Ancistrocladus tanzaniensis

Ancistrocladus tanzaniensis, commonly known as a vital medicinal plant in East Africa, holds significant ethnobotanical importance. Renowned for its diverse therapeutic properties, various parts of this species are utilized in traditional medicine to treat ailments ranging from skin infections to inflammatory conditions, offering promising potential for modern pharmacological research.

  • Scientific name: Ancistrocladus tanzaniensis
  • Family: Ancistrocladaceae
  • Native range: Africa

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Ancistrocladus tanzaniensis, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Caryophyllales. It is further categorized into the family Ancistrocladaceae and the genus Ancistrocladus.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Caryophyllales WCVP
Family Ancistrocladaceae WCVP
Genus Ancistrocladus WCVP

Common Names

This plant, Ancistrocladus tanzaniensis, is known by several different names depending on the local language and region. In Swahili, it is referred to as mti wa kiba, while in Luganda, it is commonly called ekigina.
Language Common Name Source

Distribution

This plant is a specific botanical species characterized by a very limited natural range. Its geographical distribution is strictly confined to the region of East Tropical Africa. Within this broad area, the species can be found specifically in Tanzania. Because it is localized to this single country, it is considered an endemic element of the local flora. Consequently, the survival of this medicinal plant is closely tied to the environmental conditions of the Tanzanian landscape.

Region Area Source
East Tropical Africa Tanzania WCVP

Chemicals

Ancistrocladus tanzaniensis has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include O,N-dimethylancistrocladine, O-methylancistrocladinine, ancistrocladidine, ancistrotanzanine C, ancistrotectorine.

Total chemicals
5
Scientific sources
5

Most Reported Compounds

Compound Sources Confidence
O,N-dimethylancistrocladine 1 ★☆☆☆☆
O-methylancistrocladinine 1 ★☆☆☆☆
ancistrocladidine 1 ★☆☆☆☆
ancistrotanzanine C 1 ★☆☆☆☆
ancistrotectorine 1 ★☆☆☆☆