Thilachium africanum (PROTA)

Plant Resources of Tropical Africa Introduction

List of species

General importance
Geographic coverage Africa
Geographic coverage World
Carbohydrate / starch
Medicinal
Fuel
Ornamental
Food security

Thilachium africanum Lour.

File:Map Thilachium africanum.gif

distribution in Africa (wild)

Protologue: Fl. cochinch.: 342 (1790).

Family: Capparaceae

Vernacular names

• Cucumber bush (En).
• Mdudu, mtunguru (Sw).

Origin and geographic distribution

Thilachium africanum occurs from Kenya southward to northern South Africa and Swaziland.

Uses

Several plant parts are used in traditional medicine. A paste made from root powder or root scrapings is applied to treat headache and snakebites. Root decoctions are taken against stomach-ache, abdominal pain and abscesses, and as an aphrodisiac. In Kenya a bark infusion is used in the treatment of diarrhoea and tuberculosis. Bark decoctions are taken to treat pain and snakebites and as emetic, and leaf decoctions are used for the same purposes, and additionally against malaria.

In Tanzania the tuberous roots are eaten in times of food shortage. However, they should be prepared carefully to remove their toxic compounds. They are peeled and then cooked with draining off the water several times, or they are soaked in water for about one week after being peeled, and subsequently washed, dried in the sun and pounded into flour, which is eaten as a porridge with vegetables. The fruits are edible and mainly eaten by children. The wood is used for spoons and tool handles, and as firewood. Thilachium africanum is occasionally planted as ornamental shade tree, and is browsed by cattle. The flowers are visited by honey bees.

Properties

Preliminary phytochemical screening of bark extracts showed high concentrations of alkaloids, saponins and tannins, and moderate concentrations of cardiac glycosides and flavonoids. The alkaloids L-stachydrine and hydroxy-3 stachydrine have been isolated from the leaves. The quaternary ammonium compounds proline betaine, 3-hydroxyproline betaine and 3-hydroxy-1,1-dimethylpyrrolidinium have also been isolated. Proline betaine is also abundant in citrus fruits and is thought to act as an osmoprotective agent for the kidneys.

Leaf extracts showed cytotoxicity against human colon adenocarcinoma and skin carcinoma cell lines at 100 μg/ml, but not at 10 μg/ml. The ethyl acetate fraction of leaf extracts showed moderate in-vitro activity against Plasmodium falciparum, with an IC50 value of 14 μg/ml. Bark extracts showed pronounced antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The crude protein content of the foliage is about 15.5% on a dry-matter basis.

Description

Deciduous shrub or small tree up to 7 m tall; roots tuberous; bark surface fissured, grey-brown; twigs glabrous. Leaves alternate, simple or compound with 3 leaflets; stipules minute, soon falling; petiole 0.5–7 cm long; petiolules up to 0.5 cm long; leaflets elliptical to ovate, obovate or lanceolate, 3–10 cm × 0.5–5.5(–6.5) cm, cuneate to rounded at base, obtuse at apex but with hair-like tip, margins entire, leathery, glabrous, pinnately veined with 3–5 pairs of lateral veins. Inflorescence a terminal or axillary umbel-like raceme, nearly glabrous. Flowers bisexual, regular; pedicel up to 2.5 cm long; calyx entire and closed at apex, c. 2 cm long, glabrous, greenish, later splitting transversely, the upper portion often remaining attached at one side; petals absent; stamens many, free, up to 4.5 cm long, wavy, filaments white; ovary superior, with long stalk, cylindrical, 5–10-ribbed, 1-celled, stigma sessile, head-shaped. Fruit a cylindrical-oblong berry 3–6 cm × 2–3 cm, with c. 5 cm long stalk and up to 12 distinct longitudinal ribs, indehiscent, many-seeded. Seeds slightly compressed globose, c. 8 mm in diameter, warty, pale brown.

Other botanical information

Thilachium comprises about 15 species and occurs in mainland Africa and Madagascar with 7 and 8 species, respectively. It is most close to Maerua, but is also related to Boscia and Ritchiea. In the literature the name has also been spelled as Thylachium and Thylacium.

Thilachium thomasii Gilg is a shrub up to 4 m tall restricted to southern Somalia, Kenya and northern Tanzania. It is probably used for similar medicinal purposes as Thilachium africanum, and its tuberous roots are prepared in a similar way to serve as food in times of scarcity.

