Common Name:

General Information

Burasaia madagascariensis is a shrub growing up to 4 metres tall.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and dye.

Known Hazards

The alkaloids of the wood may be injurious to wood-workers[].
The sap from the wood is irritant to the skin[].

Botanical References

Range

Africa - eastern Madagascar, Mauritius, Comoros.

Habitat

An adaptable species, occurring in humid, intermediate and dry forest, from coastal sand dunes up to elevations of 1,600 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Fruit[].

The bitter leaves and stem bark are added to alcoholic beverages drunk during circumcision ceremonies[].

Medicinal

A tea prepared from the roots is one of the oldest medicines against malaria in Madagascar, and is also used to treat enlarged spleen and hepatic affections[].

A decoction of the root bark is taken as a cholagogue against nausea and retching[].

A leaf decoction is drunk against fever and gonorrhoea[].

The root decoction has been shown to have a slow-action antimalarial effect in humans. It causes a contraction of the spleen and is believed to force the Plasmodium parasites to stay in the bloodstream, where they can be controlled by smaller doses of chloroquine or quinine[].

Other Uses

The root yields a bright yellow dye[].

Propagation

Seed -

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