Gymnanthemum amygdalinum

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Bracheilema paniculatum
• Cacalia amygdalina
• Decaneurum amygdalinum
• Gymnanthemum abyssinicum
• Keringa amygdalina
• Vernonanthura condensata
• Vernonia adenosticta
• Vernonia amygdalina
• Vernonia bahiensis
• Vernonia condensata
• Vernonia eritreana
• Vernonia giorgii
• Vernonia randii
• Vernonia vogeliana
• Vernonia weisseana

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Asterales, it is classified under the family Asteraceae. Specifically, it is identified by the genus Gymnanthemum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Gymnanthemum amygdalinum, is primarily found within the diverse landscapes of West Tropical Africa. Its natural habitat extends across several key nations, including Benin and Burkina Faso. Additionally, the species is documented to grow within the borders of Guinea. The plant also maintains a presence in the Ivory Coast, contributing to its regional importance. Finally, its geographical range is completed by its distribution in Liberia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Gymnema amygdalinum is characterized by its existence as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its structural growth habit, it is classified as a phanerophyte, specifically exhibiting a phanerophyte life form where its perennially renewing buds are elevated above the ground level. Furthermore, the plant maintains an evergreen deciduousness, ensuring that its foliage remains functional and present throughout its life cycle rather than shedding all leaves seasonally.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Gymnanthemum amygdalinum is characterized by a woody growth form that can manifest as both a shrub and a tree. As a terrestrial and independent species, it does not function as a parasite or an epiphyte, maintaining a self-supporting structure. The plant exhibits significant variation in stature, with heights ranging from a minimum of 0.5 m to a maximum of approximately 4.57 m, resulting in a mean plant height of 9 m across its observed developmental range.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

4.572055596 m

Plant height mean:

9 m

Plant height min:

0.5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Gymnema amygdalinum is characterized by specialized metabolic pathways focused on the synthesis of bioactive triterpenoid saponins, most notably gymnemic acids, which play a critical role in its interaction with glucose homeostasis. The plant undergoes complex photosynthetic processes to drive the production of these secondary metabolites, which are sequestered within its leaves and tissues. In terms of its nutrient acquisition and symbiotic relationships, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the specialized root nodules containing nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, meaning it relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil through its root system. Its physiological efficiency is largely defined by its ability to manage carbon assimilation and the subsequent biosynthesis of bitter principles that influence its chemical defense mechanisms and therapeutic properties.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Gymnanthemum amygdalinum is characterized by the production of specialized seeds that exhibit significant variability in weight, with a minimum seed mass of 0.00049 g, a maximum of 0.00086 g, and an average seed mass of approximately 0.000675 g. Regarding its dispersal strategy, the plant utilizes an anemochorous syndrome, meaning its seeds are primarily adapted for dispersal via wind currents.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Seed mass max:

0.00086 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000675 g

Seed mass min:

0.00049 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Gymnanthemum amygdalinum has 3 reported plant parts identified across 52 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root, stem.

Leaf

1. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine
2. African health sciences
3. Environmental monitoring and assessment
4. Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society
5. Journal of chemical ecology

Root

1. Heliyon
2. Bratislavske lekarske listy
3. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
4. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
5. BMC veterinary research

Stem

1. Journal of chemical ecology
2. Heliyon
3. Bratislavske lekarske listy

Chemicals

Gymnanthemum amygdalinum has 77 reported phytochemicals identified across 52 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Tannins, VERNODALIN, VERNOLIDE, Vernodalol.

Flavonoids

1. World journal of diabetes
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
3. Biotechnology and applied biochemistry
4. International journal of environmental research and public health
5. Journal of diabetes research

Tannins

1. World journal of diabetes
2. Biotechnology and applied biochemistry
3. Journal of parasitology research

VERNODALIN

1. Journal of chemical ecology
2. Physiology & behavior
3. Computational toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

VERNOLIDE

1. Physiology & behavior
2. Computational toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
3. Malaria journal

Vernodalol

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
2. Computational toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
3. Malaria journal

Vernonioside B1

1. Journal of chemical ecology
2. Physiology & behavior
3. Natural product research

luteolin

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR
3. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

CADMIUM

1. Journal of toxicology
2. Environmental monitoring and assessment

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

CHROMIUM

1. Journal of toxicology
2. Environmental monitoring and assessment

Activities

Gymnanthemum amygdalinum has 20 reported activities identified across 52 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, Analgesic, Anthelmintic, Antimalarial.

Antioxidant

1. Experimental biology and medicine (Maywood, N.J.)
2. Journal of food biochemistry
3. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
4. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antidiabetic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Journal of food biochemistry
3. Journal of intercultural ethnopharmacology
4. Journal of basic and clinical pharmacy
5. Journal of diabetes research

Analgesic

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR
2. Advanced pharmaceutical bulletin
3. Planta medica

Anthelmintic

1. Veterinary parasitology
2. Journal of intercultural ethnopharmacology

Antimalarial

1. Journal of intercultural ethnopharmacology
2. Scientifica

Antiplasmodial

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine

Hypoglycemic

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

Antibacterial

1. Journal of toxicology

Anticancer

1. Experimental biology and medicine (Maywood, N.J.)

Antiglycation

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Preparations