AGATHOSMA BETULINA HERBA - PlantZAfrica

AGATHOSMA BETULINA HERBA 

Definition 

Agathosma Betulina Herba consists of the 

fresh or dried leaves and smaller stalks of 

Agathosma betulina (Berg.) Pillans 

(Rutaceae). 

Synonyms 

Barosma betulina Bartl. and Wendl. f. 

Hartogia betulina Berg. 

Vernacular names 

Figure 1a: Live plant 

boegoe, bergboegoe (A), buchu (San); 

round leaf buchu 

Description 

Macroscopical 1, 2 

Evergreen, multi-stemmed, perennial 

resprouting woody shrub to 1m in height, 

with glabrous yellow to red-brown stems; 

leaves alternate to opposite, 14-25 × 6- 

14mm, broadly elliptic to nearly round 

(average length:breadth ratio 1.95), with 

rounded and recurved apex; glabrous with 

prominent main and subsidiary veins on 

abaxial surface; gland dotted on underside; 

margin serrate with an oil gland at the base 

of each serration; flowers (June-Nov) 

axillary, usually solitary, up to 20mm in 

diameter, white to pale purple-pink, borne on 

slender stalks ±7mm long. 

Figure 1b: Dried leaf 

Figure 2: line drawing 

1 Pillans, N. (1950). A revision of the genus 

Agathosma (Rutaceae). Journal of South African 

Botany 16: 55-117. 

2 Spreeth, A.D. (1976). ŉ Hersiening van die 

Agathosma-species van kommersiële belang (A 

revision of the commercially important 

Agathosma species). Journal of South African 

Botany 42(2): 109-119.

Microscopical 3 

Crude drug 

Collected as required or available in the 

marketplace as bundles of leafy twigs with 

light yellow-green, highly aromatic foliage; 

texture soft when fresh, leathery when dry; 

occasional flowers may be present. BPC 

quality buchu leaf is freely available in 

pharmacies in South Africa and 

unstandardised leaf in supermarkets. 

Geographical distribution 

Sandy mountain slopes of the Western 

Cape Province, in the Calvinia, Cedarberg, 

Tulbagh, Ceres and Piketberg districts, at 

altitudes of 300-700m above sea level. 

Figure 3: microscopical features 

1. Cells of the upper leaf epidermis 

2. Cells of the lower leaf epidermis with 

anomocytic stomata 

3. Cells of upper leaf epidermis in sectional view 

showing unicellular warty clothing hair 

4. Cells of lower leaf epidermis with clothing hair 

5. Cells of upper leaf epidermis (sectional view) 

containing sphaerocrystalline masses of 

diosmin 

6. Cells of the petiole 

7. Cells of the mesophyll containing cluster 

crystals (rosette aggregates) of calcium 

oxalate 

Characteristic features are: the polygonal 

cells of the upper leaf epidermis with slightly 

thickened walls, some containing 

sphaerocrystalline pale yellow masses of 

diosmin; the smaller thin-walled polygonal 

cells of the lower leaf epidermis; the 

numerous anomocytic stomata of the lower 

leaf surface only; occasional unicellular 

warty covering trichomes of leaf and petiole, 

each up to 300µ in length; the cells of the 

leaf mesophyll containing calcium oxalate 

cluster crystals, each up to 80µ in diameter; 

the spherical schizo-lysigenous oil glands of 

the mesophyll containing oil droplets 

staining red with Soudan IV solution; the 

fibres accompanying the leaf midrib and 

main veins. 

Figure 4: distribution map 

Quality standards 

Identity tests 

Thin layer chromatography on silica gel 

using as solvent a mixture of toluene:diethyl 

ether:1.75M acetic acid (1:1:1). Reference 

compound cineole (0, 1% in chloroform). 

Method according to Appendix 2a. 

Note The methods used for thin layer 

chromatography and HPLC gave poor 

results for this species. Further work is 

required. 

HPLC on C 18 column, method according to 

Appendix 2b. 

Water-soluble extractive value: not less than 

14% 3 

Volatile oil content: not less than 1.3% 3; not 

less than 1.8% 4 

3 British Herbal Medicine Association (1996). 

Buchu. pp. 46-47 in: British Herbal 

Pharmacopoeia, Biddles Ltd., King’s Lynn. 

4 British Pharmaceutical Codex (1963). 

Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, Lund 

Humphries, London.

Stems: not more than 5% 3, 4 

Total ash: not more than 5% 3, 4 

Purity tests 

Assay 

None available. Assay methods for buchu oil 

have been published. 5-7 

Major chemical constituents 

Apart from the common flavonoids rutin and 

diosmin, the foliage of A. betulina contains 

1.5-2.5% 3, 4 of an essential oil of which the 

main constituents are 

menthone/isomenthone (29.83-60.0%), (ψ)- 

diosphenol/diosphenol (9.46-40.88%), 

limonene (11.6-17.0%), 

pulegone/isopulegone (7.0-34.1%) and both 

cis- and trans-8-mercapto-p-menthane-3- 

ones (±3%) 5, 6, 

7 . The latter are said to 

contribute most to the characteristic odour of 

the oil, reminiscent of blackcurrants (see d 

below). 

Figure 7: chemical constituents 

Dosage forms 

In traditional practice, A. betulina is most 

commonly taken orally in the form of an 

aqueous infusion, sometimes sweetened 

with brown sugar, or as a tincture in brandy. 

Other dosage forms include a vinegar 

infusion, for external application as an 

GR1, 11 and 21- 

antiseptic wash or embrocation. 

24 

5 Kaiser, R., Lamparsky, D. and Schudel, P. 

(1975). Analysis of buchu leaf oil. Journal of 

Agricultural and Food Chemistry 23(5): 943- 

950. 

6 

Blommaert, K.L.J. and Bartel, E. (1976). 

Chemotaxonomic aapects of the buchu series 

Agathosma betulina Pillans and A. crenulata 

Pillans from local plantings. Journal of South 

African Botany 42(2): 121-126. 

7 Posthumus, M.A. van Beek, T.A., Collins, N.F. 

and Graven, E.H. (1996). Chemical composition 

of the essential oils of Agathosma betulina, A. 

crenulata and an A. betulina × crenulata hybrid 

(Buchu). Journal of Essential Oil Research 8: 

223-228. 

Buchu was introduced into Britain in 1790 

and in 1821 included in the British 

Pharmacopoeia (BP); later also in the British 

Pharmaceutical Codex (BPC). It remained 

an official remedy until 1963; dosage forms 

included a concentrated infusion (BPC 

1954) and a tincture (BPC 1949). Various 

mixtures were listed in formularies current at 

the time e.g. Mistura Buchu et Hyoscyamus 

(British National Formulary 1939) and 

Compound Buchu Mixture (Chelsea Hospital 

for Women). 

In Europe, a number of patent remedies 

containing buchu e.g. teas, dragees and 

drops are available for self medication GR8 . 

Medicinal uses

Buchu, originally a highly prized San and 

Khoi-khoi traditional remedy, has remained 

one of the most popular herbal medicines in 

South Africa. Its traditional use 

encompasses the treatment of kidney and 

urinary tract infections, colds, stomach 

ailments, rheumatism, gout and fever. 

Externally it is applied as an antiseptic wash 

to infected wounds and as a compress to 

GR1, 11 

relieve swelling, bruising and sprains 

and 19-24 . Combinations of buchu with wilde 

als (Artemisia afra) or wilde knoffel 

(Tulbaghia spp.) are commonly taken for 

colds and influenza or as a general tonic. 

Buchu was described in the BP and BPC as 

a weak diuretic and urinary tract antiseptic 

for the treatment of urethritis, cystitis and 

prostatitis. These are its recommended uses 

in Europe at the present time 8, 9 GR 6, 7, 8, 

and 

10. 

Pharmacology/bioactivity 

In vitro tests of both aqueous/alcoholic 

extracts and of volatile oil demonstrated little 

antimicrobial activity against common 

urinary tract pathogens GR7 . A more recent 

study showed the essential oil (10µl/well) to 

possess weak antimicrobial activity against 

Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and 

Saccharomyces cerevisiae but none against 

Enterococcus hirae and Pseudomonas 

aeruginosa 10 . In the same study, initial 

smooth muscle spasmogenic activity 

(guinea pig ileum), followed by spasmolysis, 

was demonstrated for the essential oil 

(concentration range 4×10 -6 to 8 ×10 -5 v/v in 

methanol). Spasmolytic action was dose 

related, with an IC50 of 8×10 -6 . 

In an in vitro assay, aqueous leaf extracts 

showed no antiviral activity (cell culture) 

against Herpes Virus Type 2, Influenza Virus 

8 Pharmacopée Française, Xe édition (1983). See 

also Bulletin Officiel No. 90/22 bis: Buchu, 

feuille 

9 German Kommission E monograph (published 

1/2/1990): Barosmae folium (Buccoblätter) 

10 Lis-Balchin, M. and Simpson, S.H. (2001). 

Buchu (Agathosma betulina and A. crenulata, 

Rutaceae) essential oils: their pharmacological 

action on guinea pig ileum and antimicrobial 

activity on micro-organisms. Journal of 

Pharmacy and Pharmacology 53(4):579-582. 

A2 (Manheim 57), Poliovirus II or Vaccinia 

Virus 11 . In this study no cytotoxic activity 

aginst HeLa cells was shown. Antimutagenic 

activity of an aqueous leaf infusion was 

assessed in vitro (Salmonella typhimurum 

TA 98 and TA 100) against ethyl 

methanesulphonate- and amino anthraceneinduced 

mutagenicity, but no activity could 

be demonstrated 12 . In vivo anti-inflammatory 

activity has been demonstrated for diosmin 

(isolated from the overground parts of the 

plant), which reduced carrageenan-induced 

rat paw oedema at a dose of 600mg/kg body 

weight. Other animal studies appear to be 

lacking. 

Contraindications 

Owing to the variable composition of buchu 

essential oil, particularly in respect of 

pulegone levels (see 9.0 above), the use of 

buchu preparations during pregnancy and 

lactation is contraindicated. 

Adverse reactions 

Traditional practitioners report gastrointestinal 

irritation as a possible side effect 

of oral use. Buchu preparations should 

therefore be used with caution by patients 

suffering from kidney infections, 

haemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome. 

See also GR 6-8. 

Precautions 

Prolonged or excessive use of this herb is 

not advisable. 

Dosage 

Dried leaf: 1-2 g (± 1-2 teaspoonsful 

powdered leaf) by infusion, three times daily. 

An infusion may be prepared by adding 

600ml of boiling water to 30g of powdered 

11 May, G. and Willuhn, G. (1978). Antiviral 

activity of aqueous extracts from medicinal 

plants in tissue cultures. Arzneimittel-Forschung. 

28(1): 1-7. 

12 Badria, F. A. (1994). Is man helpless against 

cancer? An environmental approach: 

antimutagenic agents from Egyptian food and 

medicinal preparations. Cancer Letters 84 (1): 1- 

5.

drug and allowing to stand in a covered 

vessel for 30 minutes. The resultant infusion 

is strained and stored in the refrigerator; to 

be taken in 30-60ml (2-4 tablespoonsful) 

doses, three times daily, diluted with plenty 

of water. 

Concentrated Buchu Infusion BPC 1954 

(1:2.5 prepared by percolation with 25% 

ethanol): 4-8ml 

Liquid extract (1:1 in 90% ethanol ): 0.3-1.2 

ml 

Buchu Tincture BPC 1949 (1:5 prepared 

by percolation in 60% ethanol): 2-4ml 

Food use 

Buchu oil has been approved in the USA as 

a food flavouring agent, at concentrations of 

up to about 0.002% (15.4 ppm). The oil is 

also listed by the Council of Europe as a 

natural source of food flavouring (category 

N3) GR17 

Copyright in this monograph resides with the authors, the South 

African National Biodiversity Institute, the South African Medical 

Research Council and the University of the Western Cape. It may 

not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of 

the copyright holders.

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