Journal of Ethnopharmacology 91 (2004) 181–188 Review Phyllanthus piscatorum, ethnopharmacological studies on a women’s medicinal plant of the Yanomam¨ı Amerindians Jürg Gertsch a,∗, Niomawë b, Kathrin Gertsch-Roost c, Otto Sticher a a Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland b Yanomam¨ı comunidad Mahekoto (Platanal), Alto Orinoco, Estado Amazonas, Venezuela c Bruderhöflistrasse 32, 8203 Schaffhausen, Switzerland Received 3 June 2001; received in revised form 21 November 2003; accepted 5 December 2003 In memory of Helena VALERO (napëyoma) [1925–2002] Abstract The shrub Phyllanthus piscatorum Kunth (Euphorbiaceae) is cultivated by various ethnic groups of the Amazon because of its piscicidal properties. During ethnobotanical fieldwork among the Yanomam¨ı Amerindians in Venezuela we observed that Phyllanthus piscatorum was exclusively cultivated and used by the women. Aerial parts of this herbaceous shrub are employed as fish poison and medicine to treat wounds and fungal infections. In addition, the leaves are used as tobacco substitute. Ethnobotanical data regarding the context of the use of this plant are presented. To validate ethnobotanical information related to its medicinal indications, antimicrobial, and antiprotozoal properties of water, methanol (MeOH) and dichloromethane (DCM) extracts were studied. No activity against Gram-positive bacterial strains but significant activity against the fungi Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus and the yeast Candida albicans were found. All extracts showed weak in vitro activity against Plasmodium falciparum and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. The extracts were further investigated for cytotoxic effects in an in vitro test system with leukemia Jurkat T, HeLa, and human peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PBMCs). During the first 48 h the extracts did not exhibit any cytotoxicity. After 72 h the DCM extract potently inhibited viability of HeLa cells. Although in several communities along the upper Orinoco the cultivation and use of Phyllanthus piscatorum is being lost because of the ongoing acculturation, the traditional medicinal use of Phyllanthus piscatorum might provide an effective and cheap remedy against dermatological diseases linked with Candida albicans infections. © 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Yanomam¨ı; Phyllanthus piscatorum; Amazon; Medicinal plant; Antiyeast; Fish poison; Venezuela 1. Introduction Tacana also employ Phyllanthus acuminatus leaves in the treatment of dermatological infections. De Lucca and 1.1. The ethnopharmacology of the genus Phyllanthus Zailles (1992) state that the species Phyllanthus ichtyome- this Rusby is employed as fish poison and pesticide in The genus Phyllanthus has been described to provide Bolivia. The species Phyllanthus anisolobus Müll. Arg. was several piscicidal species, which are employed through- reported as fish poison from Ecuador (Bachmann et al., out the tropics, but predominantly in the Amazon basin 1993). In Guyana several ethnic groups cultivate Phyllan- (Acevedo-Rodr´ıguez, 1990; Calixto et al., 1998; Heizer, thus brasiliensis (Aubl.) Poir. for the same purpose (Van 1953). In the literature, a number of species have been Andel, 2000). Phyllanthus subglomeratus Poir., which is described as fish poisons that are used among different in- closely related to Phyllanthus brasiliensis and Phyllanthus digenous ethnic groups. Phyllanthus acuminatus M. Vahl piscatorum, is known to be cultivated as fish poison and has been reported as potent fish poison among the Tacana pesticide among the Creoles of Guyana since 1775, when (Bourdy, 1999) and Mosetene Amerindians (Muñoz et al., this species was first reported by the French botanist Fusée 2000) of Bolivia. According to Muñoz et al. (2000), the Aublet (Grenand et al., 1987). The pantropical species Phyllanthus niruri is not only a well-known medicinal herb but also exhibits piscicidal properties (Quisumbing, 1947). ∗ Corresponding author. Tel.: +41-1-635-6058; fax: +41-1-635-6882. The species Phyllanthus urinaria has been reported as a E-mail address: [email protected] (J. Gertsch). fish poison from India (Jhingran, 1975). 