Cynomorium coccineum L. Cynomorium coccineum L. Sp. Pl.: 970. Cynomoriaceae 1753 Arabic: tarthouth, zib el Turki French: cynomorium écarlate English: cynomorium Sardinia, Sicily, Malta, Crete, Palestine, Iran and the Canaries. I Ecology Cynomorium coccineum is a geophyte, living para- sitically on Chenopodiaceae in Mediterranean coun- tries; it is found on the edges of salty soils and on sands that have been left slightly waste. I Status, conservation and culture Cynomorium coccineum is a wild species in Tunisia; it is picked wild. Compiled by: Dr. Zeineb Ghrabi I Part used The aerial part. I Morphological description Cynomorium coccineum is a perennial, giving off a I Constituents strong odour of putrefaction, deep red when young Anthocyans, cyanidin 3-glucoside. and blackish purple when flowering. It has a very distinctive appearance, much of it being under- I Traditional medicine ground, and is a parasite, using suckers to attach There are two known traditional uses of Cynomo- itself to Chenopodiaceous roots. Its rhizome is rium coccineum: for haemorrhoids, a decoction of branched, scaly, with big fleshy 10-20-cm. stems, the aerial part; three cups are taken before meals not branched, with several scales, ending in a club- every day. For diarrhoea, a decoction of the aerial shaped inflorescence made up of little rudimentary part in a litre of water; three glasses are taken contracted cymes. The flowers are either male, with before meals every day. a rudimentary ovary, or hermaphrodite, but all have a single stamen and 1-5 perianths over the ovary. I Pharmacological action and The fruits are tiny black achenes with a tough peri- toxicity carp in a persistent perigone. The hydroalcoholic extract of the plant is oestro- The plant flowers from March to May. genic, an antioxidant and stimulates spermatogen- esis. The plant has fertilising, aphrodisiac, tonic, I Geographical distribution astringent, antiulcerous, antihaemorrhoidal and Local: The north-east, Cap Bon, central Tunisia, antivomitive properties and is a regulator of southern Tunisia. menstrual disorders. Regional: North Africa. Global: North Africa, the Sinai, Lebanon and Syria, I Use in herbal medicine the Balearics, Spain, Portugal, southern Italy, Hypotensive. A Guide to Medicinal Plants in North Africa 113 I References Greuter W., Burdet H. M. et Long G. ; 1986 : Med- Cheklist. Volume 3 : Dicotylédones Abdel-Magid E. M., H. A. Abed-Rahman et F. M. (Convolvuaceae- Labiatae). 395 p. Harraz, 2001. The effect of aqueous extract of Le Floc’h E. 1983 : Contribution à une étude eth- Cynomorium coccineum and Withania somnife- nobotanique de la flore tunisienne. Programme ra on testicular development in immature Flore et Végétation tunisienne. Min. de l’En. Wistar rats., Journal of Sup. et de la Rech. Sci. 387 p. Ethnopharmacologie.,Volume 75, 1. Ozenda P. , 1977. Flore du sahara. Editions du Abd el-Rahman H. A., El-Bardy A. A., Mahmoud O Centre National de la recherche Scientifique .M., Harraz F.A., 1999. The effect of the Paris. 622 p. aqueous extract of Cynomorium coccineum the Ozenda P. et S. Santa, 1963. Nouvelle flore de epididymal sperm pattern of the rat. Phytoter l'Algérie et des régions désertiques méridiona- Res.13(3): 248-50 les. Editions du Centre National de la recherche Harborne J. B., S. Norio and C. H. Detoni., 2003. Scientifique Paris. 1170 p. Anthocyanins of Cephais, Cynomorium, Euterpe, Pottier Alapetite G. ; 1979 : Flore de la Tunisie. Lavatera and Pinanga; Biochemical Systematics Angiospermes- Dicotylédones, Apétales - and Ecology, Volume 22, Issue 8, 835-836 Dialypétales. Programme flore et végétation Ikram M, Dar MS, Fakouhi T., 1978. Hypotensive tunisiennes. 651p. agent Cynomorium coccineum. Pahlavi Med. J. Vanden Berghen C., 1981. Liste commentée des 9(2) :167-81 plantes vasculaires observées dans l'île de Batanouny K. H., 1999. Wild medicial plants in Djerba (Tunisie méridionale). Lejeunia 105, Egypt. Palm Press. Egypt. 207 p. Octobre 1981. 38 pages. Chemli R., 2004. Enquête Ethnobotanique de la Robert W., 2003. Lebelling Jr., Saudi Aramco World. Flore de Tunisie, Faculté de Pharmacie de Volume 54, Number2 Monastir, Tunisie, Programme National de Recherche (en cours de publication) 114 A Guide to Medicinal Plants in North Africa.