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Botanical Name :Xysmalobium undulatum
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Asclepiadeae
Subtribe: Asclepiadinae
Genus: Xysmalobium
Species: Xysmalobium undulatum
Common Names: Uzara,cream cups (Eng.); bitterwortel (Afr.)
Habitat : Xysmalobium undulatum grows in the grassland and savanna of South Africa in Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the North-West Provinces.
Description:
Pachycarpus schinzianus is a rough-textured, erect perennial herb 0.3 to 0.6 m tall that resprouts from an underground rootstock.
The leaves are simple, large, lanceolate and leathery, with rough hairs. They are up to 100 mm long, with wavy margins usually with a red or maroon edge.The flowers are large, cup-shaped , with recurved upper tips and are carried in clusters of about four on the tips of the branches. The flowers are cream-coloured to yellowish to pink. The corona always has a maroon blotch on the channelled inside…..CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES
The plants contain thick milky latex which is secreted wherever a plant is damaged; it contains a glycoside that is extremely bitter (hence the common name). Xysmalobium undulatum blooms from September to February and is common throughout the grasslands of the highveld. The fruit is an inflated follicle which is usually solitary as a result of abortion after fertilization; it is spindle-shaped, 50–70 mm long, contains 5–7 lateral wings and is hairless. The fruit contains many brown seeds.
The seeds contain a tuft of hairs called a coma. It forms a parachute-like structure at the tip of the seed and is instrumental in the wind-dispersal syndrome exhibited by these plants.
Medicinal Uses;
Xysmalobium undulatum is widely used in remedies for many ailments. The Manyika tribe uses it as a remedy against syphilis and to aid conception. Powdered root is a Dutch remedy for haemorrhoids. Concoctions of the roots have been used to treat dropsy, dysentery and even snakebite. The milky latex is rubbed on animal skins before they are set out to dry to prevent dogs from tearing them. Crushed leaves are also rubbed on the legs to repel dogs.
The rootstock is mixed with the pounded root of Xysmalobium undulatum to make Uzara medicine, which is used for diarrhoea, dysentery and to soothe after-birth cramps. It is also used as a tonic for the cardiovascular system. All parts are extremely bitter and are used in various decoctions and infusions as an emetic, diuretic and purgative. Zulu people use the roots for indigestion, malaria and other fevers (including typhoid fever). Xhosas use infusions of the root for colic and abdominal troubles and sniff the dried pounded roots to relieve headaches.
Browsed plants are frequently encountered in the wild. However, experiments have shown the plants to be poisonous to sheep and guinea-pigs, which died within one to two days after consuming the plants.
The native inhabitants of South Africa have long used the root of the xysmalobium undulatum plant to treat digestive complaints. In the early 1900s it was first introduced as an antidiarrheal herband in Europe and now it is also commonly recommended for digestive cramps and irritable bowel syndrome today because of its spasmolytic effect.
The dried root of 2-3 year old plants is used internally for acute diarrhea by inhibiting the intestinal peristalsis.. With a rational treatment, xysmalobium undulatum stops diarrhea, pains and vomiting. It is also used for afterbirth cramps, dysentery, stomach cramps, colic, edema, headaches, indigestion, and dysmenorrhea. Externally, xysmalobium undulatum root can be used in a poultice for treating sores and wounds. The powdered root is snuffed by the Zulus for a sedative effect.
Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources;
http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantnop/pachycarpschinz.htm
http://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Xysmalobium_undulatum
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_UZ.htm
http://members.fortunecity.com/coldhardyplants/hardiness/xysmalobium_undulatum.htm
http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantnop/pachycarpschinz.htm
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