Jamaican Cherry

Overview

Jamaican cherry is a flowering plant, native to Southern Mexico, tropical South America, Central America, the Greater Antilles, Trinidad, and St. Vincent. Different parts of Jamaican cherry have been reported to possess medicinal value, supported by a number of scientific studies. It is the sole species in the genus Muntingia, which was named after the Dutch botanist, Abraham Munting.

Vernacular Names

Bois ramier (French), Púan (Mexiccan), Bolaina (Peru), Gasagase hannina mara (India), Nan’youzakura (Japanese), Kerukup siam (Malaysia), Ratiles (Tagalog-Philipines), Trú’ng cá (Vietnamese), Calabura (Brazil), Mansanita (Chamorro), Chitato (Colombia), Cerri (Indonesia), Calbura (Portuguese), Bolaina (Spanish).

Agroecology

A plant of the lowland tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,000 m and colonises open disturbed sites in tropical lowlands. It thrives in poor soil, it is tolerant of acidic and alkaline conditions and drought. However, it is intolerant of saline conditions. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5-6.5, tolerating 5-7. 

Morphology

• Barks - grey-brown or pale-brown, smooth, on older trees becoming cracked and rough.
• Leaves - evergreen approximately 5–12.5 cm long, alternate lanceolate or oblong, long pointed at the apex, oblique at the base with dark green color and minutely hairy on the upper surface, grey or brown-hairy on the underside and irregularly toothed.
• Flowers - approximately 1.25–2 cm wide; borne singly or in 2’s or 3’s in the leaf axils with five green sepals and five white petals and many prominent yellow stamens.
• Fruits - abundant, in round shape; approximately 1–1.25 cm wide, with red or yellow, thin, smooth, tender skin and lightbrown, soft, juicy pulp, with very sweet, musky, fig-like flavor.
• Seeds - large number of exceedingly tiny (0.5- mm) yellow seeds.

Cultivation

• Propagated through air layering, seed sowing, and cuttings.
• Its seeds are dispersed by birds and fruit bats.

Chemical Constituents

Cytotoxic flavonoids (chrysin, 2′, 4′-dihydroxychalcone; galangin 3, 7-dimethyl ether; 5, 7-dihydroxy-8-methoxyflavono, flavonoid glycosides, tiliroside, buddlenoid A), chalcones, phenolic, sesquiterpene, furanoid, saponins, tannins, steroids.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• Studies have shown antioxidant, anti-pyretic, analgesic, cytotoxic, antiinflammatory, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective, cardioprotective, antihyperuricemic, antibacterial, antiulcer, insecticidal, tyrosinase-inhibitory, antifungal, antidiabetic properties.
• The whole plant are used as emollient, antiseptic, and tonic, to treat abdominal cramp, to relieve colds and headaches.
• In the Philippines, it is used to treat spasms (antispasmodic), antidyspeptic, headache, incipient cold and as a tranquilliser.
• In the Antiles, it is used as antispasmodic.
• In Peru, used for treatment of gastric ulcers and to reduce prostate gland swelling, flowers and bark are used as an antiseptic and to reduce swelling in lower extremities.
• In Martinique, bark decoction is mucilaginous and used as emollient.
• In Vietnam and Malaysia, used as an abortifacient.
• In Mexico, used to treat measles, mouth pimples, and stomachache.