Acokanthera schimperi
Acokanthera schimperi, commonly known as the Poison Bush, is a perennial shrub native to East Africa. Renowned for its potent cardiac glycosides, it has historically been utilized for hunting arrows. While medically significant for its toxic properties, careful study of its alkaloids offers valuable insights into pharmacology and toxicology.
- Scientific name: Acokanthera schimperi
- Family: Apocynaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Gentianaales, it is classified under the family Apocynaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic placement is within the genus Acokanthera.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Gentianales | WCVP |
| Family | Apocynaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Acokanthera | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Acokanthera schimperi, is referred to by various names depending on the language and region. In Kinyarwanda, it is called Umusagwe, while in Russian, it is known as Акокантера абиссинская. In Romanian, the name used is Acokanthera abyssinica, and in Arabic, it is identified as ثبيرة شمبري, a name that is also reflected in the Egyptian Arabic dialect as ثبيره شمبرى.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| rw | Umusagwe | Wikidata |
| ru | Акокантера абиссинская | Wikidata |
| ro | Acokanthera abyssinica | Wikidata |
| ar | ثبيرة شمبري | Wikidata |
| arz | ثبيره شمبرى | Wikidata |
| zh | 箭毒树 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 箭毒树 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 箭毒樹 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 箭毒树 | Wikidata |
| rw | Umushewe | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution across several regions of the African continent. In West-Central Tropical Africa, it can be found within the borders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Moving toward the east, its range extends into Northeast Tropical Africa. Within this northeastern region, the species is documented in Djibouti and Eritrea. Finally, its presence is also confirmed in the highland landscapes of Ethiopia.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Rwanda | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | DR Congo | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Djibouti | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Eritrea | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Ethiopia | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Socotra | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Somalia | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Kenya | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Uganda | WCVP |
Chemicals
Acokanthera schimperi has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include flavonoids, sulfur compounds, tannins.
- Total chemicals
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sulfur compounds | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tannins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Acokanthera schimperi has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antiproliferative.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antiproliferative | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Acokanthera schimperi has 4 reported medicinal uses identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Aspergillus niger, cancer, influenza A virus, trypanosomes.
- Total uses
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Aspergillus niger | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| influenza A virus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| trypanosomes | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |