Aspilia africana
Aspilia africana, commonly known as the African fever grass, is a versatile medicinal herb native to tropical Africa. Renowned for its potent bioactive properties, it is extensively used in traditional medicine to treat wounds, skin infections, and inflammatory conditions, offering significant therapeutic potential in contemporary pharmacological research and development.
- Scientific name: Aspilia africana
- Family: Asteraceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, Aspilia africana, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae within the order Asterales. Finally, it is a member of the Asteraceae family and is categorized under the genus Aspilia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Asterales | WCVP |
| Family | Asteraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Aspilia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Aspilia africana, is known by various common names across different linguistic and cultural contexts. In Fulfulde, it is referred to as Nyarki, while in Dagbani, it is called Deborisaa. In Chinese, the plant is known as 止血草, a name used consistently in both Simplified Chinese (zh-cn) and Traditional Chinese (zh-tw) as well as in standard Mandarin (zh).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ff | Nyarki | Wikidata |
| dag | Deborisaa | Wikidata |
| zh | 止血草 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 止血草 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 止血草 | Wikidata |
| tw | Wedelia africana | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 止血草 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is widely distributed across several regions within West Tropical Africa. It can be found growing in the country of Benin. Its presence is also documented in Burkina Faso. Furthermore, the species inhabits parts of the Gambia and Ghana. Finally, its geographical range extends into Guinea-Bissau.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ghana | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea-Bissau | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Liberia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Senegal | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Aspilia africana, is a versatile medicinal species where various components are utilized for healing purposes. The leaf is often prepared as a poultice, while the broader collection of leaves can be decocted to treat different ailments. In some traditional practices, a specific wild leaf may be sought out for its potent properties. Furthermore, the roots are frequently harvested for their therapeutic strength, and even a single, concentrated root extract can be used in traditional medicine to address various health concerns.- Total parts
- 8
- Scientific sources
- 13
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaf | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| wild leaf | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| roots | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| juvenile in vitro leaf | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ex vitro root | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| callus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Aspilia africana has 21 reported phytochemicals identified across 21 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), Nickel (Ni), Zinc (Zn), abscisic acid, adenosine 5-monophosphate.
- Total chemicals
- 21
- Scientific sources
- 21
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Nickel (Ni) | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Zinc (Zn) | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| abscisic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| adenosine 5-monophosphate | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| artemisinin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| carene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| chlorogenic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| chlorophyll | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dihydroartemisinin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Aspilia africana has 6 reported activities identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimalarial, Antimicrobial, Anticancer, Antidiabetic, Antioxidant.
- Total activities
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 8
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antimalarial | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Teratogenic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Aspilia africana has 12 reported medicinal uses identified across 20 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include wounds, malaria, measles, osteoporosis, tuberculosis.
- Total uses
- 12
- Scientific sources
- 20
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| wounds | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| malaria | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| measles | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| osteoporosis | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tuberculosis | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bleeding | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cough | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diabetes mellitus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diarrhea | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gastric ulcers | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |