Common Names: Hymenocardia, Heart Fruit, Sour Plum
Local Names: Aboopa (Yoruba, Nigeria), Orupa (Edo, Nigeria), Jan Yaro, Jan ice, (Hausa, Nigeria), Uvete (Swahili, East Africa), Nkpokolo (Igbo, Nigeria)
Species ID: NMP-089 | wfo-0000216004 | NCBI_Taxonomy ID: 300975

Kingdom: Plantae

Clade: Tracheophytes

Clade: Angiosperms

Clade: Eudicots

Clade: Rosids

Order: Malpighiales

Family: Phyllanthaceae

Genus: Hymenocardia

Species: H. acida

Synonyms: Hymenocardia acida var. mollis (Pax) Radcl.-Sm., Hymenocardia acida var. acida, Hymenocardia granulata Beille

Hymenocardia acida is a deciduous shrub or small tree, typically growing 2–7 m tall, occasionally reaching 10 m in favorable conditions. Its key morphological features include:

·       Stem: Gnarled, twisted, with rough, rusty-red bark; bole up to 30 cm in diameter, exuding a milky sap when cut.

·       Leaves: Simple, alternate, ovate to elliptic, 5–15 cm long, 3–8 cm wide, with serrated margins, acidic taste, green turning yellow before shedding.

·       Flowers: Small, 2–5 mm long, greenish-yellow, unisexual (dioecious or monoecious), borne in axillary or terminal panicles; male flowers with five stamens, female with a tricarpellary ovary.

·       Fruit: Three-lobed capsules, 1–2 cm long, winged, green turning brown, splitting to release flat, winged seeds.

The plant’s distinctive bark and winged fruits align with Phyllanthaceae traits (Radcliffe-Smith, 1996).

Hymenocardia acida is widespread across tropical Africa, recorded in:

·       West Africa: Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Mali (annual rainfall 600–1,500 mm).

·       East Africa: Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania.

·       Central/Southern Africa: Angola, Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa.

It thrives in dry woodlands, savannas, and termite mounds, preferring sandy or loamy soils (pH 5.0–6.5) from sea level to 1,200 m altitude (Burkill, 1994).

Hymenocardia acida is a vital medicinal plant in tropical Africa is widely recognized in traditional medicine for its diverse therapeutic applications. Various parts of the plant, including the leaves, stem bark, and roots, are utilized to treat ailments such as hemorrhoids, chest pain, eye infections, migraines, skin diseases, and tumors. Phytochemical analyses have revealed the presence of compounds like alkaloids, terpenoids, glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, and tannins, which contribute to its medicinal properties. Notably, the stem bark extract has demonstrated significant anticancer activity, particularly when delivered using nanotechnology-based methods(Adedokun et al 2022). Additionally, the methanol bark extract exhibits promising antidiarrheal properties, supporting its traditional use against diarrhea. These findings underscore the potential of Hymenocardia acida as a valuable resource in the development of therapeutic agents for various health conditions.

·       Antisickling: Leaf extracts treat sickle cell disease in Nigeria. Ibrahim et al. (2007) showed ethanol extracts (1% w/v) reversed sickled RBCs by 70%, linked to flavonoids and saponins.

·       Antidiarrheal: Bark decoctions manage dysentery in Senegal. Usman et al. (2021) found methanolic bark extracts (600 mg/kg) reduced castor oil-induced diarrhea in rats by 65%, due to tannins and alkaloids.

·       Antihypertensive: Root decoctions lower blood pressure in Guinea. Nsuadi Manga et al. (2013) reported methanolic root extracts (100 mg/kg) relaxed rat aorta via NO-cGMP, reducing BP in SHR by 15%.

·       Analgesic: Root poultices ease toothache in Northern Nigeria. Olotu et al. (2011) confirmed methanolic root extracts (200 mg/kg) reduced acetic acid-induced writhing in mice by 50%.

·       Antimalarial: Leaf decoctions treat fever in Côte d’Ivoire. Vonthron-Sénécheau et al. (2003) found extracts inhibited Plasmodium falciparum (IC₅₀ 10 μg/ml), attributed to cyclopeptide alkaloids.

