AFRICAN SPIDER FLOWER- IMPORTANT PLANT FOR THE FUTURE? HEALTH BENEFITS AND POSSIBLE USES OF THE AFRICAN SPIDER FLOWER

AFRICAN SPIDER FLOWER, CAT’S WHISKERS, AFRICAN CABBAGE, CLEOME GYNANDRA  

This plant is not related to the Caribbean cat’s whiskers plant, but is more closely related to a cabbage, its DNA analysis has shown, so it was moved from the caper family, Capparidaceae or Cappariceae to one of its own recently, and is now in the Cleomaceae family.

  Its true origins are unknown with some claiming it is an African plant, while others believe it originated in Asia. Whatever the case is now grows throughout the tropics and subtropics. It grows to approximately four feet tall and comes into leaf in May, flowers during the months of July and August with its seeds ripening in August and September.                                                     

  It is used as a leafy green vegetable and as medicine. The leaves are rich in the minerals calcium and potassium, and it also contains iron, copper,  magnesium, sodium and zinc. It also contains vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid and beta-carotene. Its flavonoids (rutin, quercetin, luteolin, hesperidin and so on) are thought to be responsible for the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive actions of the plant.

  The seeds produce an edible oil which consists of palmitic, stearic, linoleic, oleic and arachidic fatty acids. This oil is easily extracted and does not need refining before use. The residue or seeds cake is used for animal fodder. It is hoped that because the plant can grow in arid conditions, it could help supply some of the world’s food if global warming continues.

  Apart from the names listed above for this plant it is also called bastard mustard, and its oil has similar properties to mustard oil, and the seeds can be substituted for mustard seeds. It is used to get rid of head lice both in India and Africa.

  In traditional medicine systems it has a whole host of uses, with the leaves having counter-irritant properties. These are used in poultices or applied to relive the pains of rheumatism and arthritis, although one should use them with care as they can cause the skin to blister.

leaves on sale in market

  The juice expressed from the leaves is used for earache and epilepsy, in traditional African medicine systems. In New Guinea, women chew the leaves with betel nut, to improve their fertility.                                                                                                                      

  In Africa the leaves are blanched and sun or air dried and stored for the rainy season when they can be sold in markets. The fresh leaves are also sold in markets in the growing season, and these balls can be stored for up to a year. They are reconstituted in water and then boiled and eaten like spinach. Like the South African foxglove this plant is classed as a vegetable.

  The tender young leaves and shoots are best as a vegetable as the older leaves can be bitter. These have to be boiled and the water discarded. In some parts of Africa they are then mixed with peanut paste which enhances their flavour and lessens the bitterness of the leaves. The tender leaves and flowers can be made into sauces and added to stews.

  The boiled leaves are given to pregnant women and are eaten before and immediately after childbirth. It is said that they help to make the birth easy and they help in loss of blood. They are also given to warriors who have lost blood. An infusion of the leaves is given for anaemia.

  Infusions of the chopped roots are used for chest pains, and an infusion of the leaves is used to stop diarrhoea. One cupful of the root infusion is given to ease childbirth.                                                                                                                      

  The seeds can kill fish so they are scattered into lakes and other bodies of water so that the fish rise to the surface. However, they can also be used to feed domestic birds and poultry. These plants are useful insect repellants and are intercropped with cabbages and other brassicas so that they are not overly disturbed by insects. Both the stem and leaves have insect repellant properties, with the leaves being particularly useful to keep blood-sucking tics away.

  Leaves are used for genitor-urinary problems such as cystitis, as well as to boost the immune system; research is being carried out into their possible use against HIV and their antibacterial properties.

  In the Indian subcontinent the plant is used in Ayurveda as a decoction or infusion of the roots or an infusion of the boiled leaves to get rid of intestinal worms, for ear problems, gastro-enteritis, and other similar problems; the oil is used on tumours and for enlarged prostate glands. A decoction of the root is used for fever, including malaria, and the anti-inflammatory properties of the leaves make them useful in the treatment of pink eye (conjunctivitis).

 In “Review on Cleome gynandra” by Mishra S.S. et al., in the International Journal of Research in Pharmacy and Chemistry, 2011, Vol. 1 (3) pp. 681-9,  it is reported that the plant is given for lowering blood pressure by the traditional healers of the area, while they prescribe the roots and leaves for the treatment of diabetes. The leaf extract has free radical scavenging abilities, and a methanol extract of the plant has shown anti-cancer activities. There is a little evidence that the plant may be useful in the future treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive and age-related memory loss diseases, and it may help in treating diabetes, heart problems, kidney problems, ulcers, and many other ailments.

 Yet another study reports: -

  “These results demonstrate that the plant extract has no harmful effect and exerts in vivo anti-inflammatory properties against adjuvant-induced arthritis.”

