Common Name:

General Information

Chasmanthera dependens is a climbing shrub producing stems 5 metres or more long. The stems are around 3cm in diameter[, ].
A popular traditional medicine, the plant is often harvested from the wild for local use. It is also often planted in home gardens and is sold in local markets[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Sierra Leone to Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia, south to Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Habitat

Rain-forest, regrowth, fringing forest, scrub on termite-hills, on rocky outcrops, dried-up water-courses; at elevations from 500 - 1,500 metres, descending to 50 metres in Somalia[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Climber
Height	5.00 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a sunny position in a moist, well-drained soil[, ].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[].

Edible Uses

In Ethiopia Borana pastoralists eat the roots and leaves[].

Medicinal

The leaf and stem sap are applied locally to cure sprains and bruises; as a dressing for fractures; or mixed with shea butter as an embrocation to treat pain and stiffness[]. The leaf sap is applied as first aid to stop the bleeding of wounds[].

A stem maceration, combined with the stems and roots of several other plants, is drunk as a remedy against convulsions. The stem is roasted and eaten to treat convulsions in infants[].

The bark is chewed as a remedy for venereal discharges or as a general tonic for physical or nervous weakness in inflammatory and exhausting diseases[].

The plant is used against dementia, snakebites and epilepsy[].

A decoction of freshly pounded roots, combined with the roots of Vernonia spp., is drunk as a remedy for malaria[]. A decoction of the pounded roots, combined with the leaves of Tagetes spp., is drunk by children to treat cough[].

The stem bark is rich in various alkaloids[].
The roots contain berberine, which is reported to control leishmaniasis[]. Berberine has marked antibacterial and amoebicidal effects as well as stimulating bile secretions[].
Methanol extracts of the dried leaves have shown significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects[].
Ethanol extracts and crude water extracts of the roots showed significant antifungal activity against Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Microsporum audonii, Trichoderma viride and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. The ethanol extracts of the plants were more active than the water extracts[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is found growing in cocoa plantations, where it is sometimes believed to reduce yields[].

Other Uses

The fibrous stem is beaten and used as a sponge[].

Propagation

Seed - it remains dormant for six months[].

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