Peltophorum africanum
Weeping wattle
Peltophorum africanum, commonly known as the African Copperpod, is a versatile medicinal tree native to tropical Africa. Renowned for its vibrant yellow blooms, its various parts—including bark, leaves, and roots—are traditionally utilized in folk medicine to treat inflammatory conditions, skin ailments, and digestive issues through potent bioactive compounds.
- Scientific name: Peltophorum africanum
- Family: Fabaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Fabales, it is a member of the Fabaceae family. Its taxonomic classification is completed by its placement in the genus Peltophorum.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Peltophorum | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Peltophorum africanum, is recognized by various common names depending on the region and language. In Greek, it is referred to as Πελτοφόρος η Αφρικανική, while in Hebrew, it is called שיטה מדומת אפריקנית. In Shona, it is commonly known as Dzedze, and in Chinese, it is identified as 南非盾柱木 (both in traditional and simplified scripts, zh and zh-hans).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| el | Πελτοφόρος η Αφρικανική | Wikidata |
| he | שיטה מדומה אפריקנית | Wikidata |
| sn | Dzedze | Wikidata |
| zh | 南非盾柱木 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 南非盾柱木 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 南非盾柱木 | Wikidata |
| en | Weeping wattle | Wikidata |
| en | African wattle | Wikidata |
| en | Rhodesian wattle | Wikidata |
| af | Huilboom | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across various tropical regions of the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, it can be found specifically within the borders of Nigeria. Its range extends into West-Central Tropical Africa, where it inhabits the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Moving toward the east, the species is documented in the East Tropical Africa regions of both Kenya and Tanzania. Finally, its distribution reaches into South Tropical Africa, notably within the nation of Angola.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | DR Congo | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Kenya | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Angola | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Malawi | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Mozambique | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Zambia | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Zimbabwe | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Botswana | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Peltophorum africanum, utilizes various components for its medicinal properties, including its robust stem-bark and the fibrous roots. The leaves, often referred to simply as the leaf in botanical studies, contain essential compounds that contribute to its therapeutic profile. Whether utilizing the stem bark or the larger structural elements of the plant, each part plays a specific role in its traditional applications.- Total parts
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 5
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| stem-bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stem bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| roots | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Leaf | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Peltophorum africanum has 7 reported phytochemicals identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include bergenin, (+)-catechin, 6-hydroxydelphinidin 3-glucoside, Catechin, betulinic acid.
- Total chemicals
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 8
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| bergenin | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (+)-catechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 6-hydroxydelphinidin 3-glucoside | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Catechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| betulinic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| catechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonols | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Peltophorum africanum has 8 reported activities identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antidiabetic.
- Total activities
- 8
- Scientific sources
- 10
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antimicrobial | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiproliferative | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiviral | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Repellent | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Peltophorum africanum has 19 reported medicinal uses identified across 19 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, HIV-1, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Shigella flexneri.
- Total uses
- 19
- Scientific sources
- 19
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Enterococcus faecalis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Escherichia coli | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| HIV-1 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Klebsiella pneumoniae | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Shigella flexneri | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Staphylococcus aureus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Ureaplasma urealyticum | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antiviral | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| arthritis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dysentery | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |