Camel’s foot
Piliostigma thonningii · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Sparse (19 studies) · ★☆☆☆☆
Camel's foot, scientifically known as Piliostigma thonningii, is a versatile medicinal plant widely utilized in traditional African medicine. Renowned for its potent therapeutic properties, it is frequently employed to treat various ailments, including inflammation, skin infections, and gastrointestinal issues, offering a natural approach to enhancing overall human wellness.
Names
Common Names
- Camel’s foot
- Monkey bread
- kao
- Bauhinia
- Camelfoot
- Camels-Foot
- Picture-Frame Tree
- Rhodesian Bauhinia
- camels-foot monkeybread
Regional and Traditional Names
German:
- Kamelfuss
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Piliostigma thonningiiSynonyms
- Bauhinia tamarindacea
- Piliostigma pyrrhocarpum
- Bauhinia thonningii
- Bauhinia pyrrhocarpa
- Bauhinia abyssinica
- Bauhinia reticulata var. rubiginosa
- Bauhinia articulata
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls under the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by its placement in the genus Piliostigma.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Piliostigma | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant is widely distributed across several countries within the West Tropical Africa region. Its presence is documented in Benin, where it plays a role in the local ecosystem. The species can also be found in the landscapes of Burkina and the Gambia. Furthermore, its geographical reach extends into the nation of Ghana. Finally, the distribution of this medicinal plant includes the coastal area of Guinea-Bissau.
| 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-Bissau | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mali | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Niger | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Pilosigmatia thonninii, utilizes various components for its traditional medicinal applications, specifically through its stem bark and leaves. The stem bark is frequently harvested and processed to extract bioactive compounds used in treating diverse ailments. Additionally, both the leaf and the broader leaf structure serve as vital parts of the plant, often prepared as infusions or decoctions to harness their therapeutic properties.| Plant Part | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| leaf | The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stem bark | Fitoterapia (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Piliostigma thonningii has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Alepterolic acid, Flavonoids, Proanthocyanidins, polyphenols.
| Chemical | Supporting sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Alepterolic acid | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Flavonoids | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Proanthocyanidins | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| polyphenols | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Alepterolic acid
- Medicinal chemistry research : an international journal for rapid communications on design and mechanisms of action of biologically active agents
Flavonoids
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
Proanthocyanidins
- Phytotherapy research : PTR
polyphenols
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
Activities
Piliostigma thonningii has 2 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Antioxidant.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Analgesic | Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Piliostigma thonningii has 8 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Pneumococcus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, cancer, malaria, pneumococcal infections.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Pneumococcus | African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Streptococcus pneumoniae | African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| malaria | Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pneumococcal infections | African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| respiratory infections | Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sprains | Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| wounds | Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| ethanol extract | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Extracts | Phytotherapy research : PTR (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| PT | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aqueous leaf extract | ISRN pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethanolic extract | Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |