Waginos

Brucea antidysenterica

Physical Characteristics

Brucea antidysenterica is an evergreen Tree growing to 7 m (23ft) by 7 m (23ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Distribution

Tropical Africa - Guinea and Nigeria east to Ethiopia and south to Angola, Malawi and Zambia.

Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Inner bark Edible Uses: Condiment Edible portion: Bark - spice. The bark is used as a bitter flavouring.

Medicinal Uses

Anthelmintic Antiasthmatic Antibacterial Antidiarrhoeal Antitumor Cancer Dysentery Febrifuge Leprosy Malaria Skin As its name suggests, the plant is of value in traditional medicine for the treatment of dysentery. Modern research has confirmed this action and also highlighted other potential uses of the plant. The leaves and stem bark contain quanninoids and canthin alkaloids that have potent anticancer properties, and these have attracted much research attention in recent decades[ 299 ]. Some trials have been inconclusive, whilst others have shown promising results, especially since the effects were facilitated in the absence of overt toxicity[ 299 ]. In addition to their antineoplastic activity, many compounds present in the plant are highly effective against the dysentery-causing amoeba, Entamoeba histolytica, and the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum[ 299 ]. Quassinoids from the plant have exhibited weak anti-tuberculosis activity in vitro, whilst their anti-HIV potential is marred by high cytotoxicity[ 299 ]. Quassinoids are characteristic of the Simaroubaceae; they give the bark of Brucea antidysenterica a distinctive bitter taste[ 299 ]. Canthin alkaloids, present in the root bark of Brucea antidysenterica, have anticancer and antimicrobial properties[ 299 ]. The bark, fruit and roots are widely used against dysentery, as an anthelmintic and to treat fever[ 299 ]. The bark, fruit, seeds, leaves and roots (sometimes boiled) are used as a remedy for diarrhoea, indigestion and stomach-ache[ 299 ]. The leaves and roots are cooked with meat, or infused with milk (for children) to relieve asthma[ 299 ]. Wounds and skin complaints, such as those caused by leprosy and scrofula, are treated with ointments made from the leaves and twigs mixed with ghee or butter, or from the ripe fruits mixed with honey[ 299 ]. Preparations of the roots are used on sores caused by sexually transmitted diseases, while the leaves and seeds are used to treat cancerous skin tumours[ 299 ]. The roots are used to treat rabies[ 299 ].

Known Hazards

The fruit is bitter and reportedly toxic to livestock, especially sheep[ 299 ]. Crystals of calcium oxalate are present in the bark, leaves and roots[ 299 ].