Tulbagia violacea
Vergleich:
Siehe: Asparagales + Begeleiter
Quelle: Remedia.at
Vergleich.: Lilienähnliche (= Liliopsida) + Lilienartige (= Liliales) + Lilien (= Liliaceae)
2.3.1 Family
Tulbagia violaeea
forms part of the Alliaceae family (Van Wyk and Gericke, 2000: 150).
Plants from this family are characteristically recognised as being
perennial herbs with bulbs, bulblike corms, or a rhizome in the case of some
South African species. Leaves form a sheath around
a flowering stem, with membranous bracts at the bottom. Some species
have a characteristic onion smell. The family consists of around 30 genera, 4
native to Southern Africa. (Pooley, 1998:344.)
Within the Alliaceae, the genus Allium is distinguished from the genus Tulbagia,
in that whereas the former has a bulb rootstock, campanulate
flowers, connate tepals, and lacks a corona, the
latter
has a rhizome rootstock, more or less tubular flowers and tepals, and does contain a corona (Goldblatt
and Manning, 2000:52).
2.3.2 Nomenclature
The Tulbagia species is named after Ryk Tulbagh, Governor of the
Cape, 1751 – 1771 (Pooley, 1998:344). Tulbagia violaeea is also
sometimes known as wild garlic, or wilde knoflok (Roberts, 1990:233). In Zulu, it is known as either
isihaqa (Hutchings, et al., 1996:37), or incinsini (Roberts, 1990:233). In Sotho it is referred to
as rna/hebe (Dyson, 1998:61). Tulbagia
violacea may also be identified under the synonym of Tulbagia eepaeea (Hutchings, et
al., 1996:37).
2.3.3 Description
Tulbagia violaeea
is a long-flowering perennial bearing round heads of small mauve flowers
carried on long stalks (Joffe, 1993:300) [See figure
2.2]. The plants have tuberous rhizomes with many truck roots. Their leaves are
long, narrow and hairless and have fleshy white bases. Tulbagia
violacea are often found growing in clumps. (Van Wyk and Gericke, 2000:150.) The
fully grown plants reach a height of about 20 - 35cm (Goldblatt
and Manning, 2000:53).
2.3.4 Habitat and cultivation
Tulbagia violacea
is indigenous to Southern Africa, occurring mainly in the Southeast of South
Africa, in the area between Knysna and KwaZulu-Natal
(Goldblatt and Manning, 2000:53). It may however, be
found as far north as Zimbabwe (Dyson, 1998:61). It is an attractive garden
plant, and as such is grown in many gardens across South Africa (Roberts,
1990:233). The plant is easy to grow, and may grow in poor soil.
Tulbagia violacea
may grow in sunny or partially shaded areas, and propagation may be from seed
or by dividing larger clumps (Joffe, 1993:300). The
Zulu often encircle their huts with the growing plant in order to keep snakes
away (Watt and Breyer-Brandwijk, 1962:717).
2.3.5 Parts used
The rhizomes and leaves are widely used in traditional South African
medicine (Van Wyk and Gericke,
2000: 150).
The Zulus often use the green parts and the flowers as a type of
spinach, or as a condiment for meat (Watt and Breyer-Brandwijk,
1962:717).
2.3.6 Constituents
The presence of alkyl cysteine sulfoxide lyases in chemical
studies of Tulbagia violacea,
suggest that the odour production mechanisms may be similar to those produced
by allinase-like enzymes
in the genus Allium (Hutchings, et a!.,
1996:37).
Other compounds isolated include sulphur compounds,
2,4,7-tetrathiaoctane-2.2-dioxide and 2,4,5,7-tetrathiaoctane, kaempferol, quercetin, thirteen
more t1avones, several sugars and steroidal saponins
(Hutchings, el al., 1996:37).
Sulphur compounds are often important in medicinal chemistry, as many
drugs have a benzenesulfonamide nucleus (Lemke, 1983
:80). The anti-microbial activity of Allium sativum, a plant with which Tulbagia
violacea is thought to share common pharmacological
mechanisms (Van Wyk and Gericke,
2000: 150), mainly due to its sulphur-containing compounds (Leung and Foster,
1996:261), and alliine, a methylcontaining
amino acid (Evans, 1996:454).
2.3.6.1 Solubility of constituents
Water solubility of active-constituents is important when utilising an
agar-based discdiffusion type experimental model
(Rios, Recio and Villar,
1988: 127). Sulfonic acids and sulfonamides
both contain the possibility of ion-dipole interaction with water which will
favour water solubility. Amino and methyl groups, such as the type present in alliine, also greatly enhance water solubility. (Lemke,
1983:79.)
2.3.7 Actions
Tulbagia violacea
is thought to be similar to Allium sativum in its medicinal activities (Van Wyk and Gericke, 2000:150).
