Common Name:

General Information

Cissampelos capensis is a dioecious shrub growing up to 1 metre tall[].
The plant is used locally in traditional medicine, the leaves and rhizomes being harvested from the wild[]. Bundles of the fresh or dried leaves and rhizomes are sold in local markets in South Africa[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Africa - Namibia and the Cape Provinces of South Africa.

Habitat

Open localities on well-drained sandy or granite-derived soils, at elevations up to 1,900 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	1.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The plant is used locally in traditional medicine[]. Research has shown that all plant parts are rich in a variety of alkaloids[]. Alkaloid yield from the leaves varies from 4.7 - 19 mg/g dry weight[]. The alkaloid yield of both stem and rhizome samples varies from 0.5 - 2.3 mg/g dry weight[]. The alkaloid composition varies among plants, the difference being largest between plants from inland localities and plants from coastal localities[].
In pharmacological tests the alkaloids dicentrine, cycleanine and salutaridine showed significant anticancer activities against several cancer cell lines, but this was coupled with a high cytotoxicity[]. Cycleanine has shown selective antiplasmodial and antiprotozoal activities as well as spasmolytic activity in vitro[]. This alkaloid also showed antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities, whilst dicentrine showed antibacterial and antifungal activities in vitro[].
A methanol extract of the leaves, as well as isolated dicentrine and another isolated alkaloid, neolitsine, showed significant anthelmintic activity against larvae of the stomach parasite Haemonchus contortus[]. In an in-vivo essay, oral administration of dicentrine resulted in 67% reduction of worm counts in mice at a dose of 25 mg/kg.

The plant is emetic and laxative[].

The leaves are used to treat snakebites[]. A paste made of the leaves is applied to sores and boils[].

In South Africa, where the plant is called ‘dawidjie’, a tincture of the rhizome in alcohol or brandy or a decoction of the rhizome is taken as a blood purifier to treat boils and glandular swellings, syphilis, cholera, colic, diarrhoea, diabetes and several cancers. It is given against bladder ailments, bilious problems and gallstones and is applied externally and internally against erysipelas[]. The extract is also used to prevent miscarriage and difficult labour, and to expel retained placenta[].

Other Uses

Stems are burnt as incense against evil spirits, while a stem infusion is used as a ritual wash for the same purpose[].

Propagation

Seed -

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