Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
dithylether extracts of the fruit showed taenicidal action
in vitro
and
in vivo
.
733
The drug has been
found to possess antifertility activity when tested in rats and guinea pigs, and this action has been
attributed to the presence of rottlerin.
738
Other derivatives of crude Kamala extract have hypoglyce-
mic, antibacterial, antispasmodic, and antitumor activity against human epidermoid carcinoma of
nasopharynx in tissue culture and sarcoma 180 in the mouse.
737
In clinical medicine, Kamala is also
applied topically as an ointment for ringworm, scabies, herpes, and other parasitic skin diseases.
MANNIOPHYTON FLAVUM
Botanical Name —
Manniophyton flavum
Muell. Arg.
Synonym —
M. africanum
Muell. Arg.
Family —
Euphorbiaceae
African Names —
Bini: ebumen; Igbo: ege; Mano: fei, fai; Mende: njuli
Description —
This is a hairy wood climbing plant or a straggly shrub; the young stems are pithy
or hollow, and the branchlets are covered with brown stinging hairs. It has polymorphous leaves, mainly
entire, often 2-5 lobed, and asymmetrical with caudate base, with parallel tertiary nerves and covered
on both surfaces with prickly stellate hairs. It is up to 25 cm long and about the same size in breadth.
The flowers are small and occur in clusters on the common stalks. Male and female flowers are sepa-
rate, up to 25 cm long. There are between 10 and 20 stamens in a flower. The female panicles are
smaller than the male ones. It produces 3-lobed capsules, 2-5 cm long, almost rounded with raised ribs.
Habitat and Distribution —
This is a rainforest plant, found mainly in mixed deciduous and ever-
green forests. It is distributed from Sudan to Tanzania and occurs in the West Coast up to Sierra Leone.
Ethnomedicinal Uses —
The main use of the plant in many parts of the continent is in the
treatment of skin infections. The seed oil, which is rich in iodine, is applied externally for yaws. The
bark and stem are chewed as a remedy for cough. A decoction of the leafy twigs and roots is drunk
as a medicine for stomachache and for gonorrhea. A fresh decoction is used for treating snakebite
and scorpion stings.
MASSULARIA ACUMINATA
Botanical Name —
Massularia acuminata
(D.Don) Bullock ex Hoyle
Synonym —
Randia acuminata
(Benth)
Family —
Rubiaceae
Common Name —
Chewing stick tree
African Names —
Igbo: atu-uhie; Yoruba: pako-ijebu, orin-ijebu
