Voacanga africana : Seeds & Rootbark

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Traditional Uses :

Enhances cognition, memory and mental alertness - a brain tonic.

The seeds are used for magical purposes in West Africa.

The root bark of Voacanga species is generally ingested to combat fatigue and increase endurance of drummers and hunters and, in higher doses, also for magical and religious purposes.

Analgesic, stimulant, visionary.

Potential application : relieve drug addiction.

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Click here to buy V. africana rootbark.

Click here to buy V. africana seeds.

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Medicinal Uses :

Pulp from the leaves or stem bark is applied to soothe convulsions in children and the juice is put in the nostrils as a tranquilizer.

In Senegal a leaf decoction is drunk as a tonic and against fatigue.

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Chemical Profile :

Voacanga africana is known to contain ibogaine like alkaloids.

Also reported to contain voacangine (carbomethoxy-ibogaine) and ibogamin.

The predominant alkaloids in the root bark are voacangine, vobtusine and voacamine.

The primary alkaloid in seeds of Voacanga species appears to be tabersonine at approximately 3%.

Voacanga contains 10 alkaloids as well as an edible oil.

Some of the important alkaloids fall into the following three categories :

1. Vincamine and Vinburnine -

These alkaloids are used in the cerebrovascular and geriatric markets.

They are also known as `Memory Enhancers' and considerable research is being done with these alkaloids in the treatment of Alzheimers and Parkinson's disease.

2. Voacamine, Voacangine, Voacangarine and Vobtusine -

They are hypotensive, have ventricular cardio-stimulant action and a slight action on the sympathethic and parasympathetic nervous system.

3. Ibogaine, Iboluteine and Iboxygaine -

These alkaloids are directed for use in compounds which are used to treat drug-addicts to bring about the remission of drug addiction.

Voacanga africana root-bark is closely related to both Tabernanthe and Tabernaemontana. Many species from this genus also produce complex indole alkaloids of the same type and structure as these other two genera, some being source material for the isolation and semi-synthesis of medically used alkaloids.

Most species have complex mixtures of alkaloids in the leaves (ibogamin and other ibogoids).

Plants producing alkaloids of the ibogan and bisindole type occur in several other genera, e.g. Picralima.

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