Picralima
| Picralima | |
|---|---|
| File:Picralima Nitida - 03.jpg | |
| Scientific classification Edit this classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Apocynaceae |
| Subfamily: | Rauvolfioideae |
| Tribe: | Hunterieae |
| Genus: | Picralima Pierre |
| Species: | P. nitida
|
| Binomial name | |
| Picralima nitida (Stapf) T.Durand & H.Durand
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Picralima is a plant genus in the family Apocynaceae, first described as a genus in 1896. It contains only one known species, Picralima nitida (aka Picralima Klaineana), native to tropical Africa (Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Gabon, Cameroon, Cabinda, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Zaire, Uganda).[1][2][3][4][5]
Alkaloids discovered in this plant[6] include Picraline [2671-32-1].[7]
Picralima nitida, the akuamma, is a tree. The dried seeds from this plant are used in traditional medicine throughout West Africa, particularly in Ghana as well as in the Ivory Coast and Nigeria. The seeds are crushed or powdered and taken orally, and are mainly used for the treatment of malaria,[8][9] and diarrhoea, and as a painkiller.[10] The plant produces the alkaloids pericine and akuammine, among others.[11][12]
An enterprising Ghanaian hospital started manufacturing and selling standardized 250 mg capsules of the powdered P. nitida seed, which then became a widely used palliative.[citation needed] This then led researchers to try to discover the active component of the seeds.
Picralima nitida seeds contain a complex mixture of alkaloids producing antipyretic and antiinflammatory effects along with analgesia in animal studies.[13] Several of these were shown to bind to opioid receptors with weak affinity in vitro, and two compounds, akuammidine and ψ-akuammigine, were found to be μ-opioid agonists, although not particularly selective.[14][15] More recently, it has been shown that an additional constitutive analog, acuammicine, has potent activity as a kappa opioid receptor agonist.[16]
- formerly included in genus[1]
- Picralima elliotii (Stapf) Stapf = Hunteria umbellata (K.Schum.) Hallier f.
- Picralima gracilis A.Chev. = Hunteria umbellata (K.Schum.) Hallier f.
- Picralima laurifolia A.Chev. = Hunteria simii (Stapf) H.Huber
- Picralima umbellata (K.Schum.) Stapf = Hunteria umbellata (K.Schum.) Hallier f.
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ a b c Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
- ^ Harris, D.J. (2002). The vascular plants of the Dzanga-Sangha Reserve, Central African Republic: 1-274. National Botanic Garden (Belgium), Meise.
- ^ Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (eds.) (2006). Flore Analytique du Bénin: 1-1034. Backhuys Publishers.
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- ^ Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola. Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
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- ^ Duwiejua M, Woode E, Obiri DD. "Pseudo-akuammigine, an alkaloid from Picralima nitida seeds, has anti-inflammatory and analgesic actions in rats. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2002; (81):73-79.
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External links
[edit | edit source]
- File:Wikispecies-logo.svg Data related to Picralima at Wikispecies
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