANESE: Kiku jisha, Fanna tsisa.
NEPALESE: Kassinii..
MALAY: Andewi.
POLISH: Endywia.
ROMANIAN: Andivia, Cicoare de gradina.
RUSSIAN: Endivij, Cikorij salatnyj.
SPANISH: Endivia, Escarola crespa.
SWEDISH: Endiv.
TURKISH: Hindiba, Yaban marulu..

Botany
Endive is a cultivated plant growing up to 1 to 1.7 meters high, with a dense rosette of curly leaves arising from the base. Leaves are brittle, oblong, and lobed or cut. Flowers are purple or pale blue, the upper ones passing into leafy bracts.

Distribution
- Cultivated around Manila and other large towns.
- Cultivated from imported seeds.
- Grows best in the Baguio area.

- Native of the Mediterranean region.

C. endivia and C. intybus
- There is confusion between Cichorium endivia and Cichorium intybus. Both are accepted names of separate species. (The Plant List)
- C. endivia var. crispum, C. endivia var. latifolium, and C. intybus var. endivia are synonyms and variants of Cichorium endivia.
- C. intybus var. endivia is a synonym/variant of Cichorium endiva rather than a variant of Cichorium intybus.
- The three main types of endives seen in the culinary setting are: (1) curly endive / frisée (2) broad-leaf endive / escarole, and (3) Belgian endive--each varying in taste and bitterness.
- Curly endive (Frisée) with the scientific name of Cichorium endivia var crispum, sometimes called chicory. It has a bushy head of curly greens, with bitterness more intense in the darker shade of green.
- Broad-leaved endive (Escarole) - it is a the same genus and species of the curly endive, but a different variant. The lighter colored leaves are less bitter.
- Belgian endive - it is a form of common chicory, Cichorium intybus, a different species from the two other endives. It is described as rocket-shaped--a small cylindrical head of lettuce with pale yellow leaves and slightly curly edges. (Endive / The Spruce) (11)

Constituents
- Excellent source of calcium and iron.
- Leaves contain inosit, a bitter principle, ceryl alcohol, d- and B-lactucerol and traces of urea.
- Root yielded twelve known sesquiterpene lactones and a new guaianolide 10ß-methoxy-1α, 11ß,13-tetrahydrolactucin, together with three known phenolic acid esters. (1)

- Phytochemical screening yielded five compounds: 2-furanmethanol-(5'→11)-1,3-cyclopentadiene-[5,4-c]-1H-cinnoline, 2-phenylethyl-β-D-glucopyranoside, kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucoside, kaempferol, and adenosine. (see study below) (4)
- Nutritive value analysis per 100 g reveals nutrient values of 17 Kcal, carbohydrate 3.35 g, protein 1.25 g, total fat 0.20 g, cholesterol 0 mg, dietary fiber 3.10 g; vitamins: folates 142 µg, niacin 0.4 mg, pantothenic acid 0.9 mg, pyridoxine 0.02 mg, riboflavin 0.075 mg, thiamin 0.08 mg, vitamin A 2167 IU, vitamin C 6.5 mg, vitamin E 0.44 mg, vitamin K 231 µg; electrolytes: sodium 22 mg, potassium 314 mg; minerals: calcium 52 mg, copper 0.099 mg, iron 0.83 mg, magnesium 15 mg, manganese 0.420 mg, phosphorus 28 mg, selenium 0.2 mcg, zinc 0.79 mg; phytonutrients: carotene-ß 1300 µg. (7)

Properties
- Leaves of wild plants are very bitter.
- Considered resolvent and cooling.
- Roots considered tonic, demulcent, stimulant, and febrifuge.

Parts used
Leaves.

Uses

Edibility / Culinary
- Leaves eaten raw or cooked.
- Used for salads, like lettuce.
- Leaves have variable bitterness. Blanching which reduces bitterness may also decrease its nutritional value.
Folkloric
- Much valued by the Hakims as a resolvent and cooling medicine and prescribed in bilious complaints.
- Roots used for dyspepsia and fever, as a tonic and demulcent.
- Root considered warm stimulating, and febrifuge.
- Fruit is a cooling remedy for fevers, headaches and jaundice.


