Sausage Tree
Kigelia africana · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Moderate (120 studies) · ★★★☆☆
Sausage Tree, scientifically known as Kigelia africana, is a remarkable African species celebrated for its massive, pendulous fruits. Renowned in traditional medicine, this botanical wonder offers diverse therapeutic properties, ranging from anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects to skin-healing benefits, making it a vital subject for modern pharmacological research and ethnobotany.
- Family
- Bignoniaceae
- Native range
- Africa
- Parts used
- Leaf · Fruit
- Common names
- Sausage Tree · Bologna Sausage Tree · 4 more
- Scientific synonyms
- Tecoma Africana · Bignonia Africana
Names
Common Names
- Sausage Tree
- Bologna Sausage Tree
- Fetishbean
- German Sausage Tree
- German-Sausage Tree
- Sheeps Tail
Regional and Traditional Names
Spanish:
- árbol de las salchichas
- Salchicha
- Salchichón del diablo (El Salvador)
German:
- Leberwurstbaum
- Leberwurstbaum
- Wurstbaum
French:
- Arbre à saucisses
- saucissonnier
- Arbre à saucisses
- saucissonier
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Kigelia africanaSynonyms
- Tecoma africana
- Bignonia africana
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, Kigelia africana, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified within the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae, falling under the order Lamiales. Finally, it is a member of the family Bignoniaceae and is categorized under the genus Kigelia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Lamiales | WCVP |
| Family | Bignoniaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Kigelia | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant, known as Kigelia africana, exhibits a specific distribution across several regions of West Tropical Africa. It can be found growing within the borders of Benin and Burkina Faso. Additionally, the species is present in the nation of Gambia. Its geographical range further extends into the territory of Ghana. Finally, the plant is also documented to inhabit the country of Guinea.
| 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 | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Liberia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mali | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Niger | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as the sausage tree, utilizes various components for its medicinal properties. The stem bark is frequently harvested and prepared to treat conditions such as skin infections and inflammation. The leaves, often studied individually as a single leaf in botanical analyses, are used in decoctions to address ailments ranging from fever to digestive issues. Most notably, the large, pendulous fruits are a defining feature of the species; each individual fruit contains bioactive compounds that are traditionally employed in various healing rituals and topical applications.| Plant Part | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| leaf | Journal of intercultural ethnopharmacology (and other 6 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| fruit | Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 5 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| stem | Heliyon (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| root | Journal of intercultural ethnopharmacology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flower | ChemistryOpen (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Kigelia africana has 30 reported phytochemicals identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Tannins, Anthraquinones, Iridoids, Naphthoquinones.
| Chemical | Supporting sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Flavonoids | 6 supporting sources | ★★★☆☆ |
| Tannins | 3 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Anthraquinones | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Iridoids | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Naphthoquinones | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Saponins | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Terpenes | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Terpenoids | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Verbascoside | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| verminoside | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Flavonoids
- Heliyon
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
- Pharmaceutical biology
- EXCLI journal
- Advances in pharmacological sciences
View 1 additional sources
- Journal of medicinally active plants
Tannins
- Pharmaceutical biology
- Advances in pharmacological sciences
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
Anthraquinones
- Pharmaceutical biology
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
Iridoids
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
Naphthoquinones
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
Saponins
- Pharmaceutical biology
- Advances in pharmacological sciences
Terpenes
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
- Biological trace element research
Terpenoids
- Heliyon
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
Verbascoside
- Journal of natural products
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
verminoside
- Journal of natural products
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
Activities
Kigelia africana has 11 reported activities identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antibacterial, Analgesic, Anticancer.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | Experimental and toxicologic pathology : official journal of the Gesellschaft fur Toxikologische Pathologie (and other 7 sources) | ★★★★☆ |
| Antimicrobial | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | Journal of medicinally active plants (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Analgesic | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antifungal | Biological trace element research (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiinflammatory | Biological trace element research (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiproliferative | Biological trace element research (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiulcer | EXCLI journal (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Aphrodisiac | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Kigelia africana has 22 reported medicinal uses identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include oxidative stress, cancer, analgesic, antioxidant, atherosclerosis.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| oxidative stress | EXCLI journal (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| cancer | Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| analgesic | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antioxidant | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| atherosclerosis | Tropical biomedicine (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| breast cancer | Heliyon (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| colorectal carcinoma | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diarrhea | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fungal infections | Journal of intercultural ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| infertility | BMC research notes (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| plant extracts | Experimental and toxicologic pathology : official journal of the Gesellschaft fur Toxikologische Pathologie (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (Lam.) extract | Tropical biomedicine (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 70 % hydroethanolic extracts | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| CH2Cl2 extracts | Journal of natural products (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Methanolic extract | Tropical biomedicine (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aqueous extract | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aqueous leaf extract | EXCLI journal (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| boiling plant parts especially the leaves and roots | Journal of intercultural ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dermal formulations | Journal of natural products (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dichloromethane and methanol extracts | Heliyon (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |