Zehneria scabra
| Zehneria scabra | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Cucurbitales |
| Family: | Cucurbitaceae |
| Genus: | Zehneria |
| Species: | Z. scabra
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| Binomial name | |
| Zehneria scabra (Linn.f.) Sond
| |
Zehneria scabra is a perennial climbing or trailing herb that belong to the family Cucurbitaceae.[1]
Morphology
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The herb can climb up to 10 m (33 ft) long. The older parts of the stems are woody with corky-ridged bark.[2] Its leaves are triangular to ovate in shape, cordate at the base, deep green, and scabrid punctate above. The fruit is oval shaped and bright red.[3]
Distribution
[edit]The plant is widely distributed in Tropical Africa, and present in Madagascar, India, and in Java, Indonesia.
Uses
[edit]In Ethiopia, the herb is known locally as 'hareg ressa' where its fruits and leaves are crushed and oil extracted used to treat scabies. [2] Extracts from the herb are traditionally used to treat diarrhea, alopecia, wound and eczema.[4] Oil extracts are also used to treat skin related infections among the Pare of Tanzania.
References
[edit]- ^ Abew, Bereket; Sahile, Samuel; Moges, Feleke (October 2014). "In vitro antibacterial activity of leaf extracts of Zehneria scabra and Ricinus communis against Escherichia coli and methicillin resistance Staphylococcus aureus". Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine. 4 (10): 816–820. doi:10.12980/APJTB.4.201414B16.
- ^ a b Messele, Bruck (February 2004). Studies on Extracts of Some Medicinal Plants Traditionally Used for Dermatological Disorders in Ethiopia (Thesis thesis). Addis Ababa University.
- ^ "Zehneria scabra (L.f.) Sond. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
- ^ Tadesse, Wondmagegn Tamiru; Hailu, Abebe Ejigu; Gurmu, Abyot Endale; Mechesso, Abraham Fikru (December 2014). "Experimental assessment of antidiarrheal and antisecretory activity of 80% methanolic leaf extract of Zehneria scabra in mice". BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 14 (1): 460. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-14-460. ISSN 1472-6882. PMC 4265498. PMID 25465058.