Pepper bark tree
Warburgia salutaris · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Sparse (62 studies) · ★★☆☆☆
Pepper bark tree, scientifically known as Warburgia salutaris, is a medicinal evergreen tree native to Southern and Eastern Africa. Renowned for its potent antimicrobial and antifungal properties, its bark is traditionally utilized to treat respiratory ailments, digestive issues, and skin infections, making it a cornerstone of indigenous pharmacology.
- Family
- Canellaceae
- Native range
- Africa
- Parts used
- Leaf · Stem
- Common names
- Pepper Bark Tree · East African Green Wood · 11 more
- Scientific synonyms
- Chibaca Salutaris · Warburgia Breyeri
Names
Common Names
- Pepper Bark Tree
- East African Green Wood
- Kenya Greenheart
- Muziga bark
- Pepper Root Tree
- Pepper-Bark
- Pepper-Leaf
- Pepper-Root
- Pepper-Root Tree
- Pepperbark
- Pepperbark-Tree
- Pepperleaf-Tree
- Pepperroot-Tree
Regional and Traditional Names
German:
- Pfefferborkenbaum
- Pfefferborkenbaum
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Warburgia salutarisSynonyms
- Chibaca salutaris
- Warburgia breyeri
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae, the order Canellales, and the family Canellaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic designation falls under the genus Warburgia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Canellales | WCVP |
| Family | Canellaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Warburgia | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant is found across several distinct regions within the African continent. In South Tropical Africa, its range extends through the country of Mozambique. It is also distributed throughout Zimbabwe, which falls under the South Tropical Africa classification. Moving into Southern Africa, the species can be located in the KwaZulu-Natal province. Finally, it is documented within the Northern Provinces of Southern Africa.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| South Tropical Africa | Mozambique | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Zimbabwe | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | KwaZulu-Natal | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Northern Provinces | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known as the Pepper-bark tree, utilizes various components for its medicinal properties, with the most significant parts being the bark and the leaves. The medicinal bark, particularly the stem bark, is highly valued for its potent antimicrobial and antifungal qualities. In some traditional applications, the ground stem bark is processed into powders to be used in various remedies. Furthermore, the leaves, or simply the leaf, are often utilized in decoctions and infusions to treat respiratory and digestive ailments.| Plant Part | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| leaf | BMC complementary and alternative medicine (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stem | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Warburgia salutaris has 14 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CATECHIN, IL-6, INTERLEUKIN 1BETA, Mukaadial, Muzigadial.
| Chemical | Supporting sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| CATECHIN | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| IL-6 | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| INTERLEUKIN 1BETA | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Mukaadial | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Muzigadial | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Pereniporin B | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Sesquiterpenoid | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Tumor necrosis factor-alpha | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Ursolic acid | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Ursolic acid acetate | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
CATECHIN
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
IL-6
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
INTERLEUKIN 1BETA
- Human & experimental toxicology
Mukaadial
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
Muzigadial
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
Pereniporin B
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
Sesquiterpenoid
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha
- Human & experimental toxicology
Ursolic acid
- Journal of molecular modeling
Ursolic acid acetate
- Journal of molecular modeling
Activities
Warburgia salutaris has 10 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antimalarial, Cytotoxic, Anticancer, Antidiabetic.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Antibacterial | BMC complementary and alternative medicine (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimalarial | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | International journal of molecular sciences (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | Biomolecules (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Bacteriostatic | BMC complementary and alternative medicine (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Diuretic | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Expectorant | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Warburgia salutaris has 20 reported medicinal uses identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, inflammation, Diabetes mellitus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, Plasmodium falciparum.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | BMC complementary and alternative medicine (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | Inflammopharmacology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Diabetes mellitus | Natural product communications (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv | Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Plasmodium falciparum | Scientific reports (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Staphylococcus aureus | BMC complementary and alternative medicine (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| anaplasmosis | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| breast cancer | International journal of molecular sciences (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| coughs | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| lipid peroxidation | Human & experimental toxicology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| methanol extracts | Skin pharmacology and physiology (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| bark | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethanol extracts | Journal of helminthology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| extracts | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Iso-mukaadial acetate | Scientific reports (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| a purified compound | Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aqueous | Heliyon (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aqueous extracts | Skin pharmacology and physiology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dichloromethane extracts | Journal of helminthology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethyl acetate extract of the stem bark | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |