Maytenus senegalensis
Photos - Prelude Database and West African Plants
Family: Celastraceae
Synonyms: Gymnosporia senegalensis (Lam.) Loes.
Parts Used: Leaves, Roots, Stems, Bark
Maytenus senegalensis (Lam.) Exell, called the thorny staff tree is a shrub or tree, growing in the semi desert regions of both Asia and Africa. Its roots and bark are traditionally used in the folk medicine of some African regions for the treatment of a number of ailments, including chest pains, rheumatism, snakebites, diarrhoea, eye infection, and dyspepsia (indigestion). It is also used as an antibacterial, antimicrobial and antibiotic. An extract of the roots and barks is used for severe headaches, an analgesic, for skin rashes, muscle spasms, excessive sweating, fevers, parasitic intestinal infections, as an anti-inflammatory, for arthritis and muscle pain, for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea The leaves are used for malaria, yellow fever, and tryanosomiasis. It is also used for fertility problems, venereal diseases, pneumonia, epilepsy, and as a tonic.
In Luganda, it is called Naligwalimu. Following the traditional use of the plant in Sudan, Kenya or Tanzania, it was demonstrated that leaf, root and stem bark extracts of M. senegalensis possess in vitro antiplasmodial, antileishmanial, and antibacterial activities.
Screening studies on antitumor properties of the root and stem extracts revealed in vitro cytotoxic activity against carcinoma cells and in vivo antileukemia effects.
Interestingly, plants of the genus Maytenus are used in South America to prepare infusions or decoctions as anti-inflammatory and analgesic remedies for oral and/or topical administration. Evidence for the in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of M. senegalensis root extracts has been scientifically established. Such extracts contain maytenoic acid, which was found to be an anti-inflammatory triterpene twice as active as the NSAID indomethacin and only three times less active than hydrocortisone.
M. senegalensis roots could be employed in therapeutic preparations for the treatment of inflammatory-based diseases. The plant material can be also regarded as a source of the potent anti-inflammatory principle, maytenoic acid.
Source: “Anti-inflammatory activity of Maytenus senegalensis root extracts and of maytenoic acid”, Sosa, S.; Morelli, C.F.; Tubaro, A.; Cairoli, P.; Speranza, G.; Manitto, P.; Feb 1, 2007; Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy & Phytopharmacology.
