Mezoneuron benthamianum
StarMezoneuron benthamianum
Synonyms: Caesalpinia benthamiana
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
Across West Africa Mezoneuron benthamianum is a valued folk remedy. In Senegal and The Gambia it is known by local names such as nemin and 'tiger's claw,' and in southwest Nigeria (Jenifinran) traditional practitioners use the leaves and roots for pain, fever, diarrhoea, dysentery, urethral discharges, wounds, ulcers, and skin diseases (Burkill, 1995). Pharmacological studies validate several of these uses: the aqueous leaf extract shows significant anti-diarrhoeal activity (Nwafor & Bassey, 2007), the leaves possess antiplasmodial and antimicrobial activity, and the roots show antioxidant and vasoactive properties supporting their reputation as an aphrodisiac (Iwu et al., 2008).
Botanical Description
Mezoneuron benthamianum (synonym Caesalpinia benthamiana) is a slender, scrambling woody climber or straggling shrub of the legume family (Fabaceae, subfamily Caesalpinioideae), widespread in the savanna and forest margins of tropical West and Central Africa. The arching stems are armed with small recurved prickles, earning it the name 'tiger's claw.' Leaves are large and bipinnate, divided into numerous pairs of pinnae each bearing small oblong leaflets. The yellow flowers are borne in elongated terminal and axillary racemes, the uppermost petal often marked with red. The fruit is a flat, thin, winged, papery pod (samaroid legume) containing one or few seeds, a feature distinguishing the genus Mezoneuron from related Caesalpinia. It grows in thickets, secondary regrowth, fallow land, and riverine bush from Senegal across to Cameroon and beyond.
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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