2.3.8 Preparation
Traditionally Tulbagia violacea
is administered in many varied ways. It may be prepared as an infusion from the
tubers, or as a decoction to be used in the form of an enema. Tubers or leaves
may
be rubbed directly on the body, or rhizomes may be ground to form a
powder. (Hutchings, et a!., 1996:37.) The leaves and flowers may be eaten whole
(Van Wyk and Gericke,
2000:150).
2.3.9 Traditional and current uses
The Zulus and Sothos use Tulbagia
violacea for treating respiratory ailments. The bulb
has been recommended as a remedy for pulmonary tuberculosis and as an anthelminthic. Traditionally, infusions of the tuber have
been used as love charm emetics, as well as administered as enemas for stomach
ailments, constipation, rheumatism, paralysis and high fevers. The leaves may
be used to treat sinus
headaches, or colic, wind and restlessness in small children. The leaves
may be used to treat esophageal cancer. (Hutchings,
el al., 1996:37~ Neuwinger, 2000:536; Watt and Breyer-Brandwijk, 1962:717.)
The Early Cape Colonists used Tulbagia violacea as a remedy for pulmonary tuberculosis and as an anthelminthic (Hutchings, et al., 1996:37).
Rastafarians have been known to drink a Tulbagia
via/Cleat decotion to treat coughs, colds and
influenza (Dyson, 1998:61).
In the Transkei, the tubers are occasionally rubbed all over the body as
a protection against evil spirits. (Hutchings, et al., 1996:37.) The plants are
also cultivated near the homestead to keep snakes away (Watt and Breyer-Brandwijk, 1962:717).
Young plants are sometimes eaten as vegetables, with the Zulus using the
green parts and the Howers as a type of spinach, or
as a condiment for meat. (Watt and Breyer- Brandwijk. 1962:717.)
2.3.10 Anti-microbial activity
A cold-water extract of an entire Tulbagia violacea plant tested positive in antimicrobacterial
tests against M. tuberculosis and E. coli. In the same study, it was found that
the extract had no effect against Staph. aureus.
(Watt and Breyer-Brandwijk, 1962:717.) The results
from this study are often cited as a reference in later publications
(Hutchings, el al., 1996:37; Neuwinger, 2000:536) to
the anti-microbial propelties of Tulbagia
violacea. However the methodology followed by the
researchers in obtaining these results is not clearly stated for review.
McGaw, Jager and van Staden (2000:254) reported negative results in a subsequent
anti-microbial test against E. coli, K. pneumoniae, Staphylococcus
aureus and B. Slib/i/is,
using a crude hexanic, ethanolic
and an aqueous extract of the entire plant, and measuring results by means of a
disc-diffusion assay.
Bacteriostatic activity has been noted in water
extracts from various parts of the plant, particularly when the extracts were
fresh, from mature plants and not been heated (Hutchings, el aI., 1996:38). However, the methodology followed in
obtaining these 'results is not stated.
Tulbagia violacea
is thought to be similar to Allium sativum in its medicinal action (Van Wyk
and Gericke, 2000: 150). Allium
sativum is a well known anti-microbial agent (Ross,
1999:33), with the antibacterial properties being much more pronounced in the hydroalcoholic extract than in the essential oil (Leung and
Foster, 1996:261). This suggests that Tulbagia vielacea's possible antibacterial constituents may also be
more pronounced in a hydroalcholic extract, and as
such diffuse well through the agar base of the disc-diffusion assay.
2.3.11 Homoeopathic dilutions of Tulbagia violacae
In this study, the homoeopathic dilutions of Tulbagia
violacea in the lX and 6X
potencies will also be tested.
The Hahnemanian method of potentisation
provides two separate scales, a centesimal one based on a dilution of one in a
hundred, and a decimal one based on a dilution of one in ten.
The decimal potentisation process used in this
study involves adding one drop of mother tincture to nine drops of diluents.
This is followed by a burst of vigorous shaking or striking upon a hard
surface, known as succussion, resulting in the first
potency, which is named the IX or Dl potency level. This process of dilution
and succussion can be repeated to further raise the
potency another level. Each potency level is designated the value of the number
of times that it has been through the process of dilution and succussion. (Kayne, 1997:43.)
Potentisation is the imparting of the
pharmacological message of the original substance by means of trituration or succussion, along
with serial dilutions. It is the modification of medicines by means of a
mechanical and mathematico-physical process. (Gaier, 1991: 441.)
In Aphorism 269 of his book the 'Organon of
The Medicinal Art', the founder of nomoeopathy,
Samuel Halmemann speaks of potent isat
ion as follows: "The homoeopathic medicinal art develops to a formerly
unheard of degree the internal medicinal powers of crude substances. It does so
by means of a procedure which belongs exclusively to it whereby these
substances become altogether more than ever, indeed immeasurably, penetratingly
effective and helpful, even those substances which, in their crucle state clo not manifest the
least medicinal power in the human body."
(Brewster O'Reilly, 1996:235).