Anredera vesicaria

Scientific name: Anredera vesicaria (Lam.) C.F. Gaertn.

Synonym: Anredera leptostachys (Moq.) Steenis

Synonym 2: Baselia vesicaria Lam.

Botanical family: BASELLACEAE

Vernacular names

(In territories with significant traditional TRAMIL use)

Guadeloupe:

glisérin

Martinique:

glisérin

Haiti:

yanm poul

Geographical distribution

Tropical America.

Botanical description

Climbing plant with thin stems of up to 15 m long; tuberous roots. Alternate leaves, ovate to elliptic, 2 to 8 cm long and 2 to 4 cm wide, acute to acuminate, gradual or abruptly narrow at the base. Minute white aromatic flowers in lax clusters of 6 to 20 cm, slender; white calyx and corolla, ovate petals of 2 to 2.5 mm. Tricarpellar nut-type fruit with a single seed protected by the perianth.

Voucher(s)

Jiménez,48&964,JBSD
Thomas,28&29,SOE
Longuefosse&Nossin,3,HAVPMC
Boulogne,TB3&TH5,UAG

bouton de chaleur (itchy rash)

crushed leaf, maceration, bath^2-3

bone fracture

crushed tuber (not grated), untreated, in local application¹

For itchy skin conditions:
Wash and crush 1 handful (30 grams) of fresh leaves and add it to a container with 10 litres of water, leave it to stand for 5 minutes, then bathe with the preparation by rubbing the skin with the leaves.

For closed bone fractures:
Apply a quantity of approximately 500 grams of freshly grated tuber, as a “plaster cast” and cover with a bandage or a clean cloth in a wrap. (Before applying the splint and consulting a doctor).

Preparations must never be stored for more than 24 hours or unrefrigerated.

According to the information available:

The use for itchy rashes is classified in the REC category based on the significant traditional use documented in the TRAMIL surveys and the toxicity studies.

If deterioration is observed in the patient or the itchy rash persists for more than 5 days, seek medical attention.

Traditional use for bone fracture is classified in the REC category based on the significant traditional use documented in the TRAMIL surveys and the toxicity studies.

Because of the medical complexity of a fracture, the use of this resource is strictly limited to symptomatic relief and immobilisation until the patient reaches the doctor as soon as possible.

Its use is contraindicated in cases of open fractures.

All topical application must follow strict hygiene measures in order to prevent contamination or additional infection.

Not for use during pregnancy of breastfeeding.

TRAMIL Work¹⁰
The freeze-dried aqueous extract (maceration 1.49% of total solids) from fresh leaves, in topical application (patch with 0.5 ml of the macerate on 6 cm² of healthy or damaged skin) in New Zealand albino rabbits for 4 hours (OECD models no. 404 and OPPTS 870.2500 EPA), did not cause oedema or erythema after 72 hours of observation.

TRAMIL Work¹¹
Aqueous and hydroalcoholic (80%) dry leaf extracts (200 μg of freeze-dried leaf extracts/ml), in vitro, in human fibroblast cell line culture models, showed no toxicity.

TRAMIL Work¹²
The freeze-dried tuber, crushed and moistened (5.0 g plus 15 ml of distilled water, prepared at the time of use) applied topically (patch with 0.5 g of the resulting paste on 6 cm² of healthy or damaged skin) in 3 New Zealand albino rabbits for 4 hours, OECD models 404 and OPPTS 870.2500 EPA, did not cause oedema or erythema after 72 hours of observation.

TRAMIL Works¹³
The LD₅₀ of the aqueous extract (decoction) of dried tuber, intraperitoneally, in mice, was 61.07 ± 7.93 g of dried tuber/kg (equivalent to 1.04 ± 0.14 g of dry residue of the decoction/kg).

The same extract, same route (100 mg freeze-dried tuber extract/kg), in mice, for 60 days, did not cause significant toxicity. Above 500 mg of freeze-dried tuber extract/kg, the animals showed clear signs of toxicity.

No data are available to recommend use during pregnancy, breastfeeding or in children.

TRAMIL Work⁴
Preliminary phytochemical screening (leaf):

alkaloids:	-	saponins:	-
steroids, terpenoids:	-	tannins	++
flavonoids:	+	hydrolysable tannins:	+
iridoids:	-	Phenylpropanoids:	-
coumarins:	+	aldehydes:	-
lactones:	+	glycosides:	++

TRAMIL Work⁵
Preliminary phytochemical screening (tuber):

alkaloids:	+	saponosides:	+
steroids, terpenoids:	+	Phenolic comp.:	+
flavonoids:	-	tannins:	-
quinones:	-

The tuber contains the triterpenes: ursolic acid, deoxyoleanolic acid and the sterols: γ-sitosterol and (3 β -5 α, 24S)-stigmast -7-en-3-ol⁶

TRAMIL Work⁷
The aqueous extract (decoction) of dried tuber, orally (250 and 500 mg freeze-dried tuber extract/kg) in rats in the plantar oedema model, caused by carrageenan, produced a decrease in oedema compared to the control group. The same extract, applied topically (5 mg/ear), on tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (TPA)-induced ear inflammation and measurement of the enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO) showed significant inhibition of both values.