In Madagascar infusions of several Thilachium spp. are considered to be stimulant and aphrodisiac: Thilachium angustifolium Bojer, Thilachium monophyllum Hadj-Moust., Thilachium panduriforme (Lam.) Juss., Thilachium pouponii Aubrév. & Pellegr., Thilachium seyrigii Hadj-Moust. and Thilachium sumangui Bojer. Additionally, leaf infusions of Thilachium seyrigii are taken to treat diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Crushed roots of Thilachium sumangui are applied in the treatment of anthrax, and leaf decoctions are used to treat headache and nasal bleeding. The fruits of Thilachium pouponii and possibly some other species are edible.

Growth and development

In southern Africa Thilachium africanum flowers in August–October. Fruits ripen about 3 months after flowering.

Ecology

Thilachium africanum occurs in deciduous forest, open woodland, shrub vegetation, grassland with scattered trees and abandoned farmland, sometimes on termite mounds, up to 1600 m altitude.

Propagation and planting

Thilachium africanum can be easily propagated by seeds, but also by cuttings.

Harvesting

The roots are usually collected during the rainy season from wild-growing plants.

Handling after harvest

The flour prepared from the tuberous roots can be stored for several months.

Genetic resources

Thilachium africanum is quite widespread and has a fairly wide ecological amplitude, and therefore does not seem to be threatened.

Prospects

The phytochemistry and pharmacological activities warrant more research in view of the applications of Thilachium africanum in traditional medicine, which point at antimicrobial and anodyne activities. Preliminary screening showed promising results with regard to antibacterial properties. Research on the chemical compounds present in the roots is needed in view of the usage as food, preferably in relation to the way of preparation of the food. Phytochemical investigations are also recommended for the fruits as they are apparently also eaten occasionally.

Major references

• 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.
• Mariita, R.M., Ogol, C.K.P.O., Oguge, N.O. & Okemo, P.O., 2011. Methanol extract of three medicinal plants from Samburu in Northern Kenya show significant antimycobacterial, antibacterial and antifungal properties. Research Journal of Medicinal Plants 5(1): 54–64.
• Neuwinger, H.D., 2000. African traditional medicine: a dictionary of plant use and applications. Medpharm Scientific, Stuttgart, Germany. 589 pp.
• Palmer, E. & Pitman, N., 1972–1974. Trees of southern Africa, covering all known indigenous species in the Republic of South Africa, South-West Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland. 3 volumes. Balkema, Cape Town, South Africa. 2235 pp.
• Ruffo, C.K., Birnie, A. & Tengnäs, B., 2002. Edible wild plants of Tanzania. Technical Handbook No 27. Regional Land Management Unit/ SIDA, Nairobi, Kenya. 766 pp.

Other references

• Beentje, H.J., 1994. Kenya trees, shrubs and lianas. National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya. 722 pp.
• Boiteau, P., Boiteau, M. & Allorge-Boiteau, L., 1999. Dictionnaire des noms malgaches de végétaux. 4 Volumes + Index des noms scientifiques avec leurs équivalents malgaches. Editions Alzieu, Grenoble, France.
• Coates Palgrave, K., 1983. Trees of southern Africa. 2nd Edition. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. 959 pp.
• Delaveau, P., Koudogbo, B. & Pousset, J.-L., 1973. Alcaloïdes chez les Capparidaceae. Phytochemistry 12(12): 2893–2895.
• Gessler, M.C., Nkunya, M.H.H., Mwasumbi, L.B., Heinrich, M. & Tanner, M., 1994. Screening Tanzanian medicinal plants for antimalarial activity. Acta Tropica 56: 65–77.
• Hadj-Moustapha, M., 1965. Capparidacées (Capparidaceae). Flore de Madagascar et des Comores (plantes vasculaires), famille 83. Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France. 71 pp.
• Kamuhabwa, A., Nshimo, C. & de Witte, P., 2000. Cytotoxicity of some medicinal plant extracts used in Tanzanian traditional medicine. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 70: 143–149.
• McLean, W.F.H., Blunden, G. & Jewers, K., 1996. Quaternary ammonium compounds in the Capparaceae. Biochemical Systematics & Ecology 24(5): 427–434.
• Medley, K.E. & Kalibo, H.W., 2007. Ethnobotanical survey of 'wild' woody plant resources at Mount Kasigau, Kenya. Journal of East African Natural History 96(2): 149–186.
• 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.

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. Thilachium africanum Lour. In: Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). Prota 11(2): Medicinal plants/Plantes médicinales 2. PROTA, Wageningen, Netherlands. Accessed 22 April 2026.

• See this page on the Prota4U database.