Sipo Mahogany

Entandrophragma utile

Physical Characteristics

Entandrophragma utile is a deciduous Tree growing to 45 m (147ft) by 30 m (98ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The plant is not self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Distribution

Tropical Africa - Sierra Leone to Uganda, south to Angola.

Habitats

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Antirheumatic Kidney Malaria Ophthalmic Stimulant Tonic The bark is used in traditional medicine[ 299 ]. It is used to treat malaria and is claimed to heal peptic ulcers[ 299 ]. The bark sap is taken internally, or used as a wash, to treat stomach-ache and kidney pain[ 299 ]. It is massaged in to the affected joints to relieve rheumatism, and it is dropped into the eyes to treat eye inflammations and into the ear to treat otitis[ 299 ]. A massage with a bark maceration is considered useful as tonic and stimulant[ 299 ]. The charred and pulverized bark, mixed with salt and palm oil, is rubbed into scarifications to treat headache[ 299 ]. Research has shown the presence of a range of medically active substances in the bark, including the lactone entandrophragmin, tetranortriterpenoids called utilins, heptanortriterpenoids called entilins, methyl angolensate and an ergosterol derivative[ 299 ] An aqueous bark extract has shown significant protection against peptic ulcers[ 299 ]. This supports the traditional medicinal use of the bark against peptic ulcers in Nigeria[ 299 ]. Bark extracts have shown fungicidal activity against Pyricularia oryzae[ 299 ]. Some entilins have shown moderate in-vitro antimalarial activity against chloroquine-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum[ 299 ].

Known Hazards

None known