TRAMIL Work⁸
The aqueous maceration of dry freeze-dried leaves showed no in vitro activity at a concentration of 50 g/l (460.4 g/l of fresh plant material and 1.49% of total solids) with the agar diffusion technique against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli or Candida albicans.

In Nicaragua, during the guerrilla war, the starch in the tuber was used for plaster casts, resulting in the fractured limb being uninflamed when the starch was removed⁹.

Pharmacopoeia

Ed.3

References

1 BOULOGNE I, 2008
Enquête TRAMIL, Les Saintes, UAG, Guadeloupe (FWI).

2 LONGUEFOSSE JL, NOSSIN E, 1990-95
Enquête TRAMIL. Association pour la valorisation des plantes médicinales de la Caraïbe AVPMC, Fort de France, Martinique.

3 WENIGER B, ROUZIER M, 1986
Enquête TRAMIL. Service Oecuménique d’Entraide SOE, Port au Prince, Haïti.

4 BELTRAN C, JIMENEZ S, GOMEZ A, BELTRAN J, GARCIA G, GOMEZ H, 2010
Screening fitoquimico de de hoja de Anredera leptostachys (infusión, deccoción y extracto etanólico (maceración). Trabajo TRAMIL. Grupo de Investigación en Química de Medicamentos, Universidad de Cartagena, Colombia.

5 WENIGER B, SAVARY H, SATURNE A, 1986
Tri phytochimique relatif à 4 plantes TRAMIL. Laboratoire de chimie des substances naturelles, Faculté de médecine et de pharmacie, Université d’Etat d’Haïti, Port au Prince, Haïti.

6 TORNOS MP, SAENZ MT, GARCIA MD, FERNANDEZ MA, 1999
Antinociceptive effects of the tubercles of Anredera leptostachys. Informe TRAMIL. J Ethnopharmacol 68(1-3):229-234.

7 SAENZ MT, GARCIA MD, FERNANDEZ, MA, 1998
Anti-inflammatory activity and acute toxicity of Anredera leptostachys. Phytomedicine 5(3):195-198.

8 BOUCOURT E, BOULOGNE I, LÓPEZ M, MARTINEZ MJ, MORON F, 2012
Recherche d’activité anti-microbienne in vitro (selon la technique de la diffusion en milieu gélosé) de la macération de la feuille lyophilisée de Anredera leptostachys (Moq.) Steenis. Travail TRAMIL. Laboratorio Central de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas “Dr. Salvador Allende”, La Habana, Cuba.

9 TORRES J, 1994
Análisis preliminar de la planta Anredera leptostachys. Tesis de Grado para la Licenciatura en Química. UNAN-Leon, Nicaragua, 52pp.

10 LOPEZ M, BOULOGNE I, BACALLAO Y, MORON F, 2012
Recherche d’irritabilité topique sur peau saine et abîmée (selon les méthodes OECD et EPA Acute dermal irritation) de la macération de la feuille lyophilisée d’Anredera leptostachys (Moq.) Steenis. Travail TRAMIL. Laboratorio Central de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas “Dr. Salvador Allende”, La Habana, Cuba.

11 WENIGER B, 1992
Activités biologiques (cytotoxicité, effet sur la croissance, effet inmunomodulateur) de drogues végétales de la Caraïbe utilisées par voie locale contre les brûlures, dans des systèmes de cellules animales et humaines en culture. Rapport TRAMIL. Pharmacognosie, Fac. Pharmacie, Univ. L. Pasteur, Strasbourg, France.

12 LOPEZ M, MOREJON Z, GARCIA A, BACALLAO Y, 2012
Ausencia de irritabilidad dérmica aguda del tubérculo liofilizado machacado y humectado con agua de Anredera leptostachys (Moq.) Steenis en piel sana y dañada en conejos. Trabajo TRAMIL. Laboratorio Central de Farmacología. Facultad de C. Médicas Dr. Salvador Allende, La Habana, Cuba.

13 GARCIA D, SAENZ T, 1995
Toxicidad aguda de algunas plantas TRAMIL. Informe TRAMIL; Farmacognosia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, España.

Disclaimer

The information provided is for educational purposes only for the benefit of the general public and health professionals. It is not intended to take the place of either the written law or regulations. Since some parts of plants could be toxic, might induce side effects, or might have interactions with certain drugs, anyone intending to use them or their products must first consult with a physician or another qualified health care professional. TRAMIL has no responsibility whatsoever towards the user for any decision, action or omission made in relation to the information contained in this Pharmacopoeia.

Main navigation

TRAMILibrary