Additional traditional uses—e.g., for cough, trypanosomiasis, and skin infections—are supported by phytochemicals like hymenocardine, triterpenoids, and phenolic compounds (Tor-Anyiin et al., 2013).

⚠  Toxicity Profile: High doses of bark extracts (>1,000 mg/kg in rats) caused sedation and tremors, likely due to alkaloids. Leaf sap may irritate skin and eyes. Caution is advised in prolonged use (Usman et al., 2021).

·       Dye: Bark yields a brownish-red dye for textiles and leather tanning (Burkill, 1994).

·       Fodder: Young leaves and twigs feed cattle and edible caterpillars in Zambia (Radcliffe-Smith, 1996).

·       Construction: Hard, termite-resistant wood used for tools, fuel, and building in Ghana (Schmelzer, 2008).

·       Ecological: Controls erosion, provides shade, and attracts bees for pollination (Burkill, 1994).

·       Culinary: Sour young fruits eaten by children; leaves used as a vegetable in Nigeria (Schmelzer, 2008).

• Adedokun, O., Ntungwe, E. N., Viegas, C., Adesina Ayinde, B., Barboni, L., Maggi, F., ... & Fonte, P. (2022). Enhanced anticancer activity of Hymenocardia acida stem bark extract loaded into PLGA nanoparticles. Pharmaceuticals, 15(5), 535.

• Burkill, H. M. (1994). The useful plants of West Tropical Africa (Vol. 2). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

• Ibrahim, H., Sani, F. S., Danladi, B. H., & Ahmadu, A. A. (2007). Phytochemical and antisickling studies of the leaves of Hymenocardia acida Tul (Euphorbiaceae). Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, 10(5), 788–791. https://doi.org/10.3923/pjbs.2007.788.791

• Nsuadi Manga, F., El Khattabi, C., Fontaine, J., Berkenboom, G., Duez, P., Lami Nzunzu, J., & Pochet, S. (2013). Vasorelaxant and antihypertensive effects of methanolic extracts from Hymenocardia acida Tul. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 146(2), 623–631. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2013.02.002

• Olotu, N. P., Ibrahim, H., Ilyas, N., & Ajim, M. (2011). Phytochemical screening and analgesic studies of the root bark of Hymenocardia acida, Tul (Euphorbiaceae). International Journal of Drug Development and Research, 3(3), 97–103.

• Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae (Part 1). In Flora Zambesiaca (Vol. 9, pp. 1–337). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

• Schmelzer, G. H. (2008). Hymenocardia acida Tul. In G. H. Schmelzer & A. Gurib-Fakim (Eds.), Medicinal plants (pp. 340–343). PROTA Foundation.

• Tor-Anyiin, T. A., Igoli, J. O., & Anyam, J. V. (2013). Review on phytochemical and medicinal activities of Hymenocardia acida Tul (Euphorbiaceae). Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research, 5(9), 231–236.

• Usman, A. M., Ahmad, M. M., Abubakar, Y. M., Danjuma, N. M., Ya’u, J., Alhassan, Z., & Ahmad, M. H. (2021). Antidiarrhoeal potentials of methanol bark extract of Hymenocardia acida Tul (Euphorbiaceae) in laboratory animals. Bulletin of the National Research Centre, 45, 114.

• Vonthron-Sénécheau, C., Weniger, B., Ouattara, M., Tra Bi, F., Kamenan, A., Lobstein, A., Brun, R., & Anton, R. (2003). In vitro antiplasmodial activity and cytotoxicity of ethnobotanically selected Ivorian plants. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 87(2–3), 221–225. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-8741(03)00144-2

• Wikipedia - Hymenocardia acida

• PROTA - Hymenocardia acida

• JSTOR - Hymenocardia acida (Flora Zambesiaca 6950)

• JSTOR - Hymenocardia acida (Flora Zambesiaca 6949)

• 3β- lup-20(29)-en-3ol (Lupeol)

Adedokun, O., Ntungwe, E. N., Viegas, C., Adesina Ayinde, B., Barboni, L., Maggi, F., ... & Fonte, P. (2022). Enhanced anticancer activity of Hymenocardia acida stem bark extract loaded into PLGA nanoparticles. Pharmaceuticals, 15(5), 535.