Aconkothera oppositifolia is a small green shrub usually possessing multiple stems, with very attractive fruits. It grows in tropical East Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Zaire, Mozambique, Zambia, Swaziland, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Except for the fully ripe fruit, all parts of the plant are highly poisonous and have been used since time immemorial as arrow poison by the Khoisan Bushmen.
Medicinal uses
Concoctions of the roots and leaves of Bushman’s poison are used in the treatment of snake bites, and insect bites either by applying directly to the bite or making it into a paste first. A decoction of the roots is effective in combating irregular menstruation, removing tapeworms and in the treatment of syphilis.
Bioactivity
The extracts of Aconkothera oppositifolia have an inhibitory effect on enzyme lipo-oxygenase (LOX), pretty much in a similar fashion as Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs do. (LOX-which which is a major enzyme involved in the pathophysiology of inflammation
N/B all parts of the plant except for the fully ripe fruits are highly toxic even in minute doses and must be handled with care.