General information about prunus africana prnaf this website uses cookies our website uses cookies to ensure that we give you the best possible online experience. Healers use the bark and leaves to treat more than 30 human. Prunus africana is valued for its timber, which is used for tool handles and for fuel, and it is an important wildlife food. Kalkman 1965 suggested that a separate species, prunus crassifolia might occur in. Pygeum, a herbal remedy containing extracts from the bark of prunus africana, is used as to alleviate some of the discomfort caused by inflammation in patients suffering from benign prostatic hyperplasia. It can be found at 9003,400 m 3,00010,000 ft above sea level. Prunus africana conservation in the aberdare highlands. Media in category prunus africanathe following 15 files are in this category, out of 15 total. Prunus africana is the only indigenous species in the rsa. The most effective part of prunus africana is the bark. The genus name prunus is derived from a latin word which refers to the plum family, and the scientific name prunus africana refers to the species of african origin. Distribution, utilization and management of prunus africana hook. The reputation of this tree is due to the use of its bark extract in.
Phytosterol pygeum africanum regulates prostate cancer in. Prunus africana is classified as vulnerable, indicating that the species is facing a high risk of extinction due to overexploitation of bark for the traditional medicine trade. Prunus africana is an evergreen tree, ranging between 10 to 36 metres height, with a stem diameter of 1 metre. The record derives from rjp data supplied on 20111018 which reports it as an accepted name record 25340 with original publication details. Prunus africana has a widespread but fragmented distribution in africa, it is considered globally vulnerable and overexploitation is regarded as the main threat to the species. I studied the uses of the african cherry prunus africana by four ethnic groups who live near the kilumijim forest preserve on mount oku, cameroon. Pdf the potential use of prunus africana for the control. Prunus species are mostly distributed in the northern hemisphere with only one, prunus africana hook. Africa, prunus africana is called rooistinkhout and kiburabura, respectively. This article is within the scope of wikiproject food and drink, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of food and drink related articles on wikipedia.
Can lessons be learned from an overexploited medicinal tree j. About 35 years ago, bark extracts were found to be effective in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia bph. Interest in the species began in the 1700s when european travelers learned from. Bark and wood structure of prunus africana rosaceae, an. African almond sanbi red list of south african plants.
Continuing to use this website means you agree to our use of cookies. Prunus species are food plants for the larvae of many lepidoptera species butterflies and moths. Many publications refer to the medicinal value of p. It is also known as red stinkwood, iron n plum, african prune, african cherry, and bitter almond, as well as having many names in local. Pygeum africanum prunus africana african plum tree. Pygeum bark gained popularity in europe in the 1700s but had been used long before that by south african tribes. Pygeum africanum prunus africana african plum tree monograph.
Kalkman is an accepted name this name is the accepted name of a species in the genus prunus family rosaceae. This monoecious tree is native to 21 countries in subsaharan africa figure 2 19, 51, 52. Kalkman, also known as pygeum africanum, is the only species of the prunus genus found in africa. Evaluation of the harvest of prunus africana bark on bioko. A new documentary by dw, germanys international broadcaster, gives a snapshot of the status of the african cherry tree, prunus africana, in the aberdare highlands of kenya. Indicationspecific dosing for prunus africana, pygeum. In kwazulunatal it is now locally extinct in more than half the forests in which it used to occur. Rwenzori national parks have been discovered to have the highest concentration of the active ingredients needed for treating prostate cancer and other related health problems compared to other tree species in the country. Traditional healers in kenya use its bark to make remedies for a broad. A process for preparing an extract of the bark of prunus africana suitable for the treatment of prostatic adenoma, comprising contacting finely ground bark of prunus africana with a solvent selected from the group consisting of methanol, an 80. The prunus africana tree species has wide applications in african traditional medicine where its leaves, roots and stem bark are used, although the stem bark of the tree is the main part used for medicinal purposes by the indigenous african people since ancient times. Check other web resources for prunus africana hook. Prunus africana plantinfo everything and anything about. An extract from the bark of pygeum africanum has been used in europe as a prevention and treatment of prostate disorders including benign prostatic hypertrophy bph.
In afrikaans and the kiswahili languages of south africa and e. Later the extract of the bark became a popular form of taking this supplement. The bark of prunus africana, a tree growing in african highland forests, has been exported from cameroon to europe since 1972 for the treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy bph. Prunus africana describiose por joseph dalton hooker cornelis kalkman y espublizose en blumea 1. Prunus africanus definition of prunus africanus by medical. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks. Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record view all images 8 photo. It is the only species of the genus prunus in africa and, unlike many other afromontane. The dull gray to brown bark is pulverized by the traditional healers and used. Structural distribution of wild prunus africana population in the kilumijim mountain forest.
Distribution, utilization and management strategies of prunus. This it is a moderately fastgrowing tree which is sensitive to heavy frost, preferring areas where there is regular rain. However, its greatest value is for traditional medicines. In most cases in tanzania, it occurs in tropical mountain forests receiving high. The potential use of prunus africana for the control, treatment and management of common fungal and bacterial infections article pdf available in journal of medicinal plant research 411. Prunus africana is confined to evergreen forests from near the coast to the mist belt and montane forests in kwazulunatal, eastern cape, swaziland, mpumalanga, zimbabwe and tropical africa.
The latter typifies prunus africana, typically a straightboled evergreen canopy tree with rough bark for a detailed description see appendix 1 which is widespread in the mountainous and volcanic highlands of subsaharan africa. According to clinical experiments, extract of pygeum have antiproliferative effects on epithelial cells and prostatic fibroblasts. We do not use these to store personal information about you. Pygeum africana is an indigenous tree species with natural occurrence in the upland rainforests from west to south africa and moist brachystegia woodlands. Acknowledgements i will specially want to thank the research team that worked on prunus africana that is. Rwenzori national parks have been discovered to have the highest concentration of the active ingredients needed for treating prostate cancer and other related health problems compared to other tree species in. One product combining prunus africana and stinging nettle root, in germany has been highly effective, in many cases better than prunus africana alone. Evaluation of the harvest of prunus africana bark on bioko equatorial guinea evaluation of the harvest of prunus africana bark on bioko equatorial guinea. Pygeum africanum prunus africana or rosaceae is an african prune plum tree found in tropical africa. As with other members of the prunus genus, prunus africana possesses extrafloral nectaries to provide antiherbivore insects with a nutrient source in return for protecting the foliage. Prunus africana, the wonder anticancer tree in uganda. Kalkman 1965 suggested that a separate species, prunus crassifolia might occur in the kivu region. Pygeum africanum prunus africana african plum tree introduction pygeum africanum, a member of the rosaceae family, is an evergreen species found across the entire continent of africa at altitudes of 3,000 feet or higher.
The prunus africana tree species is easily propagated from freshly harvested seeds which are planted in a welldrained growing medium. Prunus africana definition of prunus africana by medical. Bark harvesting has had a devastating effect on the tree in cameroon, africas largest p. Bears fragrant, small white pinkish flowers in summer, followed by very bitter, pinkishbrown, cherrylike fruits. Pygeum powder may hinder growth factors for example insulinlike growth factor igf, epidermal growth factor egf and basic fibroblast growth factor bfgf. The genus prunus includes almonds, apricots, cherries, plumbs, peaches and nectarines.
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