 (“Anti-inflammatory activity of Cleome gynandra L. on hematological and cellular constituents in adjuvant-induced arthritic rats.” In Journal of Medicinal Food Vol. 8 (1) spring 2005 pp. 93-99, Narendhirakannan RT, Kandaswamy M, Subramanian S.)

  It would seem that the African Spider Flower plant has many health benefits for us although more research is needed into it.

 

SOUTH AFRICAN FOXGLOVE - A FALSE FOXGLOVE: HEALTH BENEFITS AND POTENTIAL USES OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN FOXGLOVE

SOUTH AFRICAN FOXGLOVE, CERATOTHECA TRILOBA   

The South African foxglove is no relation to the European foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), but is a member of the Pedaliaceae or sesame family of plants. It isn’t in fact a true foxglove, but as you can see from the pictures, looks very like one. It comes in a range of colours, from white through pink to mauve, and in its native South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, it flowers between November and May (it’s in the southern hemisphere). In the northern hemisphere it flowers in spring, and its seeds have ripened by the first autumn frosts. They can grow to heights of one and a half metres tall, so it’s easy to spot, and identify as the plant is covered with tiny hairs – even the three-lobed flowers (triloba).

  In Africa, around 80 per cent of the population use herbal medicine, especially in rural areas, and this wild foxglove is used for a variety of purposes. The tender young leaves can be eaten as long as they are boiled well, and are used like spinach, although they are considered “poor man’s food”. When crushed an unpleasant smell exudes from the leaves, but this dissipates in the cooking process.

  In medicine the leaf tisane or infusion is used to abort unwanted fetuses, to promote menstruation, for stomach cramps, diarrhoea, and irregular menses – clearly a woman’s plant, as black cohosh is.

  A decoction of the roots of this foxglove is used to treat sores. In some parts of Africa the plant is also used for fevers.

  Three new anthraquinones hand an steroid androgen have been identified byViresh Mohanlal et al. “Isolation and characterization of anthraquinone derivatives from Ceratotheca triloba (Bernh.) Hook.f.” in the Journal of Medicinal Plants Research Vol.5 (14) pp 3132-41

. The anthraquinones are similar in structure to a drug used in the treatment of prostate, and breast cancer and leukaemia, so there is hope that the South African foxglove can help in the fight against cancer.                                          

  The plant has antioxidant properties and may be helpful in lowering blood pressure, although more research is needed to see if this is supported by clinical evidence. It may also have the potential to treat diabetes mellitus according to a research paper “Screening of African traditional vegetables for their alpha-amylase inhibitory effect” Bharti Odav et al. July 2010, Journal of Medicinal Plants Research Vol. 4 (14) pp.1502-7. (It is classed as a leafy green vegetable here, although it is not widely eaten.)

  Clearly more research needs to be done on this false foxglove as it may prove extremely beneficial for us.

  

HYACINTH BEAN, LABLAB BEAN: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF THE HYACINTH BEAN

HYACINTH BEAN, LABLAB PURPUREA

The hyacinth, or lablab bean has many other names, including the Egyptian kidney bean, Australian pea, Tonga bean, Kikuyu bean, Indian bean and the Field bean to name but a few. It originated either in India or Africa, or perhaps both locations, as the wild variety which grows in India is a transition species, one which bridges the gap between the truly wild and ancient plant and the cultivated varieties. There are no truly wild species now.

  The hyacinth bean is a member of the bean or pea family, Leguminoseae or Fabaceae; which makes it a relative of the butterfly pea, borlotti beans, chickpeas, carob, broom, milk vetch, laburnum and Indian laburnum, lupins, indigo, the pongam tree, soya beans and many other plants. The former botanical name for the plant was Dolichos lablab.                                        

  It is an ancient crop and has been cultivated at least since 3,500 BC in the Indian subcontinent according to archaeological evidence. It can grow alone or mixed with other crops such as millet, sorghum, castor bean plants, corn or peanuts, and these are the companion crops most used in Africa and Asia.

  In southern Indian states and Africa, the hyacinth, or lablab bean, is one of the most important staple protein crops. In Australia it is cultivated mainly as a feed crop for animals. In the US it is mainly grown as an ornamental plant, for its, dark green, purple-veined leaves and pea-like flowers which range in colour from white to violet and purple.

  The young immature pods with their seeds, or beans, are cooked and eaten like green beans, while the older pods need to be de-stringed in the same way as French beans do. The young leaves may be eaten raw in salads, or cooked like spinach. The flowers are edible too and can be eaten raw, added to soups, or steamed. The tuberous root is starchy and can be baked like a potato or yam, or boiled. The seeds, or beans can be boiled and eaten like broad beans or other beans, but the dried seeds need to be boiled in two changes of water so that all toxins are removed. These toxins are cyanogenic glycosides, and can cause mild symptoms of poisoning.

  In some parts of Asia the beans are left to ferment and are used like soya beans to make tempeh or tofu. They can also be sprouted and the sprouts can be used in salads, sandwiches and so on.  The plants are grown for their seeds or beans as other Fabaceae or Leguminoseae plants are grown.

