Turraea robusta

Turraea robusta, commonly known as the African mahogany, is a significant medicinal tree native to tropical Africa. Renowned for its versatile therapeutic properties, various parts of the plant, including the bark and roots, are utilized in traditional medicine to treat ailments such as inflammation, infections, and digestive issues.

  • Scientific name: Turraea robusta
  • Family: Meliaceae
  • Native range: Africa

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Turraea robusta, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized under the order Sapindales and the family Meliaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Turraea.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Sapindales WCVP
Family Meliaceae WCVP
Genus Turraea WCVP

Common Names

This plant, known scientifically as Turraea robusta, is referred to by the common name roimaripsupilli in Finnish.
Language Common Name Source
fi roimaripsupilli Wikidata

Distribution

This plant is primarily distributed across the diverse landscapes of the African continent. In West-Central Tropical Africa, it can be found growing in both Cameroon and the DR Congo. Its range also extends significantly into East Tropical Africa. Specifically, the species is documented within the borders of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. These various regions provide the specific tropical environments necessary for its natural occurrence.

Region Area Source
West-Central Tropical Africa Cameroon WCVP
West-Central Tropical Africa DR Congo WCVP
East Tropical Africa Kenya WCVP
East Tropical Africa Tanzania WCVP
East Tropical Africa Uganda WCVP
South Tropical Africa Malawi WCVP
South Tropical Africa Zambia WCVP

Plant Parts

This plant, Turraea robusta, is highly valued in traditional medicine, particularly for the therapeutic properties found within its stem bark. The stem bark is the primary part utilized by practitioners, often being harvested to prepare decoctions or infusions used to treat various ailments such as malaria, skin infections, and gastrointestinal issues. Due to the presence of bioactive compounds concentrated in this specific tissue, the careful collection of the stem bark is essential for extracting the medicinal qualities necessary for healing.
Total parts
1
Scientific sources
1
Plant Part Sources Confidence
stem bark 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Chemicals

Turraea robusta has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 11-epi-toonacilin, azadironolide, piscidinol A, toonapubesin F, triterpenoids.

Total chemicals
5
Scientific sources
5

Most Reported Compounds

Compound Sources Confidence
11-epi-toonacilin 1 ★☆☆☆☆
azadironolide 1 ★☆☆☆☆
piscidinol A 1 ★☆☆☆☆
toonapubesin F 1 ★☆☆☆☆
triterpenoids 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Activities

Turraea robusta has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antiplasmodial, Cytotoxic.

Total activities
2
Scientific sources
2

Most Reported Activities

Activity Sources Confidence
Antiplasmodial 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Cytotoxic 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Medicinal Uses

Turraea robusta has 4 reported medicinal uses identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Plasmodium berghei, Plasmodium falciparum, anti-malarial, malaria.

Total uses
4
Scientific sources
4

Most Reported Uses

Use Sources Confidence
Plasmodium berghei 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Plasmodium falciparum 1 ★☆☆☆☆
anti-malarial 1 ★☆☆☆☆
malaria 1 ★☆☆☆☆