Ritchiea capparoides (PROTA)
Introduction |
| General importance |  
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| Geographic coverage Africa |
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| Geographic coverage World |
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| Medicinal |
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Ritchiea capparoides (Andr.) Britten
- Protologue: Journ. Bot. 55: 279 (1917).
- Family: Capparaceae
- Chromosome number: 2n = 20
Synonyms
- Ritchiea fragariodora Gilg (1903),
- Ritchiea insignis (Pax) Gilg (1903),
- Ritchiea longipedicellata Gilg (1903),
- Ritchiea boukokoensis Tiss. & Sillans (1953).
Vernacular names
- Mtunguru (Sw).
Origin and geographic distribution
Ritchiea capparoides is widespread, occurring from Senegal eastward to Kenya and southward to northern Zambia, northern Angola and northern Mozambique.
Uses
Roots and leaves are used in traditional medicine. Pounded roots are applied to the ear to treat otitis. Root preparations are applied externally to treat rheumatism, swellings and breast infections. Root decoctions or macerations are taken against gonorrhoea, stomach-ache, rheumatism and cough, and as anodyne and anthelmintic. Leaf preparations are applied externally to treat ophthalmia, conjunctivitis, swellings, wounds, snakebites and Guinea worm. Leaf decoctions are taken to treat gonorrhoea, rheumatism and sterility in women, and as anthelmintic and antidote against poison. In Côte d’Ivoire leaf preparations are used in the treatment of paralysis of the limbs, whereas stems are considered to be aphrodisiac when used as toothpick.
Properties
Sucrose (37%), lupeol, β-sitosterol and 3-methyl-4-methylaminobenzaldehyde have been isolated from the roots. Cleomin has been isolated from the root bark. The quaternary ammonium compounds proline betaine, 3-hydroxyproline betaine and 3-hydroxy-1, 1-dimethylpyrrolidinium have been isolated from the leaves. Proline betaine is also abundant in citrus fruits and is thought to act as an osmoprotective agent for the kidneys.
Preliminary studies of the antifungal and cytotoxic activities of Ritchiea capparoides root, bark and leaf extracts showed in-vitro activity against several strains of fungi, whereas the extracts were found to be relatively non-toxic to brine shrimp larvae. Methanol root extracts exhibited strong in-vitro anthelmintic activity against Taenia solium and moderate activity against Ascaris lumbricoides; the activity against Taenia solium was about 2 times lower than that of the standard drug piperazine citrate.
Description
Shrub, often with scandent stems, or small tree up to 6 m tall; twigs glabrous, reddish brown, with many lenticels. Leaves alternate, usually compound with 3 leaflets, sometimes simple or with 5 leaflets; stipules absent; petiole 1.5–7(–15) cm long; petiolules up to 1 cm long, channelled above; leaflets elliptical to obovate or lanceolate, 6–15(–26) cm × 2.5–10 (–14) cm, slightly cuneate to rounded and often asymmetrical at base, rounded to short-acuminate at apex, often with hair-like tip, margins entire, leathery, glabrous, pinnately veined with 4–7 pairs of lateral veins. Inflorescence a terminal or apparently axillary umbel-like raceme, glabrous, up to 30-flowered. Flowers bisexual, regular, 4-merous, greenish white to yellowish white; pedicel up to 8(–10) cm long; sepals free, elliptical to lanceolate, 1.5–3 cm long, hairy at margins; petals 4 or 8, oblong-linear, 3–6(–8) cm long; stamens many, free, 2–4 cm long, filaments white; ovary superior, with long stalk, cylindrical, usually 4-ribbed, 1-celled, stigma sessile, head-shaped. Fruit a cylindrical berry-like capsule 4–8 cm × 2.5–4 cm, with up to 5 cm long stalk and usually 4 longitudinal ribs, brown, warty, tardily dehiscent, many-seeded. Seeds slightly compressed 3-sided, c. 1 cm long, rough, brown.
Other botanical information
Ritchiea comprises about 15 species and is restricted to mainland Africa. It is related to Boscia, Maerua and Thilachium. Some other Ritchiea species are occasionally used for similar medicinal purposes as Ritchiea capparoides.
Ritchiea aprevaliana
Ritchiea aprevaliana (De Wild. & T.Durand) R.Wilczek is a shrub or liana with stems up to 8 m long and 1.5 cm in diameter, occurring in rainforest from Cameroon and Gabon eastward to western Uganda. In Congo pounded roots are applied to the ear to treat otitis.
Ritchiea reflexa
Ritchiea reflexa (Thonn.) Gilg & Benedict is a small shrub with scandent stems occurring in savanna and dry forest from Guinea to Benin. Leaf macerations are taken against cough, and pounded leaves are applied to treat abscesses and Guinea worm. Root bark is applied to the ear against earache. The fruit pulp has been reported to be edible. Ritchiea reflexa is grown as an ornamental, e.g. in the United States. In Ghana it is considered a useful forage species.
Ritchiea simplicifolia
Ritchiea simplicifolia Oliv. is a shrub up to 3 m tall occurring from eastern Nigeria to Gabon, in forest but sometimes also in agricultural fields. Pounded roots are applied to the ear to treat earache.