Studies
Phytochemicals:
Study of the roots isolated twelve known sesquiterpene lactones and a new gualanolid 10b-methoxy-1a,11b,13-tetrahydrolactucin with three known phenolic esters. (1)
Photoprotection: Application of a root extract on the skin prior to UVB irradiation totally prevented erythema. Study suggests C. endivia extracts might possess sun-protective qualities that make them potentially useful as sunscreens. (2)
Hepatoprotective / Anti-Oxidative on HepG2 Cells: Study evaluated the in vitro and in vivo hepatoprotective properties of C. endivia extract. Results showed CEE significantly blocked oxidative stress and cytotoxicity induced by t-BPH in HepG2 cells. Results suggest CEE may be a valid safe remedy to cure liver disease. (4) Cichorium endiva extracts inhibited H2O2-injured HepG2 cells by reducing the ROS level. The CE extract's antioxidant mechanism may be closely related to the antioxidant defense mechanism associated with its activation of the Nrf2-ARE pathway in HepG2 cells. (10)
Antiproliferative / Breast Cancer: The anticancer activity of root extract was examined on a breast cancer line MFC7 and compared with anticancer 5FU (5-fluorouracil). The expression of DNA markers was high both in cells treated with 5FU and root extract. Results show C. endivia contains a combination of phenolic compounds and presents as anticancer especially for breast cancer. (5)
Antidiabetic / Ameliorative Effect of Leaves on Oxidative Stress / Leaves: Study evaluated the antidiabetic effect of an aqueous suspension of CE leaves powder in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Results indicated the role of oxidative stress in diabetes induction and showed a protective and/or ameliorative effect of CE, similar to glibenclamide. (6)
Hepatoprotective / Antioxidant: Study evaluated a hydroalcoholic extract of C. endivia leaves against acetaminophen-induced oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity in mice. Results showed hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity comparable to silymarin, a known hepatoprotective drug.
(8)

Availability
Cultivated.


Updated March 2018 / May 2015

IMAGE SOURCE: Digitally modified and cropped / Pubic Domain (1) File:Cichorium endiva.jpg / Susan Boyer / Wikimedia Commons
IMAGE SOURCE: Photo id: 5287 - cultivated endive (Cichorium endivia) / Photo by Leo Michels. Usage: Public Domain / Foto visualizzata 13 volte / alterVISTA

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Sesquiterpenoids and phenolics from roots of Cichorium endivia var. crispum / Wanda Kisiel and Klaudia Michalska / Fitoterapia Volume 77, Issue 5, July 2006, Pages 354-357 / doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2006.04.009 |
(2)
Photoprotection by Cichorium endivia Extracts: Prevention of UVB-Induced Erythema, Pyrimidine Dimer Formation and IL-6 Expression / C D Enk, M Hochberg et al / Skin Pharmacol Physiol 2004;17:1 (DOI:10.1159/000074056)
(3)
Sorting Cichorium names / Maintained by: Michel H. Porcher, / MULTILINGUAL MULTISCRIPT PLANT NAME DATABASE / Copyright © 1997 - 2000 The University of Melbourne.
(4)
Hepatoprotective Activity of Cichorium endivia L. Extract and Its Chemical Constituents / Chao-Jie Chen , An-Jun Deng , Chang Liu, Rui Shi, Hai-Lin Qin, and Ai-Ping Wang / Molecules 2011, 16(11), 9049-9066; doi:10.3390/molecules16119049
(5)
Molecular and biochemical evaluation of anti- proliferative effect of (Cichorium endivia, L.) phenolic extracts on breast cancer cell line: MCF7 / Ali Alshehri* and Hafez E. Elsayed / E3 Journal of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Research Vol. 3(4), pp. 74-82, June 2012
(6)
Effect of Cichorium endivia Leaves on Some Biochemical Parameters in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats / Zeinab H. Kamel, Iman Daw and Mohamed Marzouk / Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 5(7): 387-396, 2011 ISSN 1991-8178
(7)
Endive (Cichorium endivia) Nutrient Analysis / USDA National Nutrient data base)
(8)
Hepatoprotective and Antioxidant Effects of Cichorium Endivia L / Sayed, M. M. A. A., and A. M. Soliman / Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences, 2011.
(9)
Cichorium endivia / Synonyms / The Plant List
(10)
Study on anti-oxidative effects of extracts from Cichorium endivia on HepG2 cells and its mechanism / Chen CJ, Zhan LJ, Wei JF, Jin HT, Qin HL, Wang AP /
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica, July 2014; 39(14): pp 2716-2720
(11)
Endive: The Difference Between the Three Main Types of Endive
/ Danilo Alfaro / The Spruce

It is not uncommon for links on studies/sources to change. Copying and pasting the information on the search window or using the DOI (if available) will often redirect to the new link page.

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