Aphloia theiformis
Aphloia theiformis, commonly known as "mãe-da-lua," is a versatile evergreen shrub native to South America. Renowned for its medicinal properties, this plant is widely used in traditional healing to treat inflammation, skin conditions, and digestive issues. Its antioxidant-rich leaves offer significant therapeutic potential in modern herbal medicine.
- Scientific name: Aphloia theiformis
- Family: Aphloiaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is classified under the order Crossosomatales and is a member of the family Aphloiaceae. Within this family, it is specifically identified by the genus Aphloia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Crossosomatales | WCVP |
| Family | Aphloiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Aphloia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Aphloia theiformis, is known by various names depending on the linguistic and regional context. In several Chinese dialects and classifications, including Simplified Chinese (zh-hans), Traditional Chinese (zh-hant), Cantonese (zh-hk), and Singaporean Mandarin (zh-sg), it is referred to as 单果树科 (or 單果樹科). However, specifically in Mainland China (zh-cn), it is commonly known as 茶红木.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 单果树科 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 單果樹科 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 單果樹科 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 茶红木 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 单果树科 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 茶紅木 | Wikidata |
| ko | 아플로이아 | Wikidata |
| ru | Афлойя | Wikidata |
| es | Aphloiaceae | Wikidata |
| ca | Aphloiàcia | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution across the African continent. In East Tropical Africa, its presence is noted in the countries of Kenya and Tanzania. Moving toward the southern regions, it is also found within South Tropical Africa. Specifically, the species inhabits the territories of Malawi and Mozambique. Finally, its range extends into the country of Zimbabwe.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| East Tropical Africa | Kenya | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Malawi | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Mozambique | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Zimbabwe | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | KwaZulu-Natal | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Eswatini | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Northern Provinces | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Comoros | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Mauritius | WCVP |
Chemicals
Aphloia theiformis has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Mangiferin, chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, kaempferol, mangiferin.
- Total chemicals
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Mangiferin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| chlorogenic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gallic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| kaempferol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| mangiferin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| quercetin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Aphloia theiformis has 4 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimalarial, Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, Hypolipidemic.
- Total activities
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antimalarial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hypolipidemic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Aphloia theiformis has 12 reported medicinal uses identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include oxidative stress, Plasmodium berghei, Plasmodium falciparum, ZIKV, Zika virus.
- Total uses
- 12
- Scientific sources
- 13
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| oxidative stress | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Plasmodium berghei | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Plasmodium falciparum | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ZIKV | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Zika virus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dengue virus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| immune responses | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| metabolic disease | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| metabolic diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |