Though Toxic, Abrus Precatorius Has Various Medicinal Uses.

Abrus precatorius is a plant that grows in tropical areas which is best known for its colourful seeds which are used as beads that are used for jewelry, ornaments and percussion instruments. The seeds are more commonly known as precatory pea or bean, crab’s eye, prayer bead, rosary pea, jequirty bean, love bean and crab’s eye crawler. In Nigeria, they are called oju ologbo (cat’s eyes), omisinmisin or ewerejeje in Yoruba.

The seeds are also used as weighing unit because all the seeds have uniform weight of 1/10^th of a gram.

Though every part of this plant is toxic, they have medicinal uses. The seeds, leaves and roots are the parts that are mostly used for medicinal purposes. The seeds are the most poisonous part of the plant because they contain a toxic compound called abrin. However, Abrus precatorius plant is a valuable medicinal plant because it contains many active phytochemicals which have allowed it to be used in traditional healing.

Abrus precatorius has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-microbial and anti-diabetic properties. The different parts of the plant have been used for years in Ayurveda and African traditional medicine. Below are some ways that different parts of the plant have been used.

Seeds are used;

• Reducing gray hair.
• As insecticide.
• To treat worm infestation.
• For fractures.
• As oral contraceptive

 Leaves are used;

• To bring down fevers.
• To treat inflammatory conditions of the respiratory tract like cough, tuberculosis and cold.
• As  laxative.
• As expectorant.
• As aphrodisiac.
• To treat skin and scalp issues like eczema, boils, swellings, ringworm, alopecia and rashes.
• To treat cataracts.
• To treat bites from dogs, scorpions, mice and insects.
• To prevent rabies.

Root is;

• Chewed as a remedy for snake bite.
• Used in a decoction for bronchitis.
• Used in a decoction for hepatitis.
• Used to treat jaundice.
• Used for abortion.
• Used to treat malaria.
• Used to treat convulsions.

The seeds are red or white in colour with black spots on one end. I know lots of individuals who have swallowed the dried seeds because it is believed that they offer spiritual protection against accidents by the Yoruba people of South West Nigeria. 

Though it is said to be lethal when ingested, the hard coating of the seeds offers some protection against toxicity when swallowed whole without breaking. Cooking or heat denatures abrin, the toxin component, making it harmless. The seeds are boiled and eaten in India.

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