Boophone disticha
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID6440256104f1c819090033 |
| Scientific name | Boophone disticha |
| Authority | Herb. |
| First published in | Bot. Mag. 52: t. 2578 (1825) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Ethnobotanical Uses
For more than a century, local communities across southern and eastern Africa have prepared Boophone disticha remedies primarily as poultices, infusions, and tinctures—seldom as beverages and usually under guidance from experienced practitioners. In southern Africa, Zulu and Xhosa herbalists have applied crushed bulbs to swellings and inflamed joints, while clients in Lesotho drank an infusion of dried bulb “to clear infection,” and in Gauteng, a decoction of bulb scales was used in a wash for sores and ulcers; all these reports appear in Arnold & Gulumian’s comprehensive pharmacognostic review. Widespread references also note that Sotho, Pedi, and Swati healers used the dried bulb as an external emollient and a bitter alkaloidal tincture applied to painful sites (Watt & Breyer‑Brandwijk). Preparations vary by region: the Masai of Kenya employed bulb pulp in salves, the Nguni of the Eastern Cape made poultices from scraped fresh scales, and in KwaZulu‑Natal a hydro‑ethanolic tincture of dried bulb has long been used topically on rheumatic spots (Hutchings et al.). Together, these sources show that the plant’s uses are strongly anchored in topical applications, with bitter, alkaloid‑rich infusions and washes serving as sanitizing and anti‑inflammatory agents in local practice.
A practical and widely followed topical formula begins with 20 g of clean, air‑dried bulb slices (remove all outer skins), macerated in 100 mL of 45–50% ethanol for four weeks in a sealed amber jar, shaking gently once a week. The liquid is then strained and stored dark. Apply 1–2 mL of the tincture to clean skin at the affected joint or inflamed area, not more than twice daily, and discontinue if irritation occurs. Internally, treatments are generally limited to bitter infusions taken in small, supervised doses: 1 g of dried bulb scales poured over 200 mL of near‑boiling water, steeped 10 minutes, then strained; one cup at a time, taken with meals, and never in combination with other emetics. The plant is strongly emetic and cardiotoxic; over‑dose or accidental ingestion can provoke vomiting, cardiac arrhythmias, or coma, and it should be avoided in pregnancy, by infants, and by anyone with heart disease (Watt & Breyer‑Brandwijk; Arnold & Gulumian).
Well‑documented constituents of B. disticha include the Isoquinoline alkaloids lycorine and buphanine, with related Amaryllidaceae alkaloids such as crinidine and distichamine also reported in the bulb. These bitter, isoquinoline alkaloids plausibly account for the pronounced emetic and antimicrobial effects seen in traditional washes and poultices, and for the cardio‑active nature of stronger preparations (Arnold & Gulumian; Hutchings et al.).
Although its lethal dose is low and its use is strictly controlled in many communities, the species remains active in ethnomedicine and in commercial topical preparations produced by specialty herbal firms in South Africa. Contemporary pharmacognosy continues to explore its alkaloids for analgesic and anti‑microbial activity, while modern security listings for the species reflect both its therapeutic value and the need for cautious harvesting.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
No significant non-medicinal commercial products derived from Boophone disticha are documented.
Industrial and craft applications:
No established industrial or craft applications are recorded.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
No non-medicinal food or beverage uses are reported; all parts are considered toxic.
Colorants and tanning:
No colorant or tanning applications are documented.
Wood and fiber:
No timber or fiber utilization is reported.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
No fragrance or cosmetic applications are documented.
Properties relevant to use:
No relevant physical/chemical properties for non-medicinal applications are documented.
Standards and regulation:
Not applicable due to lack of established non-medicinal uses.
