Strychnos Sancitignath
Latin name: strychnos sancitignath
Common name: Monkey Oranges
Cultural significance/History: important food source in marginalised and rural communities.
Active ingredients: saporins, phytochemicals, vitamin C
Natural habitat: Central and Southern Africa
Indications/uses: traditional uses include the treatment of snakebites diabetes, malaria, skin related conditions, eczema, sleeping sickness, and sores
Mechanism of action: saporins, block the 28S subunit of the ribosome, blocks proteins synthesis, which is very useful for inhibition of viral replication. Phytochemicals protect form oxidative DNA and cytoplasm damage by scavenging free radicals and upregulate endogenous antioxidant enzymes such as Superoxide Dismutase
Side effects: monkey orange seeds may be poisonous to humans, can be neurotoxic at very high concentrations
Reference list for Strychnos Sancitignath:
Aremu, A.O. and Moyo, M. (2022). Health benefits and biological activities of spiny monkey orange (Strychnos spinosa Lam.): An African indigenous fruit tree. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 283, p.114704. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2021.114704.
