Afzelia quanzensis
Afzelia quanzensis, commonly known as the Pod Mahogany, is a versatile medicinal tree native to African forests. Renowned for its therapeutic properties, various parts of the plant—including the bark, leaves, and seeds—are utilized in traditional medicine to treat ailments ranging from skin infections to inflammatory conditions and digestive issues.
- Scientific name: Afzelia quanzensis
- Family: Fabaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is further categorized under the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Ultimately, its specific taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Afzelia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Afzelia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Afzelia quanzensis, is referred to by various names depending on the region and language. In Swahili, it is commonly called Mbambakofi, while in East Asian languages, it is identified as 安哥拉缅茄 (used in Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese) and as ポッドマホガニー in Japanese.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| sw | Mbambakofi | Wikidata |
| zh | 安哥拉缅茄 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 安哥拉缅茄 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 安哥拉缅茄 | Wikidata |
| ja | ポッドマホガニー | Wikidata |
| af | Peulmahonie | Wikidata |
| zh | 安哥拉苏木 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is widely distributed across several key regions within the African continent. In West-Central Tropical Africa, it can be found growing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its range extends into Northeast Tropical Africa, where it is present in Somalia. Furthermore, the species is common throughout East Tropical Africa, specifically inhabiting Kenya and Tanzania. Finally, its geographical presence continues through the neighboring territory of Uganda.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West-Central Tropical Africa | DR Congo | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Somalia | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Kenya | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Uganda | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Angola | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Malawi | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Mozambique | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Zambia | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Zimbabwe | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Afzelia quanzensis, commonly known as the Pod Mahogany, utilizes various components for medicinal purposes, with the bark being particularly significant. The bark is often harvested to prepare decoctions or infusions used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments, including inflammatory conditions and digestive issues. Beyond its therapeutic applications, the bark is also recognized for its chemical properties that contribute to the plant's overall medicinal profile.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Afzelia quanzensis has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, terpenoids.
- Total chemicals
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cardiac glycosides | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| saponins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| steroids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| terpenoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Afzelia quanzensis has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include anemia, cancer.
- Total uses
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| anemia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |