Table 1.
Plant species | Action | Constituents | Countries |
Ancistrocladus abbreviatus |
Anti-HIV | Michellamine B | Cameroon and Ghana |
Corynanthe pachyceras |
Male stimulant | Corynanthidine, corynanthine, yohimbine. |
Ghana |
Tamarindus indica | Insecticides | Pectins | Egypt |
Rauvolfia vomitoria | Tranquilizer and antihypertensive |
Reserpine, yohimbine | Nigeria, Zaire, Rwanda, Mozambique, |
Cinchona succirubra | Anti malarial | Quinine | West African countries |
Syzigium aromaticum | Dental remedy | Eugenol, terpenoids | East African countries, Madagascar |
Agava sisalana | Corticosteroids and oral contraceptives |
Hecogenin | Tanzania |
Physostigma venenosum |
Opthalmia | Physostigimine (eserine) | Calabar (Nigeria), Ghana, Cote D'ivoire |
Prunus africana | Prostate gland hypertrophy | Sterols, triterpenes, n-docosanol | Cameroon, Kenya, Madagascar |
Catharanthus roseus | Anti-Leukemia and Hodgkin's disease |
Triterpenoids, tannins and alkaloids |
Madagascar |
Zingiber officinale (Ginger) |
Spice, carminative and medicinal products |
Gingerol | Nigeria |
Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium |
Insecticides | Pyrethrins | Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa |
Source: Adapted from Okigbo and Mmeka (2006: 86).