Species ID: NMP-028,wfo-0000932761, NCBI:txid323089

Common Names: Bushveld croton
Local Names: Ajekobale (Yoruba)

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Angiosperms

Class: Eudicots

Order: Malpighiales

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Genus: Croton

Species: C. zambesicus

Synonyms: Croton amabilis, C. antunesii, C. welwitschianus, Oxydectes zambesica (Kew Science, 2023)

·       Height: 4–16 m; stems with scaly bark (Dalziel, 1937)

·       Leaves: Silvery-green, elliptic-lanceolate (5–12 cm × 2–4 cm), rusty scales on abaxial surface

·       Wood: Pale yellow, density 720 kg/m³; used for structural beams (Irvine, 1961)

·       Flowers: Unisexual, yellow-green catkins (3–8 cm long)

·       Native Range: Tropical Africa (Senegal to Sudan, south to Angola)

·       Elevation: 0–1,800 m (Aubréville, 1959)

·       Soil: Alluvial soils; tolerates pH 4.5–7.5

·       Climate: Annual rainfall 800–1,500 mm; dry season 3–6 months

• Analgesic: The plant's extracts have been used traditionally to alleviate pain, especially toothaches. Ethanolic extract reduces pain response by 72% in mice at 200 mg/kg (Okokon & Nwafor, 2010)

• Antimicrobial: Some studies suggest that extracts from this plant have antibacterial properties, making them useful in wound care. Active against E. coli (MIC 1.25 mg/mL) and Candida albicans (Salatino et al., 2007)

• Antimalarial: Bark extract inhibits Plasmodium falciparum (IC₅₀ = 12 μg/mL) (Traore et al., 2008)

• Anti-inflammatory: It has been employed in treating inflammatory conditions, including rheumatism. Reduces carrageenan-induced paw edema by 58% (Okokon & Nwafor, 2010)

⚠  Toxicity Profile

LD₅₀ = 2,150 mg/kg (oral, mice). Latex contains phorbol esters causing dermatitis. Avoid during pregnancy (Salatino et al., 2007).

·       Cultural Use: Protective charm against witchcraft in Yoruba traditions (Verger, 1967)

·       Agroforestry: Leaf litter increases soil nitrogen by 18% (Kassa et al., 2021)

·       Phytochemistry: Contains diterpenes (zambesic acid), flavonoids (quercetin-3-O-rutinoside), and ellagitannins (Xu et al., 2018)

1. Aubréville, A. (1959). Flore forestière soudano-guinéenne. Société d’Éditions Géographiques.
2. Dalziel, J. M. (1937). The useful plants of West Africa. Crown Agents.
3. Irvine, F. R. (1961). Woody plants of Ghana. Oxford University Press.
4. Okokon, J. E., & Nwafor, P. A. (2010). Analgesic and antiinflammatory activities of Croton zambesicus. Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 23(4), 385–392.
5. Salatino, A., Salatino, M. L. F., & Negri, G. (2007). Chemistry of Croton species. Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society, 18(1), 11–33. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-50532007000100002
6. Xu, W. H., Liu, W. Y., & Liang, Q. (2018). Chemical constituents of Croton. Molecules, 23(9), 2333. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23092333

1. Kew Plants of the World Online
2. World Flora Online
3. Tropical Plants Database
4. GBIF Occurrence Data

• Kaempferol-3-O-β-6''(p-coumaroyl) glucopyranoside (Tiliroside)
• Apigenin-6-C-glucopyranoside
• kaempferol

Ndhlala, A. R., Aderogba, M. A., Ncube, B., & Van Staden, J. (2013). Anti-oxidative and cholinesterase inhibitory effects of leaf extracts and their isolated compounds from two closely related Croton species. Molecules, 18(2), 1916-1932.