The new wonder: Guiera senegalensis

Guiera senegalensis

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Combretaceae
Genus: Guiera
Species: G. senegalensis
Common names
ARABIC: obeish, ghobeish
ARABIC-SHUWA: kabeish
FULA-FULFULDE: (Nigeria) geelooki
HAUSA: ululu or sàabarà
KANURI: kàáshì or kishishi
Medicinal Uses
 The leaves have a high reputation as a 'cure-all' in Africa, where they are used
        in the treatment of a wide range of conditions. They are most commonly taken
        in decoctions or are mixed with foods.
 The bitter tasting leaves are antitussive, appetizer, blood purifier, diuretic,
        febrifuge, galactagogue, laxative, pectoral and tonic.
 They are used to treat a wide range of conditions such as: pulmonary and
        respiratory complaints, including coughs and fevers; digestive tract problems
        including colic, dysentery and diarrhoea; infectious diseases including
        syphilis, beriberi and leprosy; and various other conditions such as
        impotence, rheumatism and oedema.
 The powdered leaves are mixed with food as a general tonic and blood
        restorative after any exhausting condition, and especially given to women
        after childbirth to promote the flow of milk.
 The leaves are commonly made into an infusion, combined with those of
       Combretum micranthum, for treating fever, chest and rheumatic conditions,
       and as a nasal douche for cold in the head’
 Combined with tamarind pulp, the leaves are held to be a good laxative and
        appetizer.
 The plant has a special reputation as a preventive of leprosy and many people
        drink a cold decoction of the leaves every morning and evening; in particular
         it is given to the newborn child, and to the child of a leper parent, or when
        there is the least suspicion of hereditary taint or early symptoms.
 The dried leaves are smoked in a pipe and the smoke is blown through the
        nose as a remedy for colds.
 They are mixed with tobacco for smoking as a treatment for coughs and
        respiratory trouble.
 The powdered leaves are added to a snuff taken for headache and sinusitis.
 The leaves are applied externally to bring healing to the body - they are
       considered antiseptic and vulnerary. They are applied to wounds, sores in the
       mouth, syphilitic chancres and phagadenic ulcers.
 The leaves are applied to skin infections and in poultices on inflammatory
       swellings and for guinea-worm; they have been applied to tumours to
       maturate them and as a treatment for skin-diseases.
 A leaf-decoction is used as a body-wash and for bathing new-born babies.
 The fruit and leaves are common ingredients in more or less ceremonial
       prescriptions for strengthening and preventing disease in young children.
 The twigs are chewed for symptomatic relief of scorpion stings.
 The powdered and boiled roots are considered a remedy for diarrhoea and
       dysentery.
 The fruits, baked and reduced to a powder with salt added to mask the bitter
       taste, are considered a sovereign cure for hiccups.
 Leafy stems have been found to contain traces of alkaloids and tannins.
 Ash of the roots and leaves appear to be particularly rich in magnesium,
       calcium, strontium, titanium, iron and aluminium.
 Pharmacologically the plant has positive action on coughs, is hypotensive,
       antidiarrhetic and anti-inflammatory
 A typical pioneer species, the seed is spread by grazing animals and the plant
       grows especially well where the soil has become impoverished. It is capable
       of colonizing tracts of land, which might otherwise be bare, to form pure
       stands.
 Restriction of the plant's spread is recommended in Senegal to improve the
       quality of Sahel pasturage.
 The plant is often found growing on very poor and degraded land - it is seen
       as an indicator of overgrazed land
 The bark yields a gum which is marketed
 The thin branches are used for plaiting work when making baskets, for mats
        that are used for sand stabilization, and for fencing material.
 The roots are commonly split and used as chew-sticks and tooth-picks.
 The smoke from burning branches repels flies.

Recent research findings
Research by Edward Hammond reveals patent claims by three French universities
over a promising new anti-cancer compound in a plant called "sabara" that is found
from Senegal to Sudan. It has long been used by the Dogon people of Mali who are
known for their well-developed traditional medicines system.
As part of their work under the banner of the Analgesic Institute, the researchers
were initially seeking new pain killers in Malian medicinal plants. After collecting
samples in a Dogon town, however, the bioprospectors realized that they had apotential cancer drug, which they have named Guieranon B.
The source of the compound is Guiera senegalensis,a widely distributed shrub
found from Senegal to Sudan.


References

1. Universite Blaise Pascal (2014).Anticancer Active Ingredient Derived fromGuiera senegalensis (UBP technology offer sheet).URL: http://www.univbpclermont.fr/IMG/pdf/UBP_offre-technologique-n12.pdf
2. Formerly known as the Analgesic Partnership. The Institute’s website ishttp://www.institutanalgesia.org/
3. A compilation of these names can be found in a 1985 Kew Gardenspublication:http://plants.jstor.org/stable/10.5555/al.ap.upwta.1_789
4. Chalard P (2011). Activit antalgique de substances naturelles extraites de plantes utilis es dans la pharmacop e Malienne traditionnelle. AuvergneSciences. Sanogo, R., Crisafi, G., Germanò, M.P., De Pasquale, R. & Bisignano, G., 1998.
5. Evaluation of Malian traditional medicines: screening for antimicrobial activity. Phytotherapy Research 12: S154–S156.