Irvingia gabonensis
Irvingia gabonenis, commonly known as African mango, is a versatile medicinal plant native to West and Central Africa. Renowned for its nutrient-dense seeds, it is traditionally used to manage diabetes, obesity, and digestive issues. Beyond nutrition, its bioactive compounds offer significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in holistic medicine.
- Scientific name: Irvingia gabonensis
- Family: Irvingiaceae
- 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 categorized under the order Malpighiales and the family Irvingiaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Irvingia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malpighiales | WCVP |
| Family | Irvingiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Irvingia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant is known by various names depending on the language and region, such as mango afrykańskie in Polish, 非洲芒果 in Chinese, and ايرفينجيا جابونينسيس in Arabic. In Czech, it is referred to as Irvingie gabunská, while in Spanish, it is commonly called Irvingia hookeriana.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| pl | Mango afrykańskie | Wikidata |
| zh | 非洲芒果 | Wikidata |
| arz | ايرفينجيا جابونينسيس | Wikidata |
| cs | Irvingie gabunská | Wikidata |
| es | Irvingia hookeriana | Wikidata |
| es | Irvingia velutina | Wikidata |
| es | Irvingia erecta | Wikidata |
| es | Irvingia caerulea | Wikidata |
| es | Mangifera gabonensis | Wikidata |
| es | Mangifera africana | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant, known as Irvingia gabonenis, exhibits a specific distribution across several regions of the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is documented in countries such as Benin and Nigeria. Moving into the West-Central Tropical Africa region, the species can be found in the Central African Republic and Cameroon. Furthermore, its range extends to the coastal area of Cabinda within the same West-Central zone. Collectively, these locations highlight the plant's importance within the tropical forest ecosystems of Africa.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Cabinda | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Central African Republic | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Cameroon | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Congo | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Equatorial Guinea | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Gabon | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Gulf of Guinea Is. | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | DR Congo | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known scientifically as Irvingia gabonensis, is a versatile medicinal and nutritional resource where various components are utilized for their specific properties. The leaves are often employed in traditional medicine, frequently used in infusions or decoctions to treat various ailments. The seeds serve as the primary vessel for the plant's most potent components, which are extracted through careful processing. Within these seeds, the nutrient-dense kernels are highly valued, providing essential fats and medicinal compounds. Ultimately, the entire complex structure of the Seeds plays a critical role in the plant's reproductive cycle and its overall pharmacological importance.- Total parts
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 5
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| seeds | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| kernels | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Seeds | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Irvingia gabonensis has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include campesterol, fatty acids, glycosides, phytosterols, stimasterol.
- Total chemicals
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| campesterol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fatty acids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| glycosides | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| phytosterols | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stimasterol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| vitamin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Irvingia gabonensis has 5 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antidiabetic, Antihyperlipidemic, Antioxidant, Antithrombotic, Free-Radical Scavenging.
- Total activities
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antihyperlipidemic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antithrombotic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Free-Radical Scavenging | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Irvingia gabonensis has 8 reported medicinal uses identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include apoptosis, body weight, endoplasmic reticulum stress, inflammation, metabolic syndrome.
- Total uses
- 8
- Scientific sources
- 8
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| apoptosis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| body weight | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| endoplasmic reticulum stress | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| metabolic syndrome | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| obesity | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oxidative stress | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| weight loss | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |