Botany
Half erect or climbing shrub growing to a height of one meter. Leaves are leathery, shiny, elliptic-ovate to olong-elliptic, 13 to 30 cm long with a pointed tip. Flowers are crowded, small and yellowish. Fruit is ellipsoid-globose, 10 to 15 mm long.

Distribution
In thickets and forests at low and medium altitudes.

Chemical constituents and properties
Yields six alkaloids: Pycnarrhine, ambaline and ambalininine (non-phenolic); pycnaminde, pycnarrhinine, pycnarrhenamine (phenolic).
Root is tonic, cicatrizant, vulnerary, febrifuge and emmenagogue.

Parts used and preparation
Roots and stems.

Uses
Folkloric
Skin ulcers: apply warm infusion on affected parts.
Powdered roots used to treat cholera and as tonic.
Vaginal wash: Use warm infusion after childbirth.
For wound healing: used as cicatrizant and vulnerary.
Used for fever and to stimulate menstruation.
Used for snakebites and wounds; also, as tonic.

Availability
Wild-crafted.