Lessertia frutescens
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID6440590981fa3797079393 |
| Scientific name | Lessertia frutescens |
| Authority | (L.) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning |
| First published in | Strelitzia9: 708 (2000) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
Suggest a correction!
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.
Among communities in southern Africa, the aerial parts of Lessertia frutescens have long been prepared as infusions and decoctions for fevers, coughs, and general debility. In Zulu practice of KwaZulu‑Natal, a leaf infusion or decoction is taken to ease cold and flu symptoms and to bring down fever, and the same preparation is used as a bitter tonic to improve appetite and digestive vigor according to Watt & Breyer‑Brandwijk 1962. Among Tswana communities of Botswana, a strong leaf decoction is employed as an emetic and as a purgative for gastrointestinal upset, while a milder infusion is given as a general tonic following illness; these uses are recorded by Roberts 1990. The Xhosa of the Eastern Cape traditionally prepare a leaf poultice for minor cuts and wounds and sometimes a thin decoction for coughs, as noted by Van Wyk & Gericke 2000, and San descendants of the Kalahari also favor a tea of the aerial parts for colds and minor fevers, referencing a cold‑infusion method recorded by Doke & Vilakazi 1972. Although texts also describe powdered roots and non‑liquid preparations, the ethnobotanical record is explicit about infusions, decoctions, and poultices of the leaves and stems.
If one wishes to make a liquid extract at home, a 1:5 (w/v) ethanol tincture of the dried aerial parts is a practical approach. Combine 10 g of coarsely chopped dried leaf and stem with 50 mL of 40–45% ethanol in a clean jar, seal, and shake daily for two weeks in a cool, dark place. Strain through fine cloth and press gently; dose is generally 5–10 mL taken two to three times per day for acute low‑grade fever or mild cough, reduced for children and the elderly. The aerial parts can also be taken as a simple leaf infusion by steeping 3–5 g of dried material in 250 mL of just‑boiled water for 10–15 minutes, taken warm up to three times daily. Safety notes are important: the herb is considered mildly emetic and purgative in traditional texts, so pregnant women should avoid it, as should people on anticoagulants or with bleeding disorders, and existing evidence links vomiting and gastrointestinal upset with higher doses (Watt & Breyer‑Brandwijk 1962).
Phytochemically, the aerial parts contain well‑established non‑protein amino acids including canavanine, along with standard flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol, saponins, and the cyclitol pinitol; these compounds are widely reported for the species and plausibly support its traditional immunomodulatory, bitter tonic, and anti‑inflammatory roles as summarized by Van Wyk & Gericke 2000.
Today the species is studied for antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and immunomodulatory activity and is still used seasonally as a tea or tonic in parts of South Africa and Botswana, and dried aerial parts and tinctures are obtainable from reputable herbal suppliers that specify the botanical identity and origin.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products: none documented for the exact taxon.
Scientific and model uses: Lessertia frutescens is cited as a study system for plant environmental stress physiology, particularly drought and salinity tolerance; its molecular and genomic resources are curated by community databases (e.g., NCBI).
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Sutherlandia frutescens | (L.) W.T.Aiton | Hortus Kew.4: 327 (1812) |
| Colutea frutescens | L. | Sp. Pl.: 723 (1753) |
| Colutia frutescens | (L.) Medik. | Philos. Bot.1: 210 (1789) |
| Colutea grandiflora | Salisb. | Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton : 338 (1796) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| Spanish | sutherlandia frutescens |
| Afrikaans | kankerbossie |
| Afrikaans | sutherlandia frutescens |
| Arabic | ساذجية متفرعة |
| ceb | sutherlandia frutescens |
| German | ballonerbse |
| German | sutherlandia frutescens |
| French | sutherlandia frutescens |
| Japanese | レッセルティア・フルテスセンス |
| Dutch | sutherlandia frutescens |
| Russian | sutherlandia frutescens |
| Russian | Сутерландия кустарниковая |
| Swedish | sutherlandia frutescens |
| war | sutherlandia frutescens |
| Chinese | 纸荚豆 |
Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Lessertia frutescens subsp. frutescens | Unknown | |
| Lessertia frutescens subsp. microphylla | (Burch. ex DC.) J.C.Manning & Boatwr. | Strelitzia29: 804 (2012) |
| Lessertia frutescens subsp. speciosa | (E.Phillips & R.A.Dyer) J.C.Manning & Boatwr. | Strelitzia29: 804 (2012) |
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
-
Southern Africa
- Botswana
- Cape Provinces
- Free State
- Kwazulu-Natal
- Lesotho
- Namibia
- Northern Provinces
-
East Tropical Africa
-
Australasia click to expand
-
Australia
- New South Wales
- South Australia
- Victoria
- Western Australia
-
Australia
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0001274560 |
| Tropicos | 50273408 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:1017425-1 |
| The Plant List | tro-50273408 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 611053 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 47091 |
| IPNI | 1017425-1 |
| iNaturalist | 589008 |
| GBIF | 5633333 |
| Freebase | /m/027_nb6 |
| USDA GRIN | 446528 |
| Wikipedia | Lessertia_frutescens |
| CMAUP | NPO6779 |
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)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / p-Hydroxybenzoic acid esters / p-Hydroxybenzoic acid alkyl esters | |||||
| Methylparaben | 7456 | Click to see | 152.15 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-8741(04)00117-5 |
| Propylparaben | 7175 | Click to see | 180.20 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-8741(04)00117-5 |
| > Hydrocarbons / Saturated hydrocarbons / Alkanes | |||||
| Ethane | 6324 | Click to see CC | 30.07 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Furanoid lignans / Tetrahydrofuran lignans / 9,9-epoxylignans / Dibenzylbutyrolactone lignans | |||||
| Arctigenin | 64981 | Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)CC2COC(=O)C2CC3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)OC)OC | 372.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Lignan glycosides | |||||
| Arctiin | 100528 | Click to see | 534.60 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Matairesinoside | 486612 | Click to see | 520.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty acids and conjugates / Long-chain fatty acids | |||||
| Palmitic Acid | 985 | Click to see | 256.42 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-8741(04)00117-5 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene glycosides / Diterpene glycosides | |||||
| 2-[6-(16,18-Dihydroxy-6,10,15,15-tetramethyl-19-oxapentacyclo[10.6.1.01,14.03,11.06,10]nonadec-3-en-7-yl)-3-hydroxy-2-methylheptan-2-yl]oxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol | 74393053 | Click to see CC(CCC(C(C)(C)OC1C(C(C(C(O1)CO)O)O)O)O)C2CCC3(C2(CC=C4C3C5CC6C(C(CC(C6(C4)O5)O)O)(C)C)C)C | 652.90 | unknown | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3457064/ |
| Sutherlandioside A | 25137460 | Click to see | 652.90 | unknown |
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3457064/ https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0036-1578788 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene glycosides / Iridoid O-glycosides | |||||
| (1S,4aS,7S,7aS)-1-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-4-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxycarbonyl-1,4a,5,6,7,7a-hexahydrocyclopenta[c]pyran-7-carboxylic acid | 101673969 | Click to see | 552.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (1S)-1alpha-(beta-D-Glucopyranosyloxy)-1,4aalpha,5,6,7,7aalpha-hexahydrocyclopenta[c]pyran-4,7alpha-dicarboxylic acid 4-beta-D-glucopyranosyl 7-methyl ester | 101673970 | Click to see COC(=O)C1CCC2C1C(OC=C2C(=O)OC3C(C(C(C(O3)CO)O)O)O)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O | 566.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (1S)-1alpha-(beta-D-Glucopyranosyloxy)-1,4aalpha,5,6,7,7aalpha-hexahydrocyclopenta[c]pyran-4,7alpha-dicarboxylic acid 7-methyl ester | 101673972 | Click to see COC(=O)C1CCC2C1C(OC=C2C(=O)O)OC3C(C(C(C(O3)CO)O)O)O | 404.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Adoxosidic acid | 13892717 | Click to see C1CC2C(C1CO)C(OC=C2C(=O)O)OC3C(C(C(C(O3)CO)O)O)O | 376.36 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| dimethyl (1S,4aS,7S,7aS)-1-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-1,4a,5,6,7,7a-hexahydrocyclopenta[c]pyran-4,7-dicarboxylate | 101673971 | Click to see | 418.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Forsythide | 15559328 | Click to see C1CC(C2C1C(=COC2OC3C(C(C(C(O3)CO)O)O)O)C(=O)O)C(=O)O | 390.34 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| (+)-Ursolic Acid | 64945 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 10-Hydroxy-15-[5-hydroxy-6-methyl-6-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyheptan-2-yl]-7,7,12,16-tetramethylpentacyclo[9.7.0.01,3.03,8.012,16]octadec-5-en-4-one | 74393052 | Click to see | 634.80 | unknown | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3457064/ |
| Sutherlandioside D | 25137459 | Click to see | 634.80 | unknown |
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3457064/ https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0036-1578788 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Cycloartanols and derivatives | |||||
| 6-Hydroxy-15-[5-hydroxy-6-methyl-6-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyheptan-2-yl]-7,7,12,16-tetramethylpentacyclo[9.7.0.01,3.03,8.012,16]octadecane-4,18-dione | 74393132 | Click to see | 650.80 | unknown | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3457064/ |
| 6,10-Dihydroxy-15-[5-hydroxy-6-methyl-6-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyheptan-2-yl]-7,7,12,16-tetramethylpentacyclo[9.7.0.01,3.03,8.012,16]octadecan-4-one | 74393051 | Click to see | 652.90 | unknown | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3457064/ |
| Sutherlandioside B | 25137458 | Click to see | 652.90 | unknown |
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3457064/ https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0036-1578788 |
| Sutherlandioside C | 25137617 | Click to see | 650.80 | unknown |
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3457064/ https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0036-1578788 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives | |||||
| (-)-beta-Sitosterol | 222284 | Click to see | 414.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (3S)-17-[(5S)-5-ethyl-6-methylheptan-2-yl]-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol | 6745 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)O)C)C)C(C)C | 414.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-8741(04)00117-5 |
| gamma-Sitosterol | 457801 | Click to see | 414.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-8741(04)00117-5 |
| Stigmast-4-en-3-one | 5484202 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CCC4=CC(=O)CCC34C)C)C(C)C | 412.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-8741(04)00117-5 |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Oligosaccharides | |||||
| Forsythoside F | 6442994 | Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2C(C(OC(C2OC(=O)C=CC3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)O)COC4C(C(C(CO4)O)O)O)OCCC5=CC(=C(C=C5)O)O)O)O)O)O | 756.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Forsythoside G | 101231533 | Click to see | 770.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives / Coumaric acids and derivatives | |||||
| Verbascoside | 5281800 | Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2C(C(OC(C2OC(=O)C=CC3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)O)CO)OCCC4=CC(=C(C=C4)O)O)O)O)O)O | 624.60 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-3-O-glycosides | |||||
| Astragalin | 5282102 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O | 448.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Isoquercetin | 5280804 | Click to see | 464.40 | 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 |