shittimwood
Vachellia seyal · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Sparse (25 studies) · ★☆☆☆☆
Shittimwood, scientifically known as Vachellia seyal, is a versatile medicinal plant native to the arid regions of Africa. Renowned for its therapeutic properties, it is widely utilized in traditional medicine to treat various ailments, including inflammation and skin conditions, offering significant pharmacological potential for modern herbal treatments.
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Native range
- Africa
- Parts used
- Leaf · Seed
- Common names
- Shittimwood · Talh · 3 more
- Scientific synonyms
- Acacia Seyal
Names
Common Names
- shittimwood
- talh
- thirtythorn
- whistlingtree
- Thirsty Thorn
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Vachellia seyalSynonyms
- Acacia seyal
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Fabales, it is specifically situated in the family Fabaceae. Its taxonomic identity is further refined within the genus Vachellia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Vachellia | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a wide geographical range spanning across several distinct regions of the African continent. In Northern Africa, its presence is documented within the territories of Algeria and Egypt. Moving toward the western part of the continent, it is found throughout West Tropical Africa. Specifically, its distribution includes the nations of Benin and Burkina Faso. Additionally, the plant can be located within the borders of the Gambia.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Africa | Algeria | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Egypt | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mali | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mauritania | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as Seyal, possesses various components that are utilized for their therapeutic properties. The leaves are frequently employed in traditional medicine to treat various ailments, often used in decoctions or topical applications. The bark is another vital part of the plant, valued for its specific chemical constituents that contribute to its medicinal potency. Additionally, the seed extract is recognized for its distinct biological activities, providing a concentrated source of the plant's healing compounds.| Plant Part | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| leaf | Fitoterapia (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| seed | Bioresources and bioprocessing (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Vachellia seyal has 16 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CADMIUM, CAMPESTEROL, CATECHIN, Clionasterol, Epicatechin.
| Chemical | Supporting sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| CADMIUM | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| CAMPESTEROL | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| CATECHIN | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Clionasterol | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Epicatechin | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Flavonoids | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Gallic acid | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Lupeol | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| MANGANESE | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| METHYL GALLATE | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
CADMIUM
- Biological trace element research
CAMPESTEROL
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
CATECHIN
- Bioresources and bioprocessing
Clionasterol
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
Epicatechin
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
Flavonoids
- Fitoterapia
Gallic acid
- Bioresources and bioprocessing
Lupeol
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
MANGANESE
- Biological trace element research
METHYL GALLATE
- Bioresources and bioprocessing
Activities
Vachellia seyal has 5 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antimicrobial, Antineoplastic, Antioxidant.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Antibacterial | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | Bioresources and bioprocessing (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | Bioresources and bioprocessing (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antineoplastic | Bioresources and bioprocessing (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | Bioresources and bioprocessing (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Water extract of Acacia seyal bark | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| honey | Saudi journal of biological sciences (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| honeys | Saudi journal of biological sciences (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf methanolic extracts | Fitoterapia (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| methanol crude extract | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| methanolic crude extract | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| water and methanolic extracts | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |