Common Names: Icacina, False Yam, Bush Banana
Local Names: Gbegbe (Yoruba, Nigeria), Urumbia,Eriagbo, Ibugo (Igbo, Nigeria), Tsekui (Ewe, Ghana)
Species ID: NMP-090 | wfo-0001236154 | NCBI_Taxonomy ID: 2699802

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Streptophyta

Class: Equisetopsida

Subclass: Magnoliidae

Order: Icacinales

Family: Icacinaceae

Genus: Icacina

Species: I. trichantha

Synonyms: Icacina senegalensis A.Juss., Icacina mannii Oliv.

Icacina trichantha is a drought-resistant, perennial shrub or small tree, typically 1–2 m tall, occasionally reaching 3 m. It produces large, yam-like tubers (up to 5 kg) and bears distinctive fruits with intricate structures:

·       Fruit: Elliptical, 30.8–34.0 mm long, 17–24 mm wide, 12.0–18.7 mm thick; matures to brown-black with a fuzzy epicarp covered in yellow, simple hairs. Dried mesocarp ~300 μm thick, exposing a reticulate endocarp.

·       Endocarp: Elliptical (side view), spherical (cross-section), 27.4 mm long, 17 mm wide, 14 mm thick; features 4 primary ridges (2 lateral extending to base), forming 10–20 irregular polygonal spaces with free-ending ridgelets. Wall thickness 270–315 μm (362–735 μm with ridges); composed of three layers: outer (4–6 rows, 19–30 μm), middle (4–8 rows, 20–27 μm), inner (1 row, 8–13 μm). Contains eccentric pores near apex.

·       Leaves: Alternate, ovate to lanceolate, 5–15 cm long, hairy, with serrated margins.

·       Flowers: Small, white to yellowish, borne in terminal clusters, hairy (trichantha = "hairy flowers").

The tuber’s starchy flesh and the fruit’s complex endocarp are key identifiers (Burkill, 1994).

Icacina trichantha is native to West and Central Africa, recorded in:

·       West Africa: Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Benin (annual rainfall 800–1,500 mm).

·       Central Africa: Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo.

It thrives in woodlands, savannas, and forest edges, often on sandy or lateritic soils (pH 5.0–6.5), from sea level to 1,000 m altitude (Hutchinson et al., 1954).

Icacina trichantha, commonly known as false yam, is a tropical plant native to West Africa, extensively utilized in traditional medicine for treating ailments such as constipation, food poisoning, malaria, rheumatism, toothache, hypertension, and asthma. Phytochemical analyses have identified unique pimarane-type diterpenes within the plant, contributing to its diverse pharmacological activities. Research indicates that I. trichantha exhibits antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antidiabetic, antimalarial, and potential cytotoxic properties. These findings support its traditional medicinal applications and highlight its potential for future therapeutic developments.

·       Antimalarial: Tuber decoctions treat malaria in Nigeria. Ezenyi  et al. (2020) found ethanolic tuber extracts inhibited Plasmodium falciparum (IC₅₀ 15 μg/ml), linked to pimarane diterpenes.

·       Hepatoprotective: Leaf extracts reverse liver damage in Benin. Samuel et al. (2011) showed methanol leaf extracts (200 mg/kg) reduced ALT/AST levels in arsenic-intoxicated rats by 40%, due to flavonoids.

·       Anti-inflammatory: Tuber poultices ease swelling in Ghana. Asuzu et al. (1999) reported chloroform tuber fractions (100 mg/kg) reduced carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats by 34%.

·       Emetic/Digestive: Tuber used for food poisoning in Nigeria. Asuzu & Abubakar (1995) confirmed methanol tuber extracts (400 mg/kg) induced emesis in guinea pigs, aiding detoxification.

·       Aphrodisiac: Root infusions enhance libido in Cameroon. Burkill (1994) notes traditional use, though pharmacological evidence is pending.

⚠  Toxicity Profile: High doses of tuber extracts (>800 mg/kg in mice) caused sedation and tremors, likely due to alkaloids. Leaf extracts showed cytotoxicity in Allium cepa assays at 100% v/v, suggesting caution in overuse (Olapade & Timothy, 2017).

·       Famine Food: Tubers, rich in starch, are boiled or processed into flour during scarcity in Nigeria (Fay, 1987).

·       Ecological: Attracts pollinators like bees, supporting savanna biodiversity (Burkill, 1994).

• Asuzu, I. U., & Abubakar, I. I. (1995). The effects of Icacina trichantha tuber extract on the nervous system. Phytotherapy Research, 9(1), 21–25. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.2650090106

• Asuzu, I. U., Sosa, S., & Della Loggia, R. (1999). The anti-inflammatory activity of Icacina trichantha tuber. Phytomedicine, 6(4), 267–272. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0944-7113(99)80019-1

• Burkill, H. M. (1994). The useful plants of West Tropical Africa (Vol. 2). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

• Fay, J. M. (1987). Icacina oliviformis: A close look at an underexploited food plant. Economic Botany, 41(4), 512–522. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02862019?utm_source=chatgpt.com

• Hutchinson, J., Dalziel, J. M., & Keay, R. W. J. (1954). Flora of West Tropical Africa (2nd ed., Vol. 1). Crown Agents.

• Ezenyi, I. C., Verma, V., Singh, S., Okhale, S. E., & Adzu, B. (2020). Ethnopharmacology-aided antiplasmodial evaluation of six selected plants used for malaria treatment in Nigeria. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 254, 112694.

• Olapade, O. A., & Timothy, O. (2017). Cytotoxic and genotoxic properties of leaf extract of Icacina trichantha Oliv. Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management, 21(5), 873–878. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2013.11.008

• Samuel, T. A., Akande, I. S., & Ebuehi, O. A. (2011). Protective role of the methanolic extract of Icacina trichantha on sodium arsenite induced genotoxicity and hepatotoxicity. Nigerian Quarterly Journal of Hospital Medicine, 21(4), 262-266.

• Plants of the World Online - Icacina trichantha

• World Flora Online - Icacina trichantha

• GBIF - Icacina trichantha

• Tropical Plants Database - Icacina trichantha

• iNaturalist - Icacina trichantha

• Methoxyacetic acid
• Lauric acid (Dodecanoic acid)

Kadiri, A., Asekun, O., Anıta, A., Ayodele, A., & Olowokudejo, J. (2020). Morpho-anatomical and phytochemical evaluation of Icacina trichantha Oliver (Icacinaceae). Anatolian Journal of Botany, 4(2), 100-105.