  The pods may be white, yellow, brown, purple or black, and as well as being a source of protein also contain the minerals calcium, iron and phosphorous, while the young, tender seed pods are rich in thiamin (vitamin B1) and are a source of vitamin C.

  Apart from their nutritional value the plant is also used in traditional systems of medicine. In China the boiled ripe seeds are thought to be a tonic, and good to get rid of flatulence. The beans are also used as an aphrodisiac, for fevers, stomach problems, and as an antispasmodic. When the beans are used regularly in a diet, they prevent a build-up of cholesterol. “Hypocholesterolemic effect of diet supplemented with Indian bean (Dolichos lablab L. var lignosus) seeds”: Vadde Ramakrishna et al. Journal: Nutrition & Food Science, 2007 Vol. 37 (6) Page: 452 – 456.

 One study also found that they were appetite suppressants. “Peptides derived from dolicholin, a phaseolin-like protein in country beans (Dolichos lablab), potently stimulate cholecystokinin secretion from enteroendocrine STC-1 cells” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2007-Oct; Vol. 55 (22): pp 8980-6. Other studies are needed before this can be proved and be helpful in the treatment of obesity, however.   

  Yet another study found that extracts of the hyacinth bean have antimicrobial and antifungal properties 

“Antimicrobial Investigation of Different Extracts of Dolichos lablab beans” Akash P Dahake et al. Research Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry,  Vol. 1 (2), Sept-Oct, 2009.

  Other uses for the bean are the treatment of alcoholism, as an antidote to poisons, for reducing blood sugar levels, and in the treatment of nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. They have also been used for sunstroke, and to get rid of intestinal worms.

  Even the stem of the plant has been used in folk medicine for the treatment of cholera. The flowers are also used for flatulence and the treatment of alcoholism. They are also used to stimulate the menstrual flow if a woman has irregular periods; they are also used for abnormal or excessive vaginal discharge.                               

  An infusion (or tisane) of the leaves is considered a treatment for gonorrhoea, colic, abnormal menses and vaginal discharge, while in the Philippines, where the Hyacinth bean is cultivated (and called bataw), the juice from the leaves mixed with lime juice is used on abscesses and tumours.  The juice with salt is used for sore throats and ear inflammation.

  A poultice of the leaves is mixed with rice flowers and turmeric in China and applied to troublesome eczema.

  This plant which is little used in the West clearly has health benefits, although these need to be further explored, especially as parts of the plant contain toxins.

WATER PLANTAIN: HEALTH BENEFITS OF WATER PLANTAIN

WATER PLANTAIN, ALISMA PLANTAGO-AQUATICA

Water plantain is not, as you might expect from the name one of the plantains such as Plantago major from which we get Isphagol. It is a member of the Alismaceae family. The leaves of water plantain are similar to those of plantain although the rest of the plant is markedly different. This seems not to have deterred the ancient herbalists when they named it. The subspecies which grows in China, var. orientalis has been the subject of research in China as it has long been used in their traditional system of medicine. Most of the research has supported the traditional uses. In China it is called Ze-Zie. The name Alisma is thought to come from the Celtic word, alis, which means water, while plantago-aquatica, means water plantain, so that is how it gets its English name.                                                                                                          

  The fresh leaves and roots are toxic, but the toxins disappear when heated so are fine cooked or dried. The seeds are subject to some medical confusion, at least in terms of their reported traditional uses, as they are said to aid conception and to promote sterility.

  Water plantain grows in damp ground, ditches, and on the edges of shallow ponds and other such bodies of water. They are native to Europe, including Britain, Asia and North America, and can grow to heights of just over three feet tall. It flowers between June and August, and the seeds ripen between July and September.

  The root is rich in starch and maybe eaten if well-cooked, and the leaves can be eaten if boiled very well. The leaves have antibacterial properties as well as cholesterol lowering ones, and promote sweat which is especially good in some fevers. They also have an effect of lowering blood pressure, and used externally, fresh are a counter-irritant, like nettles, to the pains of rheumatism and arthritis. They have been used to treat dysentery, kidney stones, and gravel. A fresh leaf poultice is put on swellings and bruises.

  In some countries the dried stem bases are grated and eaten for heartburn and digestive problems, washed down with plenty of water. The seed has astringent properties and is used to stop bleeding.

  The essential oil extracted from the root has antibacterial properties, reduces cholesterol leves and has also been used as a diuretic and to lower high blood pressure. The root has also been used to protect the liver and kidneys and to cure diarrhoea. It was once believed to be a cure for rabies, and was also called Mad Dog weed. However there is no clinical evidence to support this use.

  The bitter juice which can be expressed from the plant is a diuretic; the bruised leaves can cause the skin to blister. However in the US it was formerly used as an antidote to rattlesnake bites.

  Few studies have been carried out on the Alisma plantago-aquatica, or Water plantain that is common there. Perhaps this weedy plant hides more than we could have thought.

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