Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
On Reunion and the other Mascarene Islands the leaves of Antirhea borbonica ("bois d'osto") are a traditional Creole medicinal plant, brewed as an infusion or herbal tea taken as a general health drink and used in local folk practice for inflammatory and metabolic complaints and to "cleanse" the body (Mascarene/Reunion ethnomedicine). The leaf is officially recognized among Reunion's traditional herbal teas, and modern pharmacological studies of the leaf extract have confirmed marked antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity attributed to its high content of caffeic-acid derivatives and polyphenols (Marimoutou et al., 2015; Da Silva et al., 2019).
Gallery
Botanical Description
Antirhea borbonica ("bois d'osto", "bois de losteau") is an evergreen shrub or small tree of the coffee family (Rubiaceae), reaching about 3-12 m, with a slender trunk and opposite branching. The leaves are opposite, leathery, obovate to elliptic, 4-12 cm long, with entire margins, a glossy upper surface and interpetiolar stipules characteristic of the family. The small flowers are white to cream, tubular and fragrant, borne in branched axillary clusters (cymes); the species is functionally dioecious. The fruit is a small fleshy ovoid drupe that ripens dark, containing one or two seeds. Endemic to the Mascarene Islands of the western Indian Ocean (Reunion, Mauritius), it grows in lowland and mid-altitude humid and semi-dry forest, and is now uncommon in the wild owing to habitat loss.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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