0378-8741/$ – see front matter © 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2003.12.022 182 J. Gertsch et al. / Journal of Ethnopharmacology 91 (2004) 181–188 The German botanist Carl Sigismund Kunth in for botanical identification. Although several ethnographic Humboldt’s and Bonplant’s Nova Genera et Species studies among the Yanomam¨ı report the use of Phyllanthus Plantarum (1817) for the first time reported the use of piscatorum as a fish poison, only Cocco (1972) mentions Phyllanthus piscatorum as Amazonian fish poison, a cir- its use as medicinal plant. To date, a more detailed account cumstance that gave this plant its species name. Schultes of the overall importance of Phyllanthus piscatorum among and Raffauf (1990) state that Phyllanthus piscatorum is the Yanomam¨ı communities in Venezuela is lacking, and widely cultivated in the western Amazon as fish poison, and there are no pharmacological studies on this plant. that it is also used as insect repellent among the Huitoto Amerindians. The first record of this fish poison (barbasco) 1.2. The Yanomam¨ı Amerindians in Venezuela in Venezuela is due to Henri Pittier (1926). The use of Phyllanthus piscatorum in poisoning fish has also been re- The Yanomam¨ı live in communities of 20–200 individuals ported by others (Ramirez, 1943; Vellard, 1941; Fagundes, in provisional shelters (yahi) or circular houses (shapono or 1935). It is probable that Phyllanthus piscatorum belongs yano) in southernmost Venezuela and northern Brazil (see to an ancient group of culturally important plants, which Fig. 1). Each communal roundhouse has an open space in have been cultivated for centuries by indigenous societies the middle, which offers an area where community affairs of the northern Amazon. This assumption is further con- are discussed and feasts are held. The actual living area is firmed by the fact that this shrub does not seem to occur thatched with palm leaves and is situated on the outside of in a wild form (Schultes and Raffauf, 1990). In the upper the roundhouse with just one fence-like wall at the back. The Orinoco, Phyllanthus piscatorum is cultivated and used by shapono is divided up freely into sections, each representing the Yanomam¨ı women. The first accounts of the use of this a social nucleus, usually a family or a clan. Location and size plant among the Yanomam¨ı go back to Knobloch (1967) and of a Yanomam¨ı community strongly depends on economic Lizot (1972). The latter for the first time collected a sample alliances with other communities. Probably more than half Fig. 1. Area of fieldwork. The villages where the ethnobotanical study took place: (1) Aratha; (2) Ocamo; (3) Platanal (Mahekoto); (4) Hasup¨ıwei; (5) Irokai; (6) Mokarita; (7) Hokotop¨ıwei; (8) Shotemi; (9) Ashitowë. Hatched area shows where most of the data was recorded. J. Gertsch et al. / Journal of Ethnopharmacology 91 (2004) 181–188 183 of the approximately 110 communities in Venezuela are still on 34 use reports obtained in interviews with the women of semi-nomadic and move their village every 3–7 years. This the community. migration activity is an important custom in the sustainable use of biological resources (Gertsch et al., 2002). Gener- 2.2. Plant material and extraction ally between February and April or August and October the Yanomam¨ı communities go on long treks (wayum¨ı) and it is Plant material has been obtained in the garden of the vil- common to find that whole villages are abandoned for 2 or lage Hasup¨ıwei in February 1999. Voucher specimens of 3 months. Phyllanthus piscatorum (JG 287; JG 135) were deposited at The Yanomam¨ı are not only hunters and gatherers, but also VEN, STEY, and ETH Zurich. Voucher specimen of plant shifting cultivators (Chagnon, 1968; Lizot, 1978). About material for phytochemical and pharmacological investiga- 60% of their food originates from cultivated plants, mainly tions (JG 135), was identified at the National Herbarium in plantain varieties. Each settlement has one or more garden Caracas, Venezuela. The material extracted was collected areas (hikari) outside the shapono. The garden is split up and sun-dried in situ (semi-shade). The herbaceous plant into sections, each area being kept by a different family material (twigs, leaves, inflorescence) was cut into small or clan. Shifting cultivation is a key factor in subsistence pieces and pulverized. Ten grams of plant powder was ex- activities, which are segmented into gender specific roles. tracted exhaustively with either dichloromethane, methanol In a typical garden, different magical and medicinal plants or deionized water (cartridge system, Kan, Switzerland). are cultivated, including Phyllanthus piscatorum (yaraka kë The solvents were removed in vacuo and the extracts were henak¨ı). Among the most important crops we find Musa freeze-dried. paradisiaca L. (kurata and tate), Bactris gasipaes Kunth (rasha kë si), Nicotiana tabacum L. (pˆeˆe nahe) and Xantho- 2.3. Antimicrobial tests soma spp. (ohina), Manihot esculenta Crantz (nashi), and Zea mays L. (yono). In addition to wild palm fruits, the Bacteria (Bacillus cereus; ATCC 1070, Escherichia coli, Yanomam¨ı collect other edible wild plant products, such as ATCC 25922; Staphylococcus aureus, ATCC 25933; Staphy- the fruits of Clathrotropis spp. (Fabaceae) (wapu kohi),