Growth and development
In Senegal flowers appear in May, but in Benin flowering and fruiting is reported throughout the year. In Gabon Ritchiea capparoides flowers during the dry season.
Ecology
Ritchiea capparoides occurs in a variety of lowland habitats, from evergreen forest to deciduous forest, open woodland, shrub vegetation, grassland with scattered trees and abandoned farmland, sometimes on termite mounds, up to 450 m altitude.
Propagation and planting
Ritchiea capparoides is propagated by seed.
Genetic resources
Ritchiea capparoides is widespread and has a wide ecological amplitude, and therefore does not seem to be threatened by genetic erosion.
Prospects
The phytochemistry and pharmacological activities warrant more research in view of the various applications of Ritchiea capparoides in traditional medicine, which point at antimicrobial, anodyne and anthelmintic activities. Preliminary screening showed promising results with regard to antifungal and anthelmintic properties.
Major references
- Ajaiyeoba, E.O. & Okogun, J.I., 1994. Constituents of Ritchiea capparoides var. longipedicellata roots. Fitoterapia 65(5): 474.
- Ajaiyeoba, E.O. & Okogun, J.I., 1996. Anthelmintic activity of a root extract of Ritchiea capparoides var. longipedicellata. Phytotherapy Research 10(5): 436–437.
- Ajaiyeoba, E.O., Rahman, A.U. & Choudhary, I.M., 1998. Preliminary antifungal and cytotoxicity studies of extracts of Ritchiea capparoides var. longipedicellata. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 62(3): 243–246.
- Burkill, H.M., 1985. The useful plants of West Tropical Africa. 2nd Edition. Volume 1, Families A–D. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom. 960 pp.
- Neuwinger, H.D., 2000. African traditional medicine: a dictionary of plant use and applications. Medpharm Scientific, Stuttgart, Germany. 589 pp.
Other references
- Adjanohoun, E.J., Adjakidjè, V., Ahyi, M.R.A., Aké Assi, L., Akoègninou, A., d’Almeida, J., Apovo, F., Boukef, K., Chadare, M., Cusset, G., Dramane, K., Eyme, J., Gassita, J.N., Gbaguidi, N., Goudote, E., Guinko, S., Houngnon, P., Lo, I., Keita, A., Kiniffo, H.V., Kone-Bamba, D., Musampa Nseyya, A., Saadou, M., Sodogandji, T., De Souza, S., Tchabi, A., Zinsou Dossa, C. & Zohoun, T., 1989. Contribution aux études ethnobotaniques et floristiques en République Populaire du Bénin. Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique, Paris, France. 895 pp.
- Berhaut, J., 1974. Flore illustrée du Sénégal. Dicotylédones. Volume 2. Balanophoracées à Composées. Gouvernement du Sénégal, Ministère du Développement Rural et de l’Hydraulique, Direction des Eaux et Forêts, Dakar, Sénégal. 695 pp.
- DeWolf, G.P., 1961. The genus Ritchiea in East and West Africa. Kirkia 1: 90–99.
- Elffers, J., Graham, R.A. & Dewolf, G.P., 1964. Capparidaceae. In: Hubbard, C.E. & Milne-Redhead, E. (Editors). Flora of Tropical East Africa. Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations, London, United Kingdom. 88 pp.
- Leyens, T. & Lobin, W., 2009. Manual de plantas úteis de Angola. Bischöfliches Hilfswerk Misereor, Aachen, Germany. 181 pp.
- McLean, W.F.H., Blunden, G. & Jewers, K., 1996. Quaternary ammonium compounds in the Capparaceae. Biochemical Systematics & Ecology 24(5): 427–434.
- Oguakwa, J.U., Patamia, M., Galeffi, C., Messana, I. & Nicoletti, M., 1981. Isolation of cleomin from roots of Ritchiea longipedicellata. Planta Medica 41(4): 410–412.
- Tra Bi, F.H., Kouamé, F.N. & Traoré, D., 2005. Utilisation of climbers in two forest reserves in West Côte d’Ivoire. In: Bongers, F., Parren, M.P.E. & Traoré, D. (Editors). Forest climbing plants of West Africa. Diversity, ecology and management. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, United Kingdom. pp. 167–181.
- Tra Bi, F.H., Kouamé, N.F., Traoré, D. & van der Maesen, L.J.G., 1999. Les lianes dans l’entretien bucco-dentaire en Côte d’Ivoire. Revue de Médecines et Pharmacopées Africaines 13: 65–70.
- Wild, H., 1960. Capparidaceae. In: Exell, A.W. & Wild, H. (Editors). Flora Zambesiaca. Volume 1, part 1. Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations, London, United Kingdom. pp. 195–245.
Sources of illustration
- Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (Editors), 2006. Flore analytique du Bénin. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, Netherlands. 1034 pp.
Author(s)
- R.H.M.J. Lemmens, PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands
Correct citation of this article
Lemmens, R.H.M.J., 2013. Ritchiea capparoides (Andrews) Britten. In: Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). Prota 11(2): Medicinal plants/Plantes médicinales 2. PROTA, Wageningen, Netherlands. Accessed 3 October 2025.
- See this page on the Prota4U database.