Cerato (Ceratostigma willmottianum):

Cerato, the remedy for those who don’t trust their own judgement, is made using the sun method.

Ceratostigma willmottianum; photo Tim Waters via flickr

Better known as Chinese plumbago, cerato is native to China and Tibet.  Two genera of the family Plumbaginaceae, Plumbago and Ceratostigma are sometimes referred to as plumbago or leadworts (plumbum is Latin for lead).  This connection may have been suggested by the use of the plants by Pliny the Elder to treat lead-poisoning or by the lead-blue colour or the flowers.

The species willmottianum is named in honour of horticulturalist Ellen Willmott who sponsored the plant-hunting expedition on which it was discovered.

Cerato is used in folk medicine to treat rheumatism, traumatic injury and parotitis (inflammation of the parotid glands – large salivary gland in front of the ears – infectious parotitis is known as mumps).   Analysis of the chemicals present in extracts of the whole plant showed the presence of plumbolactones A and B, plumbagic acid, plumbagin, N–trans-caffeoyltyramine, aesculetin and 9 other compounds.

Chemical diagram of plumbagin

N–trans-caffeoyltyramine inhibits the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, a causative factor for gastrointestinal illnesses such as peptic ulcers and gastritis which also increases the risk of stomach cancer.  Aesculetin (6,7-dihydroxycoumarin) is active against some types breast cancer and leukaemia cells.  Plumbagin is a yellow dye and medicinally has shown antimicrobial, antifungal, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects.

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