Kingdom Plantae Clade Monocots Family Hypoxidaceae Scientific name Hypoxis hemerocallidea | Clade Angiosperms Order Asparagales Genus Hypoxis Rank Species | |
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Similar Hypoxis, Hypoxidaceae, Sutherlandia frutescens, Artemisia afra, Warburgia salutaris | ||
Hypoxis hemerocallidea, the African star grass or African potato, is a medicinal plant in the Hypoxidaceae family. It is native to southern Africa from South Africa as far north as Mozambique and Zimbabwe. This plant is the best known member of this genus.
Medicinal uses
Limited evidence from two clinical trials suggests that Hypoxis appears to improve some symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia, but the studies had "well documented methodological flaws". Additionally, Hypoxis alters the activity of cytochrome p450, suggesting that it may interfere with the effectiveness of other drugs or supplements, such as antiretroviral drugs.
References
Hypoxis hemerocallidea Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA