Lonchocarpus cyanescens (Schumach. & Thonn.) Benth. |
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Botanical Name |
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Lonchocarpus cyanescens (Schumach. & Thonn.) Benth. |
English
Name |
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Yoruba indigo, West African indigo, Indigo vine |
Synonym(s) |
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Robinia cyanescens Schum. & Thonn., Philenoptera cyanescens (Schum. & Thonn.) Roberty |
Family |
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Fabaceae |
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General Info
| Description |
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A shrub or small tree, sometimes woody climber, 5-7 m high and 50 cm in girth; stem is brown or yellow and branchlets are silky when young. Leaves are pinnate, occur in 4-5 pairs, ovate or elliptic, 30 x 12 cm with 5 pairs of prominent lateral veins. Flowers are reddish or bluish white, sweet-scented and occors in panicles. Fruits, 30 x 2 cm, occurs as flat pods, indehiscent, and enclose 1-5 seeds; turns bluish black on drying. |
| Herb Effects |
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Stomachic (roots); general tonic and febrifuge (stem bark) |
Chemistry
| Active Ingredients |
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Oleanolic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid (plant) |
| Chemistry
of Active Ingredients |
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Name |
CAS# |
IUPAC Name |
Formula |
Structure |
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| Oleanolic acid |
508-02-1 |
10-hydroxy-2,2,6a,6b
,9,9,12a-heptamethyl
-1,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a
,10,11,12,
13,14b-t
etradecahydropicene-
4a-carboxylic acid |
C30H48O3 |
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| Glycyrrhetinic acid |
8055-71-8 |
10-hydroxy-2,4a,6a,6
b,9,9,12a-heptamethy
l-13-oxo-3,4,5,6,6a,
7,8,8a,10,
11,12,14
b-dodecahydro-1H-pic
ene-2-carboxylic
acid |
C30H46O4 |
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Pharmacology
| Medicinal Use |
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As embrocation for sprains and for treating yaws (plant); as a poultice for ulcers and as dressing for skin diseases (leaves); in post partum medication (decoction of leafy stems and roots); for venereal diseases and semen insufficiency (leaf decoction). |
| Reference |
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 Maurice M. Iwu. CRC Handbook of African Medicinal Plants, P:199, CRC Press, 1993.
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Dealers
Products
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