Sustainability and sourcing:
Not applicable due to lack of documented non-medicinal uses.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Haemanthus ciliaris | L. | Sp. Pl. ed. 2 : 413 (1762) |
| Haemanthus distichus | L.f. ex Savage | Herbertia 4: 97 (1937) |
| Haemanthus robustus | Pax | Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 15: 140 (1892) |
| Haemanthus sinuatus | Thunb.Mus.Ups. ex Schult.f. | Syst. Veg., ed. 15 bis 7: 892 (1830) |
| Haemanthus toxicarius | L.f. ex Aiton | Hort. Kew. 1: 405 (1789) |
| Amaryllis disticha | L.f. | Suppl. Pl. : 195 (1782) |
| Amaryllis toxicaria | D.Dietr. | Syn. Pl. 2: 1181 (1840) |
| Boophone intermedia | M.Roem. | Fam. Nat. Syn. Monogr. 4: 59 (1847) |
| Boophone longepedicellata | Pax | Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 10: 4 (1888) |
| Boophone toxicaria | (L.f. ex Aiton) Herb. | Appendix : 18 (1821) |
| Brunsvigia ciliaris | [Ker-Gawl.] | Bot. Reg. 3: t. 192, 193 (1817) |
| Brunsvigia disticha | Sweet | Hort. Brit. : 404 (1826) |
| Brunsvigia rautanenii | Baker | Bull. Herb. Boissier , sér. 2, 3: 667 (1903) |
| Brunsvigia toxicaria | [Ker-Gawl.] | Bot. Reg. 7: t. 567 (1822) |
| Haemanthus lemairei | De Wild. | Contr. Fl. Katanga 33. 1921 (1921) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | tumblehead |
| English | cape poison bulb |
| English | bushman poison bulb |
| English | candelabra flower |
| Afrikaans | boesmangifbol |
| Afrikaans | gifbol |
| Afrikaans | kopseerblom |
| Afrikaans | malkopgif |
| Afrikaans | perdespook |
| Afrikaans | seeroogblom |
| Arabic | ذعاقة سامة |
| German | fächerlilie |
| st | kgutsana ya naha |
| Chinese | 草原风扇 |
| Chinese | 布风花 |
| Chinese | 双生布风 |
| Chinese | 刺眼花 |
| Zulu | incotho |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Africa click to expand
-
East Tropical Africa
- Kenya
- Tanzania
- Uganda
-
Northeast Tropical Africa
- Sudan
-
South Tropical Africa
- Angola
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
-
Southern Africa
- Botswana
- Cape Provinces
- Free State
- Kwazulu-Natal
- Lesotho
- Namibia
- Northern Provinces
- Swaziland
-
West-central Tropical Africa
- Burundi
- Rwanda
- Zaïre
-
East Tropical Africa
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000761937 |
| Tropicos | 1201950 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:60455694-2 |
| The Plant List | kew-300915 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 434612 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 112533 |
| IPNI | 60455694-2 |
| iNaturalist | 367465 |
| GBIF | 2854664 |
| Freebase | /m/0hhq3v2 |
| EPPO | BOPDI |
| EOL | 1086357 |
| USDA GRIN | 7419 |
| Wikipedia | Boophone_disticha |
| CMAUP | NPO11064 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Alkaloids and derivatives / Amaryllidaceae alkaloids / Crinine- and Haemanthamine-type amaryllidaceae alkaloids | |||||
| 9,15-Dimethoxy-5,7,17-trioxa-12-azahexacyclo[10.6.2.01,13.02,10.04,8.016,18]icosa-2,4(8),9-triene | 271606 | Click to see COC1CC2C3(CCN2CC4=C(C5=C(C=C43)OCO5)OC)C6C1O6 | 331.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1191/096032701678227749 |
| Bulphanidine | 407581 | Click to see | 315.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1191/096032701678227749 |
| Buphanidrine | 338023 | Click to see | 315.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1191/096032701678227749 |
| Crinamidine | 399204 | Click to see | 317.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1191/096032701678227749 |
| Undulatin | 3083985 | Click to see | 331.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1191/096032701678227749 |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives | |||||
| Protocatechuic Acid | 72 | Click to see | 154.12 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Lineolic acids and derivatives | |||||
| Catalpic acid | 5385589 | Click to see CCCCC=CC=CC=CCCCCCCCC(=O)O | 278.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Glycerolipids / Glycosylglycerols / Glycosyldiacylglycerols / 1,2-diacyl-3-O-beta-D-galactosyl-sn-glycerols | |||||
| [(2S)-2-[(9Z,12Z)-octadeca-9,12-dienoyl]oxy-3-[(2R,3R,4S,5R,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxypropyl] (Z)-octadec-9-enoate | 10509461 | Click to see CCCCCCCCC=CCCCCCCCC(=O)OCC(COC1C(C(C(C(O1)CO)O)O)O)OC(=O)CCCCCCCC=CCC=CCCCCC | 781.10 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Diterpenoids | |||||
| (1R,2R,4bR,6R,7R,8aS)-2-ethenyl-1,6,7-trihydroxy-2,4b,8,8-tetramethyl-1,5,6,7,8a,9-hexahydrophenanthren-3-one | 56954823 | Click to see CC1(C2CC=C3C(C(C(=O)C=C3C2(CC(C1O)O)C)(C)C=C)O)C | 332.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (1R,4S,6S,9S,10S,13S)-6-hydroxy-5,5,9,13-tetramethyltetracyclo[11.2.1.01,10.04,9]hexadec-14-ene-7,12-dione | 5352023 | Click to see CC1(C2CCC34CC(C=C3)(C(=O)CC4C2(CC(=O)C1O)C)C)C | 316.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (2R,4aS,4bS,7R,8aS)-2-ethenyl-7-hydroxy-2,4b,8,8-tetramethyl-4,4a,5,6,7,8a,9,10-octahydrophenanthren-3-one | 101448906 | Click to see | 302.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 17-Norkaur-15-ene-3,12-dione, 13-methyl-, (8beta,13beta)- | 100926172 | Click to see | 300.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 2beta,3alpha-Dihydroxybeyer-15-en-12-one | 44448252 | Click to see | 318.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Beyerene | 107412 | Click to see | 272.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Ent-pimara-8(14),15-diene | 12314280 | Click to see | 272.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| yucalexin P-15 | 44448251 | Click to see CC1(C2CC=C3C(C(C(=O)C=C3C2(CC(=O)C1O)C)(C)C=C)O)C | 330.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| yucalexin P-17 | 44448241 | Click to see | 318.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Diterpenoids / Kaurane diterpenoids | |||||
| Ent-Kaurene | 11966109 | Click to see | 272.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Diterpenoids / Villanovane, atisane, trachylobane or helvifulvane diterpenoids / Atisane diterpenoids | |||||
| Atis-13-en-3-one, 16-hydroxy-, (5beta,8alpha,9beta,10alpha,12alpha)- | 100926173 | Click to see | 302.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesterterpenoids / Scalarane sesterterpenoids | |||||
| (2R,4aR,6aR,6bR,8aR,12aR,14aS,14bR)-2,4a,6b,9,9,12a,14a-heptamethyl-10-oxo-3,4,5,6a,7,8,8a,11,12,13,14,14b-dodecahydro-1H-picene-2-carboxylic acid | 102134163 | Click to see CC1(C2CCC3(C(C2(CCC1=O)C)CCC4(C3=CCC5(C4CC(CC5)(C)C(=O)O)C)C)C)C | 454.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Isotaraxerol | 12443227 | Click to see CC1(CCC2(CC=C3C4(CCC5C(C(CCC5(C4CCC3(C2C1)C)C)O)(C)C)C)C)C | 426.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Taraxerol | 92097 | Click to see | 426.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Taraxerone | 92785 | Click to see | 424.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Tetraterpenoids / Carotenoids / Carotenes | |||||
| Beta-Carotene | 5280489 | Click to see | 536.90 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| (4aS,6aR,6bS,8aR,12aR,14aS,14bR)-4,4,6a,6b,8a,11,11,14b-octamethyl-2,4a,5,6,7,8,9,10,12,12a,14,14a-dodecahydro-1H-picen-3-one | 38359273 | Click to see | 424.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Beta-Amyrin | 73145 | Click to see CC1(CCC2(CCC3(C(=CCC4C3(CCC5C4(CCC(C5(C)C)O)C)C)C2C1)C)C)C | 426.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| beta-Amyrone | 12306160 | Click to see CC1(CCC2(CCC3(C(=CCC4C3(CCC5C4(CCC(=O)C5(C)C)C)C)C2C1)C)C)C | 424.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Lupenone | 92158 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C5(CCC(=O)C(C5CCC4(C3(CC2)C)C)(C)C)C)C | 424.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives | |||||
| (3S,8S,9S,10R,13R,14R,17R)-17-[(E,1R,4S)-4-ethyl-1,5-dimethyl-hex-2-enyl]-8,10,13-trimethyl-1,2,3,4,7,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol | 23246947 | Click to see | 426.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (8S,9S,10R,13R,14S,17R)-17-[(2R,5R)-5-ethyl-6-methylheptan-2-yl]-10,13-dimethyl-1,2,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-decahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-one | 12943207 | Click to see | 410.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Sitogluside | 5742590 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)C)C)C(C)C | 576.80 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / Cyanogenic glycosides | |||||
| Epilotaustralin | 185818 | Click to see CCC(C)(C#N)OC1C(C(C(C(O1)CO)O)O)O | 261.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Linamarin | 11128 | Click to see | 247.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds | |||||
| 2-((6-O-(beta-D-apiofuranosyl)beta-D-glucopyranosyl)oxy)propane | 10316099 | Click to see | 354.35 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| ethyl beta-D-glucopyranoside | 121667 | Click to see CCOC1C(C(C(C(O1)CO)O)O)O | 208.21 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Coumarin glycosides | |||||
| Esculin | 5281417 | Click to see C1=CC(=O)OC2=CC(=C(C=C21)OC3C(C(C(C(O3)CO)O)O)O)O | 340.28 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Scopolin | 439514 | Click to see COC1=C(C=C2C(=C1)C=CC(=O)O2)OC3C(C(C(C(O3)CO)O)O)O | 354.31 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Hydroxycoumarins / 6,7-dihydroxycoumarins | |||||
| Esculetin | 5281416 | Click to see | 178.14 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Hydroxycoumarins / 7-hydroxycoumarins | |||||
| Scopoletin | 5280460 | Click to see | 192.17 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Catechins | |||||
| Catechin | 9064 | Click to see | 290.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-3-O-glycosides | |||||
| Kaempferol-3-O-Rutinoside | 5318767 | Click to see | 594.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Rutin | 5280805 | Click to see | 610.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |