ABSTRACT
The plant family Cleomaceae is an important one, including 17 genera and 150 species, of which the Cleome genus is the most common one. This paper summarizes the research carried out on Cleome amblyocarpa (Cleome africana) (spider flower) which has been commonly used in various ancient medicinal systems. Although it possesses a wide spectrum of medicinal properties, it has been mainly used as an antihyperglycemic agent. This study presents comprehensive laboratory studies on the aerial parts of C. amblyocarpa, including the botanical, physicochemical, macroscopic, microscopic, spectroscopic, phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological aspects. These data provide useful information to enable the identification and distinguishing of C. amblyocarpa from other Cleome species. These studies also indicate that C. amblyocarpa has potential clinical applications as anti-inflammatory medicine, where standardization parameters and distinguishing characters described in this chapter ensure its efficacy and safety.
