Physostigma venenosum
Calabar bean
Physostigma venenosum, commonly known as Calabar bean, is a tropical climbing vine native to West Africa. Renowned for its potent alkaloid, physostigmine, this plant has significant historical and medicinal importance. While used traditionally, its extreme toxicity requires careful handling, as it acts as a powerful acetylcholinesterase inhibitor.
- Scientific name: Physostigma venenosum
- Family: Fabaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Under the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls into the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Physostigma.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Physostigma | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Physostigma venenosum, is recognized by various regional names across different languages. In Russian, it is referred to as Физостигма ядовитая, while in French, it is commonly called Fève de Calabar. Its Portuguese name is simply Physostiгma, whereas in Catalan, it is known as fava de Calabar, and in German, it is identified as Kalabarbohne.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ru | Физостигма ядовитая | Wikidata |
| fr | Fève de Calabar | Wikidata |
| pt | Physostigma | Wikidata |
| ca | fava de Calabar | Wikidata |
| de | Kalabarbohne | Wikidata |
| fi | kalabarpapu | Wikidata |
| az | Zəhərli fizostiqma | Wikidata |
| pl | Bobotrutka trująca | Wikidata |
| zh | 毒扁豆 | Wikidata |
| bg | отровна физостигма | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant, known as Physostigma venenosum, is found across several regions of West Tropical Africa. Its distribution specifically includes the nation of Ghana, where it grows in local ecosystems. It is also documented in Guinea, marking its presence in the coastal and inland areas of that country. Furthermore, the species can be located within the borders of the Ivory Coast and Liberia. Finally, the geographical range of this medicinal plant extends into Mali, completing its presence in the West Tropical African zone.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Sierra Leone | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Central African Republic | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Cameroon | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Congo | WCVP |
Chemicals
Physostigma venenosum has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include physostigmine, (-)-physostigmine, (-)-physovenine.
- Total chemicals
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| physostigmine | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (-)-physostigmine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (-)-physovenine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Physostigma venenosum has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include glaucoma, Alzheimer's disease.
- Total uses
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| glaucoma | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Alzheimer's disease | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |