Pterocarpus soyauxii
African padauk
Pterocarpus soyauxii, commonly known as a significant medicinal species in tropical regions, holds great botanical interest. Often utilized in traditional healing practices, this plant offers unique phytochemical properties. Understanding its chemical composition and therapeutic potential is essential for exploring its role in modern pharmacology and sustainable herbal medicine development.
- Scientific name: Pterocarpus soyauxii
- Family: Fabaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is situated in the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Pterocarpus, specifically as the species Pterocarpus soyauxii.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Pterocarpus | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Pterocarpus soyauxii, is known by several distinct common names across different languages and regions. In Dutch, it is referred to as Afrikaans padoek, while in Finnish, it is called punaveripihkapuu. The Russian name for the species is Птерокарпус Сайаукса, and in Chinese, it is identified as 非洲紫檀. Additionally, in Greek, the plant is known as Παντούκ.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| nl | Afrikaans padoek | Wikidata |
| fi | punaveripihkapuu | Wikidata |
| ru | Птерокарпус Сайаукса | Wikidata |
| zh | 非洲紫檀 | Wikidata |
| el | Παντούκ | Wikidata |
| en | African padauk | Wikidata |
| en | African coralwood | Wikidata |
| ru | Коралловое дерево | Wikidata |
| ru | Африканский падук | Wikidata |
| ru | Африканское розовое дерево | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern centered primarily within the tropical regions of Africa. In West Tropical Africa, its presence has been documented in Nigeria. Moving into the West-Central Tropical Africa zone, the species can be found in the Central African Republic and Cameroon. It also inhabits the territories of Congo and Cabinda within this same central region. Overall, these locations define the known geographical range for Pterocarpus soyauxii.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Cabinda | 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 | Equatorial Guinea | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Gabon | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | DR Congo | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Pterocarpus soyauxii, possesses various anatomical components that are utilized for their medicinal properties. The stem bark is frequently harvested for its bioactive compounds, while the durable heartwood serves as a significant source of chemical constituents used in traditional treatments. Furthermore, different layers of the barks are processed to extract the essential elements required for various therapeutic applications.- Total parts
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| stem bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| heartwood | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| barks | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Pterocarpus soyauxii has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include benzofurans, isoflavan.
- Total chemicals
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| benzofurans | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| isoflavan | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Pterocarpus soyauxii has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include hypertension, tooth sensitivity, toothache.
- Total uses
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| hypertension | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tooth sensitivity | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| toothache | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |