Otaheite gooseberry
Phyllanthus acidus · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Extensive (241 studies) · ★★★★★
Otahite gooseberry, scientifically known as Phyllanthus acidus, is a tropical evergreen shrub prized for its small, tart, yellowish fruits. Native to Southeast Asia, this versatile plant is valued in traditional medicine for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties, offering significant therapeutic potential for various health conditions.
- Family
- Phyllanthaceae
- Native range
- Africa
- Parts used
- Leaves
- Common names
- Not available
- Scientific synonyms
- Cicca Acida · Diasperus Acidissimus · 12 more
Names
Regional and Traditional Names
Spanish:
- Phyllanthus distichus f. nodiflorus
- Phyllanthus cicca
- Phyllanthus cicca var. bracteosa
- Phyllanthus longifolius
- Cicca acida
- Phyllanthus cochinchinensis
- Tricarium cochinchinense
- Phyllanthus distichus
- Phyllanthus acidissimus
- Cicca racemosa
- Cicca disticha
- Averrhoa acida
- Cicca acidissima
- Diasperus acidissimus
- Cicca nodiflora
German:
- Stachelbeerbaum
- Grosella
- Baumstachelbeere
French:
- Girembellier
- Grimbellier
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Phyllanthus acidusSynonyms
- Cicca acida
- Diasperus acidissimus
- Phyllanthus acidissimus
- Phyllanthus distichus f. nodiflorus
- Phyllanthus longifolius
- Tricarium cochinchinense
- Cicca acidissima
- Cicca disticha
- Cicca nodiflora
- Cicca racemosa
- Averrhoa acida
- Phyllanthus cicca
- Phyllanthus cicca var. bracteosa
- Averrhoa frondosa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, known scientifically as Phyllanthus acidus, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Malpighiales. Finally, it is a member of the family Phyllanthaceae and falls under the genus Phyllanthus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malpighiales | WCVP |
| Family | Phyllanthaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Phyllanthus | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a widespread presence across several distinct regions of the African continent. In the Macaronesian islands, it can be found growing in Cape Verde. Moving to the mainland, it is distributed throughout West Tropical Africa, specifically in Guinea-Bissau. Its range extends into West-Central Tropical Africa, where it is present in Gabon and the DR Congo. Finally, the species reaches into East Tropical Africa, with documented occurrences in Tanzania.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Macaronesia | Cape Verde | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea-Bissau | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Gabon | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | DR Congo | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Uganda | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Comoros | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Assam | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Bangladesh | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | India | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known commonly as the star gooseberry, utilizes its leaves as a key component in traditional medicinal practices. The small, green, pinnate leaves are often employed in various decoctions and topical applications to address specific health concerns. In many herbal traditions, these leaves are valued for their bioactive properties, which are harnessed to support wellness through their unique chemical composition.| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | Bioorganic chemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Phyllanthus acidus has 20 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ascorbic acid, Ash, CALCIUM, FAT, Flavonoid.
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| ascorbic acid | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Ash | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| CALCIUM | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| FAT | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Flavonoid | Planta (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hypogallic acid | Molecular pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hypophyllanthin | Pharmaceutical biology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| IRON | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| PHOSPHORUS | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| POTASSIUM | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Phyllanthus acidus has 211 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Hepatoprotective, Hypoglycemic, Acidulant, Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor, Allergenic.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Hepatoprotective | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hypoglycemic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Acidulant | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Allergenic | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Analgesic | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Androgenic? | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Angiotensin-Receptor-Blocker | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| AntiAGE | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| AntiCFS | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Phyllanthus acidus has 6 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Staphylococcus aureus, asthma, bronchitis, cancer, cystic fibrosis.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Staphylococcus aureus | Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| asthma | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bronchitis | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | Natural products and bioprospecting (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cystic fibrosis | Molecular pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rheumatism | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| edible vegetables | Bioorganic chemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| herbal extracts | Molecular pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| methanolic extracts | Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| water infusions | Bioorganic chemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |