Cleome arabica
Khouniza
Cleome arabica, commonly known as the spider flower or Arabic cleome, is a versatile medicinal herb valued in traditional healing. Renowned for its potent bioactive compounds, it is frequently utilized to treat various ailments, including skin infections and inflammation, offering significant therapeutic potential within diverse ethnobotanical practices worldwide.
- Scientific name: Cleome arabica
- Family: Cleomaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Further taxonomic descent places it in the subclass Magnoliidae and order Brassicales. Finally, Cleome arabica is a member of the family Cleomaceae and the genus Cleome.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Brassicales | WCVP |
| Family | Cleomaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Cleome | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Cleome arabica, is referred to by various common names depending on the language and region. In Arabic, it is called ذفرة عربية, while in the United Arab Emirates, it is commonly known as عفينة. In Chinese, the names vary slightly by script: it is identified as 阿拉伯鸟足菜 in both mainland China (zh-cn) and general usage (zh), and as 阿拉伯鳥足菜 in Taiwan (zh-tw).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ar | ذفرة عربية | Wikidata |
| aeb-arab | عفينة | Wikidata |
| zh | 阿拉伯鸟足菜 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 阿拉伯鸟足菜 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 阿拉伯鳥足菜 | Wikidata |
| aeb-arab | منيتنة | Wikidata |
| ar | وحش | Wikidata |
| ar | مجنونة | Wikidata |
| zh | 库尼扎 | Wikidata |
| zh | 阿拉伯白花菜 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several regions in Africa. In Northern Africa, it is specifically documented within the borders of Egypt. Moving toward the West Tropical Africa region, the species can be found in Niger. Its presence also extends into Northeast Tropical Africa, where it grows in Chad. Furthermore, the plant is widely distributed across the Northeast Tropical African landscapes of both Eritrea and Ethiopia.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Africa | Egypt | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Niger | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Chad | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Eritrea | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Ethiopia | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Sudan-South Sudan | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Iran | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Lebanon-Syria | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Palestine | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Sinai | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Cleome arabica, possesses various components that are utilized in traditional medicine, with significant pharmacological interest often directed toward its different tissues. While the leaves, seeds, and roots are frequently studied for their bioactive compounds, the medicinal properties are often accessed through an aqueous extract. This method of preparation involves using water to leach out soluble phytochemicals, such as flavonoids and alkaloids, which are then used to treat various ailments. By utilizing an aqueous extract, researchers and traditional practitioners can isolate the water-soluble therapeutic agents present within the plant's structure to evaluate their healing potential.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| aqueous extract | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Cleome arabica has 10 reported phytochemicals identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Vitamin E, ash, catechin, condensed tannin, flavonoid.
- Total chemicals
- 10
- Scientific sources
- 10
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin E | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ash | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| catechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| condensed tannin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| glycosides | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| lupeol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| polyphenols | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tannins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Cleome arabica has 7 reported activities identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Analgesic, Antiatherogenic, Antibacterial, Antihyperglycemic.
- Total activities
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 9
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Analgesic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiatherogenic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antihyperglycemic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antinociceptive | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hypolipidemic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Cleome arabica has 6 reported medicinal uses identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include diabetes mellitus, inflammation, rheumatism, cancer, colic.
- Total uses
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 9
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| diabetes mellitus | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rheumatism | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| colic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pain | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |