| Myrianthus arboreus | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Urticaceae |
| Genus: | Myrianthus |
| Species: | M. arboreus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Myrianthus arboreus P. Beauv. 1804
| |
Myrianthus arboreus, the giant yellow mulberry or monkey fruit, is a dioecious tropical tree in the genus Myrianthus. It lives in the tropical Central African countries of Central African Republic, Gabon, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Tanzania.[1] Its chromosome count is 2n = 28.[2]
it is locally known as ‘nyankama’ among the Asante people of Ghana.
Description[edit]
The species grows as a shrub or small tree that can reach an height of 10 m and occasionally taller. The bark is greyish to green while the slash is white.[3] Leaves are arranged in a spiral form and are often palmately compound, stipules are long (3 - 5 cm) and commonly covered in hairs. The outline of the leaflet lanceolate with a serrate to dentate margin, leaflets can reach up to 65 cm long and 22 cm wide.[3] The infructescences is up to 15 cm in diameter, the fruit drupe like in shape, yellow to orange-red in color, the endocarp is up to 1.7 cm long and 0.8 cm wide.
Distribution and habitat[edit]
The species occurs in Tropical Africa, from Guinea eastwards to the Sudan and southwards to Tanzania. Commonly found in lowland forest environments.[3]
Chemistry[edit]
Chemical compounds isolated from extracts of the species includes a few ursane type triterpenoids, tormentic, myrianthic and euscaphic acids and flavanols: epicatechin and dulcisflavan.[4][5]
Uses[edit]
The seeds of M. arboreus are eaten cooked; the leaves are made into a vegetable soup called ofe ujuju,[6] or used as livestock feed.[7]
Stem bark and leaf extracts are prepared as part of a decoction used in pain management and in the treatment of diabetes,[8] dysentery, wounds and infections.[9]
References[edit]
- ^ "Myrianthus arboreus in Tropicos".
- ^ "Nutritive Value of the Leaves of Myrianthus arboreus: A Browse Plant". Science Alert. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
- ^ a b c de Ruiter, G. (1976). "Revision of the Genera Myrianthus and Musanga (Moraceae)". Bulletin du Jardin botanique national de Belgique / Bulletin van de National Plantentuin van België. 46 (3/4): 471–510. doi:10.2307/3667730. ISSN 0303-9153. JSTOR 3667730.
- ^ Ngounou, F. N.; Lontsi, D.; Sondengam, B. L. (1988-01-01). "A pentacyclic triterpene diacid from Myrianthus arboreus". Phytochemistry. 27 (7): 2287–2289. Bibcode:1988PChem..27.2287N. doi:10.1016/0031-9422(88)80144-4. ISSN 0031-9422.
- ^ García-Pérez, Martha-Estrella; Kasangana, Pierre-Betu; Stevanovic, Tatjana (2023-02-22). "Bioactive Molecules from Myrianthus arboreus, Acer rubrum, and Picea mariana Forest Resources". Molecules. 28 (5): 2045. doi:10.3390/molecules28052045. ISSN 1420-3049. PMC 10004429. PMID 36903291.
- ^ "PROTA Myrianthus arboreus P.Beauv". Database.prota.org. Archived from the original on 2013-04-12. Retrieved 2013-12-15.
- ^ "Nutritive Value of the Leaves of Myrianthus arboreus: A Browse Plant". Science Alert. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
- ^ Harley, Benjamin Kingsley; Dickson, Rita Akosua; Amponsah, Isaac Kingsley; Ben, Inemesit Okon; Adongo, Donatus Wewura; Fleischer, Theophilus Christian; Habtemariam, Solomon (2020-12-01). "Flavanols and triterpenoids from Myrianthus arboreus ameliorate hyperglycaemia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats possibly via glucose uptake enhancement and α-amylase inhibition". Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 132: 110847. doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110847. ISSN 0753-3322. PMID 33068933.
- ^ Awounfack, Charline Florence; Ateba, Sylvin Benjamin; Zingue, Stéphane; Mouchili, Oumarou Riepouo; Njamen, Dieudonné (2016-12-24). "Safety evaluation (acute and sub-acute studies) of the aqueous extract of the leaves of Myrianthus arboreus P. Beauv. (Cecropiaceae) in Wistar rats". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 194: 169–178. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2016.08.052. ISSN 0378-8741.
External links[edit]
Media related to Myrianthus arboreus at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Myrianthus arboreus at Wikispecies
