Physical characteristics
This exceptionally common Cape plant is an erect bushy shrub of up to one metre in height. The minute, greyish-green leaves are tightly grouped on the thin stems. The tiny flower heads are inconspicuous with a single floret in each. Renosterveld, a distinctive veld type in some parts of the Western and Eastern Cape provinces is named after this dominant and invasive species.
A much-branched grey to grey-green aromatic shrub 0,6 - 2,5m in height with young stems densely woolly; leaves minute, numerous, adpressed to the stem, usually woolly on both surfaces; flowers (Mar.-Sept.) inconspicuous, yellow, tubular, borne in capitula of mostly 3 florets, pappus well developed; fruit an achene with prominent longitudinal ribs.
The characteristic features are: the abundant long unicellular clothing hairs of leaf and stem, loose or attached to fragments of epidermis; the distinctive glandular hairs of leaf lamina and margin, with multicellular heads (up to 12 cells) and dark yellow-brown resinous contents, staining red with Soudan IV; the absence of calcium oxalate crystals.
Composition
Major compounds:
Methanol extract:
- Retention times (mins): 15.65; 19.62; 23.92; 24.87; 25.16; 27.46
- MeOH HPLC spectrum
- DCM HPLC spectrum
Dichloromethane extract:
- Retention times (mins): 2.72; 4.18; 8.07
- Ethanol (70%) soluble extractive value: not less than 20% (range: 20.69-34.92%)
- Volatile oil content: not less than 0,33% V/W (range: 0,33-0,66%)
Microchemical tests indicated the presence of cardiac glycosides (2/3 collections), saponins, tannins and reducing sugars (3/3 collections) but not alkaloids or cyanogenic glycosides. Rhinocerotinoic acid, a labdane diterpene, has been isolated from the overground parts of this species.
Medicinal uses
Infusions of the young branches in brandy or wine are a traditional Cape medicine for indigestion, dyspepsia, ulcers and stomach cancer. It may also be taken as a tonic to improve a lack of appetite and as a stomach bitter. Some reports claim it to have been a popular remedy during the 1918 influenza epidemic and that it stimulates perspiration. Infusions or tinctures were traditionally used – a small amount taken three times a day.
Some of the activity of the medicine may be due to rhinocerotinoic acid, a labdane diterpenoid which had been isolated from E. rhinocerotis. Rhinocerotinoic acid has significant anti-inflammatory activity but tested negatively as an anti-arthritic. For the treatment of colic, wind, diarrhoea and acidity in young children; adult use is mainly for digestive disorders and as a bitter tonic to stimulate appetite.
No in vitro antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans or Mycobacterium smegmatis was observed in the concentrations used for disc assays in our laboratories. Some activity was recorded against Staphylococcus aureus.
Some preliminary studies on the use of this herb as an anti-hypoglycaemic were apparently carried out during the period 1975-1980 by the late Professor W. Jackson, at the Department of Endocrinology at Groote Schuur Hospital. We have not been able to follow up this report.
Dosage forms
For children, the young tops are given orally as a powder; for adults a brandy or wine infusion is the traditional dosage form.
Contraindications
None documented or recorded by traditional healers and herbalists.
Adverse reactions
None documented or recorded by traditional healers and herbalists.
Precautions
No special precautions
Dosage
Children
Half to one teaspoonful of young tops, powdered and dried, with a little warm water, for the relief of colic or mild diarrhoea.
Adults
As directed
Other uses
None known
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