Cardiospermum halicacabum

Scientific name: Cardiospermum halicacabum L.

Synonym: Corindum halicacabum (L.) Medik.

Botanical family: SAPINDACEAE

Vernacular names

(In territories with significant traditional TRAMIL use)

Martinique:

boné karé

Other vernacular names

Martinique:

boné karé, bonnet carré

Geographical distribution

Widely distributed in the tropics and subtropics of the New and Old World.

Botanical description

Herbaceous climber with a 5 to 6 m long ribbed stem. Leaves biternate, folioles ovate or lanceolate, acute or acuminate, serrated or lobed. Umbelliform inflorescence with long peduncles and white flowers of 4 to 5 mm. Subglobose capsule from 3 to 4 cm; black seeds from 4 to 5 mm.

Voucher(s)

Nossin,6,HAVPM

pruritus (itch)

leaf, crushed, bath/rubbed¹

For gratel (dermatosis with pruritus):

Wash the skin and the leaves adequately, crush them, take 10 grams of plant material and apply it to the forehead twice a day. 10 grams of crushed leaves per litre of water can also be added, left to stand for 12 hours and applied as a bath.

Preparations must never be stored for more than 24 hours, even if refrigerated.

According to the information available:

The use for gratel (dermatosis with pruritus) is classified as REC based on the significant traditional use documented in the TRAMIL surveys, the toxicity studies and the scientific information published.

If deterioration is observed in the patient or the dermatosis persists for more than 5 days, seek medical attention.

All topical application must follow strict hygiene measures in order to prevent contamination or additional infection.

No data are available to recommend medicinal use during pregnancy, breastfeeding or in children younger than 3 years of age.

TRAMIL Work8
The crushed wet leaves (20-30 g/animal) applied topically to rabbits with the Draize method of skin irritability did not cause irritation.

The alcoholic extract (ethanol, 100%) from a whole dried plant, (100 mg/kg) orally in rats, caused signs of toxicity (seizures, hyperactivity, increased respiration)¹¹.

The aqueous extract of the aerial parts (5 mg/plate) in vitro was active as an antimutagen in Salmonella typhimurium TA98¹².

The hydroalcoholic extract (95%) from fresh aerial parts topically in humans did not induce allergenic activity¹³.

There is no information available documenting the safety of use in local application in children, during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

TRAMIL Work²
The aqueous leaf maceration showed the presence of tannins and the absence of alkaloids, unsaturated steroids, saponins, cardioactive glycosides, cyanogenic glycosides, flavonoids and anthraquinones.

The leaf contains steroids: daucosterol, β-sitosterol, miscellaneous compounds: oxalic acid³, plus tannins, saponins, flavonoids, glycosides and cardiac glycosides⁴.

Flowering tops contain carbohydrates: quebrachitol⁵.

The whole plant contains flavonoids: apigenin⁶, apigenin-7-O-glucoside, luteolin-7-O-glucoside⁷; lipids: arachidic acid⁵; steroids: β-sitosterol galactoside⁶.

TRAMIL Work²
The aqueous leaf maceration (1000 μg/ml), in vitro against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans, showed no activity.

TRAMIL Work⁸
The aqueous leaf extract in isolated rat ileum (1 g/ml) did not cause significant antihistamine activity, although it showed a tendency to inhibit histamine action on smooth muscle.

The aqueous dried leaf extract (1 mg/ml), in vitro by the disc diffusion method, showed activity against Streptococcus aureus, Citrobacter freundii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa⁹.

The aqueous and hydroalcoholic (95%) extracts of the whole plant, in vitro, showed anti-inflammatory activity and induced stabilisation of the lysosome membrane¹⁰.

The mother tincture of flowering tops in a clinical study with 28 patients (versus placebo) showed significant activity against various forms of eczema⁵.

Pharmacopoeia

Ed.3

References

1 LONGUEFOSSE JL, NOSSIN E, 1990-95
Enquête TRAMIL. Association pour la valorisation des plantes médicinales de la Caraïbe AVPMC, Fort de France, Martinique.

2 SOLIS P, GUPTA M, CORREA M, 1996
Estudio fitoquímico de algunas plantas TRAMIL. Informe TRAMIL. Centro de Investigaciones Farmacognósticas de la Flora Panameña CIFLORPAN, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Panamá, Panamá, Panamá.

3 KUMARESAN A, 1981
Phytochemical investigation of the leaves of the plant Cardiospermum halicacabum Linn. Indian J Pharm Sci 43.

4 PATIL AG, JOSHI KA, PATIL DA, PHATAK AV, NARESH C, 2010
Pharmacognostic and physico-chemical studies on the leaves of Cardiospermum halicacabum L. Phamacognosy J 8(2):44-49.

5 MECKLINGER S, MESSEMER C, NIEDERLE S, 1995
Eksembehandlung mit Cardiospermum halicacabum. Cardiospermum-Salbe und Salbengrundlage im Halbseitenvergleich. Eine kontrollierte Studie. Zeitschrift für Phytotherapie 16(5):263-266.

6 KHANNA MSY, JAVED K, KHAN MH, 1990
Chemical examination of Cardiospermum halicacabum Linn. Indian Drugs 24(4):257-258.

7 SHABANA MM, GENENAH AA, EL ZALABANI SM, ABOU EL-ELA RG, YOUSIF MF, 1990
Phytochemical investigation and insecticidal activity of Cardiospermum halicacabum L. Cultivated in Egypt. Bull Fac Pharm Cairo Univ 28(2):79-83.

8 HERRERA J, 1996
Validación farmacológica de plantas medicinales usadas en medicina tradicional popular en la cuenca del Caribe. Informe TRAMIL. Dep. de Farmacología, Facultad de Salud, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.

9 MURUGESAN S, VIJI M, 2010
Phytochemical analysis and antibacterial activity of medicinal plant Cardiospermum halicacabum Linn. J Phytology 2(1):68-77.

10 CHANDRA T, SADIQUE J, 1984
Antiinflammatory effect of the medicinal plant Cardiospermum halicacabum Linn. In vitro study. Arogya 101:57-60.

11 ASHA VY, PUSHPANGADAN P, 1999
Antipyretic activity of Cardiospermum halicacabum. Indian J Exp Biol 37(4):411-414.

12 MENG Z, SAKAI Y, OSE Y, SATO T, NAGASE H, KITO H, SATO M, MIZUNO M, ONO K, NAKANE H, 1990
Antimutagenic activity by the medicinal plants in traditional Chinese medicines. Shoyakugaku Zasshi 44(3):225-229.

13 HORMANN H, KORTING H, 1994
Evidence for the efficacy and safety of topical herbal drugs in dermatology: Part I: anti-inflammatory agents. Phytomedicine 1(2):161-171.

Disclaimer

The information provided is for educational purposes only for the benefit of the general public and health professionals. It is not intended to take the place of either the written law or regulations. Since some parts of plants could be toxic, might induce side effects, or might have interactions with certain drugs, anyone intending to use them or their products must first consult with a physician or another qualified health care professional. TRAMIL has no responsibility whatsoever towards the user for any decision, action or omission made in relation to the information contained in this Pharmacopoeia.

Main navigation

TRAMILibrary

Cardiospermum halicacabum

Vernacular names

Martinique:

Martinique:

Geographical distribution

Botanical description

Voucher(s)

Pharmacopoeia

References

Disclaimer