Identity & origin
BOTANICAL IDENTITY
The right name is the first step.
Shrub or tree in the Rubiaceae family. Recorded native range: Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands. The listed pharmacopoeial material is leaf — topical inventory entry.
Also known as: No synonyms listed.
Check the species, plant part and complete botanical name together. A photograph alone cannot identify a harvest safely for consumption.
An illustration is not enough to identify a plant for consumption. Do not forage for a species based solely on this profile.
Uses & evidence
UNDERSTANDING THE USES
Properties & uses.
Pharmacopoeial material: leaf — topical inventory entry
Antirhea borbonica leaf is listed for topical use. That route does not establish wound-healing efficacy or authorise use on a wound. This notice infers no therapeutic indication.
The references do not establish a benefit. Lack of evidence is not assurance of safety.
Read the sourceCell protection studied in the laboratory
The extract limited oxidative-stress and apoptosis markers in this model. Cultured human cells do not constitute a clinical trial; cardiovascular prevention was not established.
Laboratory or animal observation. A human benefit cannot be inferred from this finding alone.
Read the sourceThe traditional uses described are not clinical proof of effectiveness. Evidence for one preparation cannot automatically be applied to another.
Precautions before use
BEFORE ANY USE
Precautions & contraindications.
This guidance does not cover every individual situation. Missing information is not a guarantee of safety.
Contraindications & precautions
- Insufficient dataThis targeted audit does not provide a comprehensive contraindication review; this does not mean contraindications are absent.
Medicine interactions
- Insufficient dataThis dossier cannot establish compatibility with medication. A limited study does not replace an interaction review of the exact product.
Other retained warnings · review incomplete
These existing warnings remain relevant to consult. Their exhaustive reassessment is outside this targeted review.
Restrictions and precautions
- This botanical dossier does not establish medicinal-use safety. Anyone with a medical condition or taking medicine needs professional assessment of the specific product.
Medicine interactions
- Interactions have not been sufficiently assessed in the sources retained for this notice; an incomplete assessment guarantees no compatibility.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children
No medicinal use is offered during pregnancy or breastfeeding; this dossier cannot establish safety in these situations.
No paediatric preparation or dose is offered in this notice.
“Reported” does not prove causality; “possible” may reflect indirect evidence. “None reported” means none in the cited source, not that all combinations have been studied. Do not stop a prescribed treatment based on this profile.
Adverse effects
- This notice does not provide a complete adverse-effect assessment. Historical use alone cannot exclude toxicity.
Pregnancy & breastfeeding
No medicinal use is offered during pregnancy or breastfeeding; this dossier cannot establish safety in these situations.
Children & adolescents
No paediatric preparation or dose is offered in this notice.
If symptoms persist, worsen or are unusual, consult a healthcare professional. In an emergency, contact the emergency services.
Forms & how they are used
DOCUMENTED FORMS
One plant, several preparations.
Only forms documented in this profile’s sources are presented.
Studied preparation — documentary referencePart not explicit in the abstract reviewed; do not infer it from the inventory. · Route: not recommended for self-treatment
Polyphenol-rich extract obtained using aqueous acetone.
Please note: Research description only; no self-treatment dose, recipe or duration is offered.
Read the sourceAvailable evidence
EXPLORE THE EVIDENCE
The available evidence.
This reference concerns a defined preparation of Antirhea borbonica J.F.Gmel.. The result is experimental: a compound, an extract and a whole plant differ, as do a laboratory assay and a human benefit.
Cell protection studied in the laboratory
Protecting cells directly exposed to an extract does not predict the effect of tea after digestion.
Laboratory or animal observation. A human benefit cannot be inferred from this finding alone.
Read the referenceLimitations to keep in mind.
Protecting cells directly exposed to an extract does not predict the effect of tea after digestion.
Studies, findings & limitations
THE RESEARCH
What the research shows.
A laboratory or animal result alone does not demonstrate a benefit in humans. Each result must be read alongside the preparation studied and its limitations.
Cell protection studied in the laboratory — 2021 (volume 2022)
Laboratory or animal observation. A human benefit cannot be inferred from this finding alone.
- Type of research
- Human endothelial cells exposed to oxidised LDL, with no patients treated.
- Preparation concerned
- Polyphenol-rich extract obtained using aqueous acetone.
- Observed results
- The extract limited oxidative-stress and apoptosis markers in this model.
- Limitations to consider
- Cultured human cells do not constitute a clinical trial; cardiovascular prevention was not established.
What can we take from this?
Cultured human cells do not constitute a clinical trial; cardiovascular prevention was not established. Interactions, pregnancy and long-term use require separate assessment.
Documentary review dated 09/10/2026. The references remain available to check the context.
Sources & last review
CHECKING REFERENCES
Sources for this profile.
- ANSM — French Pharmacopoeia, List A, January 2026, p. 4Accessed on 09/10/2026
- Kew POWO — Antirhea borbonica J.F.Gmel.Accessed on 09/10/2026
- Bonneville J et al. (2021; volume 2022) — Antioxidant and Cytoprotective Properties of Polyphenol-Rich Extracts from Antirhea borbonica and Doratoxylon apetalum against Atherogenic Lipids in Human Endothelial CellsAccessed on 09/10/2026
Image: Flavien Saboureau · CC BY 4.0. View the original image and its licence. Image resized and converted to WebP.