Boophane disticha

Boophane disticha (L.f.) (Family: Amaryllidaceae) known as ‘incotho’ is an ancient herbal medicine, much used throughout Southern Africa. The scales of the bulbs are used to treat a diverse range of conditions. It is thought to have been used by the San people as a spiritual medicine with the scales found in their graves.

The scales have narcotic properties and have been used in the treatment of hysteria in women (Van Wyk et al., 1997). It produces hallucinations when taken at levels which make it toxic (Du Plooy et al., 2001). The ability to reduce anxiety and depression is believed to be due to the affinity of various alkaloids contained in the scales for the serotonin transporter. Leaf extracts have been shown in rat brain segments to have a particularly high affinity for the SSRI site (Nielsen et al., 2004).

It is commonly used as a very effective antimicrobial especially in circumcision, and it is claimed by some that because it has largely been ignored that it accounts for many of the modern day infections in South Africa.

Eleven alkaloids have been isolated including buphanidrine and buphanamine with contents of 19.5% and 14.1 % respectively (Hautch and Stauffacher, 1961).

Hautch, H., Stauffacher, D., 1961. Die Alkaloide von Buphane disticha (L.f.) Herb. Helvetica Chimica Acta 44, 491–502

Nielsen, N.D., Sandager, M., Stafford, G.I., Jäger, A.K., van Staden, J., (2004) Screening of indigenous plants from South Africa for affinity to the serotonin reuptake transport protein. J. Ethnopharmacology 94, pp. 159–163.

Stahl, S.M., 1998. Mechanism of action of serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors: serotonin receptors and pathways mediate therapeutic effects and side effects. J. Affective Disorders 51, pp. 215–235.

Van Wyk, B., van Oudtshoorn, B., Gericke, N., 1997. Medicinal plants of South Africa. Briza Publications, Pretoria. South Africa.