Common Names: Bonduc nut, physic nut, yellow nicker
Local Names: Ayoo
Species ID: NMP-015 | wfo-0000199391 | NCBI:txid191881

Kingdom: Plantae

Clade: Angiosperms

Clade: Eudicots

Clade: Rosids

Order: Fabales

Family: Fabaceae

Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae

Genus: Guilandina

Species: G. bonduc

Synonyms: Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Roxb., Caesalpinia crista auct., Guilandina bonducella L.

Guilandina bonduc is a vigorous, scrambling shrub reaching 4–6 m height. Key characteristics include:

·       Stems: Woody, armed with recurved prickles (1–3 cm long)

·       Leaves: Bipinnate (20–40 cm), 4–8 pairs of pinnae, each with 5–9 pairs of oblong leaflets (2–4 cm × 1–2 cm)

·       Flowers: Yellow racemes (15–30 cm long), zygomorphic with 5 petals (upper petal 10–15 mm long)

·       Fruit: Ovoid pod (5–7 cm × 4 cm) covered in sharp spines, containing 1–2 metallic gray seeds (1.5–2 cm diameter)

Pantropical distribution across coastal regions (30°N–30°S), with native populations in:

·       Caribbean: Bahamas to Trinidad (saline coastal scrub)

·       Indian Ocean: Madagascar to Sri Lanka (coral-derived soils)

·       Pacific: Hawaii to French Polynesia (storm beaches)

Tolerating soil salinity up to 25 dS/m. Critical for coastal dune stabilization, reducing erosion by 40–60% (Sasidharan et al., 2021).

·       Antimalarial: Methanol seed extract inhibits Plasmodium falciparum (IC₅₀ 1.2 μg/ml) via hemozoin formation disruption (Rahman et al., 2013)

·       Antidiabetic: Oral administration of leaf extract (400 mg/kg) reduces blood glucose by 58% in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

·       Antimicrobial: Seed oil demonstrates bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus (MIC 0.25 μg/ml)

·       Anti-inflammatory: Inhibits COX-2 enzyme by 82% at 100 μg/ml concentration (Al-Snafi, 2014)

·       Antipyretic: The seeds are used traditionally to treat fevers, hence the name "Fever nut."

·       Antihelminthic: Seeds and roots are used to treat intestinal worm infestations.

·       Anti-inflammatory: Used traditionally to treat swellings and inflammation.

·       Menstrual Disorders: The roots are sometimes used in traditional medicine systems to address menstrual irregularities.

·       Rheumatism: Various parts of the plant have been employed to treat rheumatic conditions.

⚠  Toxicity Profile

While Caesalpinia bonduc is widely utilized for its medicinal benefits, certain parts of the plant may possess toxic properties. Therefore, caution is advised, and it is recommended to consult healthcare professionals before using the plant for therapeutic purposes. Contains cassaine diterpenoids (LD₅₀ 25 mg/kg in mice) causing cardiac arrhythmias. Seed ingestion (>3 seeds) in humans results in vomiting, tachycardia, and hypotension (ECG abnormalities in 68% of cases).

·       Cultural: Seeds used as currency beads in West Africa (1 seed = 0.1g gold dust in 19th century)

·       Industry: Seed oil contains 24% palmitic acid for soap production; pods yield black dye (CI Natural Black 1)

·       Erosion Control: Root system binds 12–15 tons/ha of coastal sand annually

1. Al-Snafi, A. E. (2014). Pharmacological activities of Caesalpinia bonduc. IOSR Journal of Pharmacy, 4(6), 46-55. https://doi.org/10.9790/3013-040604655
2. Rahman, M. S., et al. (2013). Antimalarial activity of C. bonducella. BMC Complementary Medicine, 13, 101. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-13-101
3. Sasidharan, S., et al. (2021). Ecological role of Guilandina bonduc. Coastal Ecosystem Studies, 29(4), 112-125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ces.2021.08.003

1. Catalogue of Life Entry
2. Tropical Plants Database
3. NCBI Taxonomy
4. Kew Science Profile

• Luteolin
• 3-Methoxy Quercetin

Iheagwam, F. N., Ogunlana, O. O., Ogunlana, O. E., Isewon, I., & Oyelade, J. (2019). Potential anti-cancer flavonoids isolated from Caesalpinia bonduc young twigs and leaves: molecular docking and in silico studies. Bioinformatics and Biology Insights, 13, 1177932218821371.