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SAPINDACEAE

(Soapberry family)

2000 species in 150 genera are found in tropical and subtropical regions. Litchi chinensis furnishes edible fruit (litchi).

[Summary yet to be added]

Cardiospermum

15 species are found in tropical regions especially in America.

Cardiospermum halicacabum L.

Blister Creeper, Balloon Vine

The leaves is irritant and are used for rubefacient purposes (Quisumbing 1951, Gardner & Bennetts 1956, Watt & Breyer-Brandwijk 1962, Behl et al. 1966). Gardner & Bennetts (1956) also note that the root has been used in the treatment of haemorrhoids, probably from Webb (1948a).

Hippobromus

One species is native to southern Africa.

Hippobromus pauciflorus

A decoction of the plant is used as a sternutatory. Frothing of the roots, when mixed with water, may indicate the presence of saponins (Watt & Breyer-Brandwijk 1962).

Melicoccus

Two species are fourd in tropical America and the West Indies.

Melicoccus bijugatus

This species which provides timber and edible fruit was reported to cause contact dermatitis by Pardo Costello and Reaud (1941).

Paullinia

180 species are found in warm regions of America. P. cupana (guarana) is cultivated for its edible seeds.

Paullinia pinnata

The root and root bark are applied for rubefacient purposes (Watt & Breyer-Brandwijk 1962).

Paullinia sorbilis

Guarana

Ingestion of the plant has been reported to cause urticaria and pruritus (Piffard 1881).

Sapindus

Thirteen species are found in tropical and subtropical Asia, the Pacific region (but not Australia) and America.

Sapindus drummondii

Soap Berry

Dermatitis can result from handling of the fruits (Schwartz et al. 1957).

Sapindus oblongifolius

A foam is produced by shaking the plant tissues with water (Watt & Breyer-Brandwijk 1962).

Sapindus saponaria L.

(syns Sapindus divaricatus Cambess., Sapindus inaequalis DC., Sapindus mukorossi Gaertn., Sapindus peruvianus Walp.)

False Dogwood, Soap-Nut Tree, Southern Soap Berry, Wing-Leaf Soap Berry

The berries form a lather with water and may be used as soap. They contain saponins that may cause a severe skin rash in sensitive individuals (Allen 1943, Blohm 1962, Morton 1962a). Behl et al. (1966) similarly noted that the pulp of the fruit of Sapindus mukorossi forms a lather with water and may be used as a shampoo.

The juice of the fruits of Sapindus mukorossi is used for removing freckles (Smith 1969).

Schleichera

One species, native to Indo-Malaysia, is cultivated in other areas, notably Ceylon.

Schleichera trijuga

Kussum, Paka, Ceylon Oak, Zeepboom

Shellac is a resinous excretion of an insect which sucks the juices of this and other trees (Hicks 1961). This tree yields Mirzapore lac and also, useful timber, edible seed and seed oil. Macassar oil (kusum oil) is derived from the seed kernels (Budavari 1996). Macassar oil is also a name for ylang-ylang oil from Cananga. Macassar oil may contain additives such as safflower oil from Carthamus tinctorius (fam. Compositae). Harry (1948) referred to two papers concerning dermatitis or allergy from the oil but considered it innocuous. Shellac is said to have irritant or sensitising properties (Greenberg and Lester 1954) and has been removed from certain brand-name cosmetics (Schieffelin 1973). Hausen (1970) refers to Wehmer (1929) and Anon (1940) for injurious effects of the plant products. The oil of macassar wood, possibly of this species, caused dermatitis in a planer (Buschke and Joseph 1927). Shellac is noted under Acer.

References

• Allen PH (1943) Poisonous and injurious plants of Panama. American Journal of Tropical Medicine 23(Suppl): 3-76 [url] [url-2]
• Anon (1940) Giftige en voor de gezondheid nadeelige houtsoorten. Hout 20: 184.
• Behl, P.N., Captain, R.M., Bedi, B.M.S. and Gupta, S. (1966) Skin-Irritant and Sensitizing Plants found in India, New Delhi. P.N. Behl, Irwin Hospital.
• Blohm H (1962) Poisonous Plants of Venezuela. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press
• Budavari S (Ed.) (1996) The Merck Index. An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals. 12th edn. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck & Co., Inc.
• Buschke, A. and Joseph, A. (1927) Uber Hautentzundung, Hervorgerufen durch Makassarholz mit Berucksichtigung gewerbehygienischer Fragen. Deutsch. Med. Wchnschr. 53: 1641.
• Gardner CA and Bennetts HW (1956) The Toxic Plants of Western Australia. Perth: West Australian Newspapers
• Greenberg, L.A. and Lester, D. (1954) Handbook of Cosmetic Materials. New York. Interscience.
• Harry, R.G. (1948) Cosmetic Materials. Vol. 2. London. Leonard Hill.
• Hausen, B.M. (1970) Untersuchungen uber Gesundheitsschadigende Holzer. Thesis, Hamburg.
• Hicks, E. (1961) Shellac, its Origin and Applications. Chemical Publ. Co., New York.
• Morton JF (1962a) Ornamental plants with toxic and/or irritant properties. II. Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society 75: 484-491 [url]
• Pardo Costello, V. and Reaud, B. (1941) Eczemas y dermatitis. Anais Bras. de Dermat. e Sifilog 17(l): 11.
• Piffard, H.G. (1881) A Treatise on the Materia Medica and Therapeutics of the Skin. New York. Wm. Wood and Co.
• Quisumbing, E. (1951) Medicinal Plants of the Philippines. Tech. Bull. 16. Manila, Philippine Islands, Manila Bureau of Printing. 1234 pp.
• Schieffelin and Co. (1973) Almay Hypo-Allergenic Cosmetics Products Formulary, 8th edn. Pharmaceutical Laboratories Division, 562 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10036.
• Schwartz, L., Tulipan, L. and Birmingham, D.J. (1957) Occupational Diseases of the Skin. 3rd edn. Philadelphia. Lea and Febiger. pp. 637-672.
• Smith, F.P. (1969) Chinese Materia Medica. Vegetable kingdom. 2nd edn. Rev. by Hei, P.D. Taipei, Taiwan. Ku T'ing Book House.
• Watt JM and Breyer-Brandwijk MG (1962) The Medicinal and Poisonous Plants of Southern and Eastern Africa. Being an account of their medicinal and other uses, chemical composition, pharmacological effects and toxicology in man and animal, 2nd edn. Edinburgh: E & S Livingstone Ltd.
• Webb LJ (1948a) Guide to medicinal and poisonous plants of Queensland. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. Bulletin 232
• Wehmer, C. (1929) Die Pflanzenstoffe. Verlag G. Fischer. Jena. 2. Aufl.

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