Senegalia mellifera
Senegalia mellifera · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Sparse (12 studies) · ★☆☆☆☆
Senegalia mellifera, scientifically known as Senegalia mellifera, is a resilient, thorny acacia native to the arid landscapes of Southern Africa. Widely utilized in traditional medicine, this versatile shrub offers therapeutic benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, making it a vital resource for community health and ecological stability.
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Native range
- Africa
- Parts used
- Stem Bark · Leaves
- Common names
- Not available
- Scientific synonyms
- Acacia Mellifera · Acacia Senegal Subsp. Mellifera · 2 more
Names
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Senegalia melliferaSynonyms
- Acacia mellifera
- Acacia senegal subsp. mellifera
- Inga mellifera
- Mimosa mellifera
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 falls under the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Specifically, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Senegalia, of which Senegalia mellifera is a member.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Senegalia | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific distribution across several regions of the African continent. In Northern Africa, its presence can be documented within the borders of Egypt. Moving into Northeast Tropical Africa, the species is found spanning multiple countries. Specifically, it grows in the territories of Chad, Djibouti, and Eritrea. Finally, the geographical range of this medicinal plant extends through Ethiopia as well.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Africa | Egypt | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Chad | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Djibouti | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Eritrea | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Ethiopia | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Somalia | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Sudan-South Sudan | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Kenya | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Uganda | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Senegalia mellifera, possesses various components that are utilized for their therapeutic properties. Traditionally, the stem bark is harvested for its medicinal potency, and in some regional practices, different types of stem barks are collected to prepare decoctions or infusions. Additionally, the leaves are frequently employed in folk medicine to treat various ailments, showcasing the multifaceted utility of the plant's different anatomical structures.| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| stem bark | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | BioMed research international (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stem barks | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Senegalia mellifera has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Saponins, Sterols, Tannins, betulinic acid.
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Flavonoids | BioMed research international (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Saponins | BioMed research international (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Sterols | BioMed research international (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Tannins | BioMed research international (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| betulinic acid | African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Senegalia mellifera has 3 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Hepatoprotective.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antibacterial | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | BioMed research international (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hepatoprotective | BioMed research international (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Acacia mellifera stem barks | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aqueous fraction | BioMed research international (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aqueous fractions | BioMed research international (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| crude ethanolic-extract | BioMed research international (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethyl acetate fraction | BioMed research international (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| extracts from the stem bark of Acacia mellifera | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| methanolic and methanol:dichloromethane (1:1) extracts | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| n-butanol fraction | BioMed research international (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| n-butanol partition | BioMed research international (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| water extracts | African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |