Maytenus undata
Maytenus undata, commonly known as the "Maytenus" or "Maytenus tree," is a significant medicinal plant valued in traditional healing practices. Native to specific tropical regions, it contains bioactive compounds with potential therapeutic properties. Research explores its use in treating various ailments, highlighting its importance in ethnobotanical studies and pharmacology.
- Scientific name: Maytenus undata
- Family: Celastraceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized under the order Celastrales and the family Celaestraceae. Ultimately, it is identified by the genus Maytenus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Celastrales | WCVP |
| Family | Celastraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Maytenus | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Maytenus undata, is referred to by the common name Kokoboom in Afrikaans.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| af | Kokoboom | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range across several regions of the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is documented in Guinea, Ivory Coast, and Nigeria. Moving into West-Central Tropical Africa, the species can also be found in Burundi. Additionally, it inhabits the Central African Republic within the same central region. Together, these locations highlight the plant's significant distribution across both western and central tropical zones.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Burundi | 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 | Rwanda | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | DR Congo | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Djibouti | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known scientifically as Maytenus undata, is primarily valued for its therapeutic properties found within its aerial parts. These above-ground structures, which include the stems, leaves, and branches, contain the active phytochemical compounds necessary for its medicinal applications. In traditional herbal practices, these aerial parts are often collected, dried, and processed to create extracts used for their various healing benefits.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| aerial parts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Maytenus undata has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include acetone, dichloromethane, hexane, koetjapic acid, methanol.
- Total chemicals
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| acetone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dichloromethane | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hexane | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| koetjapic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| methanol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Maytenus undata has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antifungal.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antifungal | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Maytenus undata has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Cryptococcus neoformans, Leishmania donovani, malaria.
- Total uses
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Cryptococcus neoformans | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Leishmania donovani | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| malaria | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |