Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir
| Botanical Name | Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Genus: | Pterocarpus |
| Species: | P. erinaceus |
| Common Names: | English; African rosewood, Senegal rosewood, African barwood, African teak, African kino tree. French: Santal rouge d'Afrique, Vene, ven, palissandre du Senegal, santal rouge d'Afrique, Portuguese: Pau sangue. |
Plant Synonyms
Pterocarpus echinatus DC.
Plant Local Names
Burkina Faso: Moore - Noeega ou Nohinga, Dioula - Goni;gweni;mbeny, Fulfulde - Bani ;banu ;bane ;bari
Guinea: Maninka- Gbene - Gbin, Pular - Barybani banigue, Kissi - Koilo kouelo Mali: Bambara - Mgueni
Nigeria: Hausa - Dorowan Kurmi, Igbo - Aze Egu, Yuroba - Apepe
Senegal: Serere - Ban, Wolof - Ven, Malinke - N'gbehun
Plant Habitat
The plant is found in the Sudano-Guinean and Guinean on all types of soil including aterite.
Plant Material of Interest
Leaf and stem bark, Root
Plant Description
Small tree, open rounded crown reaching from 15 to 20 m high; bole straight, cylindrical and devoid of branches to a height up to 10 m with light ribbed buttresses; bark brown, greyish to blackish, fissured and scaly; leaves alternate, odd-pinnate compound, with 5-11 leaflets; inflorescence axillary or terminal, paniculate, densely covered with brown hairs, bisexual flowers, with hairy pedicel, fruit pod circular, flattened and indehiscent.
Plant Used Parts
Plant Uses
The plant is used in the treatment of fevers and sores. The infused leaf is used to treat diarrhoea, dysentery, and intestinal worms (Karou et a!., 2003). The decoction or infusion of the stem bark and roots is effective against bronchial infections, toothache, dysentery, painful menstruation, anaemia, gonorrhoea, postpartum haemorrhage, tapeworm, leprosy, tumours and ulcers (Karou et al., 2003). The leaf decoction has aphrodisiac properties. It used as an insect repellent and to treat syphilis (Karou et al., 2003). The plant is also used against insomnia and skin fungal infections (Olowokudejo et al., 2008).
Plant Therapeutic Action
Antimalaria (Karou et al., 2003), antibacterial and antifungal (Nuhu et al., 2000), antioxidant (Karou et al., 2005), typanocidal (Bizimanaet al., 2006), antigonadotropic (Duvall, 2008).
Plant Precaution for Use
Do not exceed the recommended dosage
Plant Adverse Effect
Excessive dosage may cause gastrointestinal disturbances
Plant Contraindication
Pregnancy and lactation
Plant Dosage Forms
Decoction
Plant Dosage
300 g of plant material boil with 900 ml of water until reduced to 600 ml. Take two tablesponfuls twice daily.
Plant Storage
Store in a cool dry place
Plant Chromatographic Fingerprint
Plant Constituents
Homopterocarpine, pterocarpin, angolensine, acetyloieanolic acid, afromosin
Plant Pictures
Plant References
Akisanya, A., Bevan, C.W.L., Hirst, J. (1959). West African timbers. II. Heartwood constituents of the genus Pterocarpus. Journal of the Chemical Society 2679-2681.
Bevan, C.W.L., Ekong, D.E.U., Obasi, M.E., Powell, J.W. (1966). West African timbers. XIII. Extracts from the heartwood of Amphimas pterocarpoides and Pterocarpus erinaceus
Journal of the Chemical Society [Section] C: Organic (5):509-510.
Bizimana, N., Uwe, T., Karl-Hans, Z., Drissa, D., Coulibaly, D. et al. (2006). Evaluation of medicinal plants from Mali for their in vitro and in vivo trypanocidal activity. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 103(3):350-356.
Duvall, C.S. (2008). Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir. [Internet] Fiche de Protabase. Louppe, D., Oteng-Amoako, A.A., Brink, M. (Editeurs). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa Ressources vegetales de I'Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Pays Bas.
Karou, D., Mamoudou, H., Dicko, S.S., Jacques, S.,Traore, A.S. (2003). Antimalarial activity of Sida acuta Burm. f. (Malvaceae) and Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir. (Fabaceae). Journal of Ethnopharmacology 89:291-294.