This species has been confounded in literature with Azima sarmentosa, a species of continental southeast Asia[].

Common Name:

General Information

Azima tetracantha is a much-branched, spiny, evergreen shrub growing from 0.5 - 3 metres tall. Usually erect with arching branches, the plant sometimes adopts a more climbing habit. The spines are axillary, in pairs up to 4cm long[].
The plant is harvested from the wild mainly for local use as a medicine. It is sometimes cultivated for medicinal use and is grown as a hedge and an ornamental[, ].

Known Hazards

Pricks from thorns produce unpleasant burning sensations comparable to bee stings[].

Botanical References

Range

Africa - Somalia, Uganda, Kenya and Angola, south to S. Africa and Madagascar; through Arabia to India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.

Habitat

Mangrove edges, sea-dunes, coastal bushland, not far from high-water mark; scrub on eroded ground, and particularly on saline or alkaline soils near lakes and seasonal rivers; rocky bushy maritime hilly places, at elevations up to 1,100 metres[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	2.50 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

The plant coppices readily and spreads through underground runners[].
Azima tetracantha varies considerably over the range of its distribution, yet it is an easily recognizable and distinct species. In southern Africa the male plants lack spines, or have poorly developed ones, while female specimens have long spines[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[]. The fruit is a globose green to white berry around 5 - 10mm in diameter, containing 1 - 2 seeds[].

The oil obtained from the seed contains the fatty acids myristic acid 0.2%, palmitic acid 5%, stearic acid 15%, arachidic acid 7%, behenic acid 2%, oleic acid 32%, linoleic acid 18% and eicosenoic acid 21%, indicating that the oil could be suitable as an edible oil[].

Medicinal

The sap of the plant is applied directly to treat toothache and bleeding gums after tooth extraction and also as a disinfectant[].

The roots are antidote and diuretic[, ]. They are used in the treatment of rheumatism, dropsy and stomach disorders[, ].
The pounded roots are applied directly to snakebites, whilst an infusion is also taken orally as a treatment for them[].

The root bark is used in the treatment of rheumatism[].

The bark is expectorant[].

The leaves are stimulant[]. They are eaten with food as a treatment for rheumatism[]. The leaf juice is used in the treatment of asthma and coughs caused by phthisis[]. The pickled leaves are used as an appetizer and against colds[]. An infusion of the leaves is used to treat venereal diseases[].
The crushed leaves are applied directly to painful teeth, whilst the leaf juice is applied to the ears to treat earaches[].

The juice of the berries is applied directly into the ear to treat earache[].

The dimeric piperidine alkaloids azimine, azcarpine and carpaine have been isolated from all plant parts[].
All parts contain glucosinolates. These are hydrolyzed into thiocyanates and isothiocyanates, and the resulting compounds have anti-oxidant and sometimes anticarcinogenic activities[].
Terpenoids are present in the roots and the leaves[].
The seeds contain a complex mixture of about 25 flavonoids, predominantly as glycosides and acyl-glycosides, the most important being quercetin, isorhamnetin, rhamnetin and rhamnazin[].
Despite the plant's traditional uses, the leaves have tested negative in antibacterial and antifungal tests[].
The anti-inflammatory activity of the powdered leaf has been confirmed in tests on oedema in rats[].
The wound-healing activity of a methanol extract was confirmed both as ointment and when injected[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The scandent, straggling growth habit of the plant, combined with its spines, makes it a useful species for hedges. The hedge tends to open up underneath but pruning will keep it in shape. The plant is grown as a living fence in India[, ].
The plant is a common, widespread pioneer and so could be used in re-forestation projects, especially within its native range[].
The South African Department of Agriculture considers his species to be an indicator of bush encroachment. Land users in certain areas are required to control the species to prevent deterioration and maintain the productivity of pastoral land. Overgrazing is the main reason for encroachment[].

Other Uses

The wood is avoided as fuel wood because the smoke is considered poisonous[].

Propagation

Seed -
Cuttings[].

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