Spermacoce verticillata L.
Spermacoce verticillata L. TREE
Spermacoce verticillata L. SEED
Spermacoce verticillata L. LEAVE
Spermacoce verticillata L. FLOWER
| Botanical Name | Spermacoce verticillata L. |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Rubiaceae |
| Genus: | Spermacoce |
| Species: | S. verticillata |
| Common Names: | Buttonweeds, African borreria (English); Borreria verte, Borrerie verticillee (French) |
Plant Synonyms
Borreria verticillata (L) G.F.W Mey, Spercacoce globosa Schum. & Thonn
Plant Local Names
Burkina Faso: Fulfulde - Gurdudal
Mali: Bambara - Missini Koumbere, Peuhl -Samtarde
Nigeria: Yoruba - Irawo-lle
Senegal: Wolof - Ndatukan, Bu Gor; Serer - Murah, Faduala, Diola - Karibun, Eribun
Plant Habitat
The plant is distributed extensively across the Sudano-Guinean region and part of the Sahel, particularly along the West African coast and along the soast of South America and Madagascar.
Plant Material of Interest
Leaf, root, aerial parts
Plant Description
Bushy sub-shrub, perennial, 1 metre high, branched; slightly clayey, hairless stems with stipular sheaths that are smooth or rough; leaves glabrous, oblanceolate up to 4 cm by 7 mm with lateral veins, not very prominent; infloressence, spherical, compact, terminal and axillary, 10 to 15 mm in diameter, usually with two leafy bracts about 1 cm long, curved downwards; small white flowers; fruit is a drupe, dry, dehiscent.
Plant Used Parts
Plant Uses
Borreria verticillata is traditionally used to treat leprosy, boils, syphilis, gonorrhoea, paronychia and schistosomiasis. The root is used as a diuretic and laxative. Leaves and roots are used against vaginal discharge, impotence, and haemorrhoids (Paulino de Albuquerque et al., 2007). The plant is used to treat inflammation (Gazzaneo et al., 2005) and as an insecticide (Rohrig et al., 2008). The decoction of the bark is administered orally to treat infectious diseases including sexually transmitted infections (Magassouba et al., 2007).
Plant Therapeutic Action
Antibacterial; antibiotic, antieczema, antiseptic, antischistosomiasis, anti-inflammatory and insecticidal (Gazzaneo et al., 2005; Rohrig ef a/., 2008; Pieters and Vlietinck, 2005).
Plant Precaution for Use
The plant must be administered orally with caution.
Plant Adverse Effect
Over dosage may cause gastrointestinal disorders
Plant Contraindication
Contraindicated on a reactive and allergic skin, skin sensitivity to its alkaloids
Plant Dosage Forms
Plant Dosage
Internally: tea, essential oil, capsules, Externally: usually as a topical skin application; lotions, tinctures, ointments, pastes. Decoction: 30 g plant material in 900 ml water; simmer until reduced to 600 ml; 1 tablespoonful two times daily.
Plant Storage
Store in a cool dry place
Plant Chromatographic Fingerprint
Analytical TLC on silica gel G60 F254, 0.25 mm layer in petroleum ether (40-60 °C)/chloroform [2:8], detection in daylight, after spraying with anisaldehyde (0.5 ml) mixed with 10 ml glacial acetic acid, 85 ml methanol and 5 ml concentrated sulphuric acid and heated to 100- 110°C for 5-10 min. Presence of six characteristic spots with R,s 0.89 (pink), 0.79 (purple), 0.45 (pink), 0.38 (pink), 0.27 (pink) and 0.18 (purple).
Plant Constituents
Essential oil (sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, sesquiterpene lactones, phenolic compounds and aromatic polycarboxylic acids); azulene alkaloids (borrerine and borreverine) iridoids and iridosides (daphylloside 1, 2 asperuloside, feretoside 3, 4 methyl desacetylasperulosidate, asperuloside, feretoside, daphyloside and asperulosidic acid acid 7) [Sainty et al., 1981; African Pharmcopoeia, 1985].
Plant Pictures
Plant References
De Sa Peixoto Neto, P.A., Vladimilsa Silva, M., Corrente Campos, N.V., Porffrio, Z., Caetano, L.C. (2002). Antibacterial activity of Borreria verticillata roots. Fitoterapia_73(6):529-531.
Gazzaneo, L.R.S., Paiva de Lucena, R.F., Paulino de Albuquerque, U. (2005). Knowledge and use of medicinal plants by local specialists in a region of Atlantic Forest in the state of Pernambuco (Northeastern Brazil). Journal of Ethnobioiogy and Ethnomedicine 1:9.
Magassouba, F.B., Diallo, A., Kouyate, M., Mara, F., Mara, O. et al (2007). Ethnobotanical survey and antibacterial activity of some plants used in Guinean traditional medicine. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 114:44-53.
Maynart, G., Pousset, J.L., Mboup, S., Denis, F. (1980). Antibacterial effect of borreverine, an alkaloid isolated from Borreria verticillata (Ftubiaceae). Comptes Rendus des Seances de la Societe de Biologie et de ses Filiates; 174(5):925-928.
Paulino de Albuquerque, U., Monteiro, J.M., Ramos, M.A., Cavalcanti de Amorim, E.L. (2007). Medicinal and magic plants from a public market in northeastern Brazil. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 110:76-91.
Pharmacopee Africaine Organisation de I'Unite Africaine (1985) Commission Scientifique Technique et de la Recherche (CSTR/OUA). 1ere edition, vol. 1.
Pieters, L., Vlietinck, A.J., (2005). Bioguided isolation of pharmacologically active plant components, still a valuable strategy for the finding of new lead compounds? Journal of Ethnopharmacology 100:57-60.
Rohrig, E., Sivinski, J., Wharton, R. (2008). Comparison of Parasitic Hymenopter captured in malaise traps baited with two flowering plants, Lobuiaria maritime (Brassicales: Brassicaceae) and Spermacoce verticillata (Gentianales: Rubiaceae). Florida Entomological Society 91:621-627.
Sainty D., Bailleul, F., Delaveau, P., Jacquemin, H. (1981). Iridoids of Borreria verticillata. Planta Medica 42(7):260-264.