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Telosma tomentosa (L.) M.R.
Almeida Fl. Maharashtra
Asclepiadaceae
Telosma tomentosa (L.) M.R. Almeida Fl.
Maharashtra
Pergularia tomentosa L.
Daemia tomentosa (L.) Pomel
Daemia cordata (Forssk.) R.Br. ex Schult.
Pergularia tomentosa: hairy
Arabic: ghoulga, demya, leben el hamir
Targui: tashkat, dellakal, tellakh, sellaha
French: pergulaire
Compiled by Dr. Salima Benhouhou
The plant is not threatened and appears on the
floristic list of several protected sites listed by the
UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.
Morphological description
A perennial shrub about 50-60 cm. high, reaching 1
m in good conditions, with older woody stems around
which the younger ones wind. The stems are covered
with erect green hairs. The leaves are opposite, entire,
1-2 cm. long, heart-shaped, with long stalks that are
also covered with green hairs. There are small flowers
with 5 yellow-whitish free petals. The fruits are
oblong, globulous follicules, covered in fleshy bristles.
At the slightest touch the plant secretes a white sticky
fluid from the leaves and fruits.
It flowers in spring in the northern Sahara and any
time of year in the central Sahara.
Geographical distribution
Local: Common in the Algerian Sahara.
Regional: North Africa.
Global: A Saharo-sindian species that spreads from
Morocco in the west to India in the east.
Ecology
A hardy chamaephyte that shows a rather wide
amplitude for soil from sandy, clayey to gravellystony sites. It is found on wadi beds as well as on
gravelly plateaux (regs). The plant thrives in hot
deserts where the rainfall does not exceed 100 mm.
Part used
The latex, leaves and roots. These are collected in
spring in the northern Algerian Sahara and any time
after a rainy period in the central Algerian Sahara.
They are prepared as an infusion, decoction,
powder and mixed with other plants, and taken by
mouth or used externally.
Constituents
Calcium oxalate crystals (leaves), cardenolides
(roots), b-sitosterol glucoside, ghalakinoside
(steroid), pergularine, coroglaucigenine, choline,
terpenoids, saponine, polyphenols, flavonoid and
carotenoids.
Pharmacological action and
toxicity
Anticancer activity: recent research show promising results in killing cancer cells in laboratory
tests (Internet source 1). Hypoglycaemic effects.
The distribution, importance, conventional propagation, micropropagation, tissue culture studies,
and in vitro production of important medicinal
and pharmaceutical compounds in Pergularia
tomentosa are currently underway (Internet
source 2).
It is known to be toxic because of the poisonous
milky sap and the toxic cardenolides in the roots.
Status
According to the IUCN criteria this Saharo-sindian
species falls into the "C" category.
Pharmacopeias
Not relevant for this species.
A Guide to Medicinal Plants in North Africa
267
Pharmaceutical products
Not relevant for this species.
Traditional medicine and local
knowledge
It is used for bronchitis and tuberculosis, and for
snake bites.
Pergularia tomentosa produces a corrosive white
latex and may severely harm the skin.
The entire plant crushed in powder and spread on
like a plaster removes the hair in a few days. In
the Tassili, Pergularia tomentosa is known to be
the desert varan’s weapon against vipers – wound
around the snake.
In Egypt it is used as a depilatory, poultice, laxative, anthelmintic, and abortifacient and for skin
diseases. In the Dra (Morocco), the latex is applied
externally to mature furuncles and abscesses and
to extract spines from the skin. The leaves are
applied as poultices on snake and scorpion bites.
In Tissint (Morocco), a decoction of the leaves and
stems is used for bronchitis and tuberculosis. This
medication should be taken with great care and is
forbidden for pregnant women.
References
Relevant to the plant and its uses
Al-Said, M.S.; Abu-Jayyab, A.; Hifnawy, M.S., 1989.
Biochemical studies on ghalakinoside, a possible antitumor agent from Pergularia tomentosa. Journal of ethno-pharmacology Vol. 27
(1/2). pp. 235-240.
Doaigey, A. R., 1991. Occurrence, Type, and
Location of Calcium Oxalatre Crystals in
Leaves and Stems of 16 Species of Poisonous
Plants. American Journal of Botany, 78 (12).
pp. 1608 -1616
Elhag, H., El-Olemy, M.M. & Al-Said, S., 1998.
Production of anthocyanins and extracellular
polysacharides by cell cultures of Pergularia
tomentosa. Poster presented at the Annual
Conference on new crops and new uses : biodiversity and sustainability.
Gohar, A. A., El-Olemy, M., M., Abdel-Sattar, E., ElSaid, M. & Niwa, M., 2000. Cardenolides and
b-sitosterol glucoside from Pergularia tomentosa. Nat. Prod. Sci. 6. pp. 142-146.
268
A Guide to Medicinal Plants in North Africa
Shabana, M.M., Mirhom, Y.W., Genenah, A.A.,
Aboutabl, E.A., Amer, H.A., 1990. Study into
wild Egyptian plants of potential medicinal
activity. Ninth communication: hypoglycaemic
activity of some selected plants in normal fasting and alloxanised rats.
Arch Exp Veterinarmed. 44 (3). pp. 389-94.
Internet source 1 :
http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/botany/ptab.ht
ml
Internet source 2 : http://www.agritechpublications.com/medi-vii.htm
General references
Batanouny, K. H., 1999. Wild Medicinal Plants in
Egypt. The Palm Press. Cairo. pp. 207.
Bellakhdar, J., 1997. La pharmacopée marocaine
traditionnelle. Médecine arabe ancienne et
savoirs populaires. IBIS Press. 764 p.
Benchelah, A.C., Bouziane, H., Maka, M. &
Ouahes, C., 2000. Fleurs du Sahara. Voyage et
ethnobotanique avec les touaregs du Tassili.
Ed.Ibis Press, Paris. 255 p.
Benhouhou, S.S. & Saadoun, N., 1986.
Contribution à l'étude de la flore de la région
de Béni-Abbès. Undergraduate thesis.
University of Algiers. 241 p.
Boulos, L., 1983. Medicinal Plants of North Africa.
Reference Publication Algonac,
Michigan. 286 p.
Maire, R., 1940. Etudes sur la flore et la végétation du Sahara central. Mem. Soc. Hist. Nat.
Afrique Nord, Alger 3. pp. 1-433.
Ozenda, P., 1991. Flore et végétation du Sahara.
Ed. CNRS, Paris. 662 p.
Quézel, P. & Santa, S. 1962-1963. Nouvelle Flore
de l'Algérie et des régions désertiques méridionales. CNRS, Paris, 2 vol. 1170 p.
Sitouh, M., 1989. Les plantes utiles du Sahara.
Ann. Inst. Nat. Agro. El Harrach, Alger, vol. 13,
n°2 : 583-658.
Trabut, L., 1935. Répertoires des noms indigènes
des plantes spontanées, cultivées et utilisées
dans le Nord de l'Afrique. Collection du
Centenaire de l'Algérie, Alger. 355 p.