Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
QUASSIA AFRICANA
Botanical Name —
Quassia africana
(Baill.) Baill.
Synonym —
Simaba africana
Baill.
Family —
Simaroubaceae
African Names —
Calensi: ogama; Pahoin: olon; Iokundu: bolome; Mayumbe: bundi tse,
voanda, kadi; Equateur: Yella atomba; Kitalela: okenzu; Yagambi: weko
Description —
Quassia africana
is a small tree about 3 m high with grayish-green bark and
glabrous branches. It bears compound alternate leaves, composed of 2-7 leaflets, a petiole 3-16
cm long, rachis 0-15 cm long, and more or less narrowly constricted at the insertion of the leaflets.
The leaflets are opposite, sessile, and lamina obovate or oblong acuminate to obtuse at the apex,
coriaceous to papyraceous, with median nerves prominent above and below, and up to 10 pairs of
lateral nerves, regularly anastomose. Terminal leaflets are slightly larger than the lateral leaflets.
The flowers are borne throughout the year as hermaphrodites, solitary or in fascicles, slender, gla-
brous, and 5-merous.
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Habitat and Distribution —
The plant occurs in the lowland rain forest of the transition zone
from evergreen to semideciduous forest. It is found in southern Sudan, northern Nigeria, Cameroon,
Rio Muni, Gabon, Congo, Zaire, and Angola.
Ethnomedicinal Uses —
The main use of the species in most of the continent is for the treat-
ment of gastrointestinal disturbances and as a vermifuge. The powdered root is used in the prepa-
ration of a remedy for bronchial pneumonia and venereal diseases and for wound dressing, as a
febrifuge, and as an anti-inflammatory. An infusion of the leaves is used by the Teke for the treat-
ment of dysmenorrhea.
Constituents —
The species has been shown to contain the bitter terpenoid quasinoid lac-
tones, nigakilactone A-J, picrasine B, quassin, 14-deoxy-15-(1′-methylbutyryl)-brucein, and
neoquassin.
900
Pharmacological Studies —
The genus has an established pharmaceutical use as a bitter
tonic,
901
as a vermifuge for threadworms, and as a treatment for pediculosis.
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Quassin is believed
to possess insecticidal and amoebicidal properties.
902
Quassinoids from various
Brucea
species
have been shown to have antileukemic
903
and antimalarial properties.
QUILLAJA SAPONARIA
Botanical Name —
Quillaja saponaria
Nolina
Synonyms —
Quillaia saponaria
Mol.,
Quillaja poeppigii
Wa lp.
Family —
Quillajaceae
Common Names —
Soap bark tree, Panama wood, kilaya (Fr.)
African Names —
Arabic (Shuwa): kilay
Description —
Q. saponaria
is a tall tree, growing to about 18 m high. The economically use-
ful bark occurs in flat strips about 1 m long, 20 cm broad, and 3-10 mm thick.
436
The outer surface
is yellowish white and smooth. It breaks with a splintery and laminate fracture. The back consists
almost entirely of phloem with large crystals of calcium oxalate, which may be seen with the naked
eye as glistening. The powdered drug produces an abundant froth when shaken with water and is
strongly sternutory. Quillaia bark has a characteristic acrid and astringent taste.
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Habitat and Distribution —
It is a native of the mountainous terrains of Chile, Peru, and
Bolivia but has been introduced into other parts of the world, including North African countries.
The plant is rather restricted to a high-altitude savanna belt.
