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Scientific
Classification:
- Kingdom:
Plantae
- Clade:
Angiosperms
- Order:
Malpighiales
- Family:
Euphorbiaceae
- Genus:
Sapium
- Species:
S. ellipticum
Synonyms:
- Sapium
mannii Hook.f.
- Sapium
senegalense (Pax) Pax
Species ID: NMP-294,NCBI_Taxonomy ID: 1237793,wfo-0000302794 Common Names: Senegal: Manding-Mandinka
famadiho, Guinea: Manding-Maninka fama dion, Upper Volta: Manding-Dyula
badulon, Ivory Coast: Abure bonyurome, Adyukru tatahiro, Tato-iri, Baule tomi,
Vlanuku, Bobo congurome, Kulango endirem, Kyama aguaya, Manding-Dyula badulon,
Maninka korundi, Tubake, Senufo-Tagwana kegne, Ghana: Baule tomi, Nzema
ketebontore, Nigeria: Yoruba (Ilorin) aloko-agbo. Local Names: Yoruba (Ilorin) aloko-agbo Basic Description: Sapium ellipticum
is a deciduous tree that typically grows between 10 to 15 meters in height. It
features a straight trunk with a smooth, grayish bark. The leaves are simple,
alternate, and elliptic to oblong in shape, with a glossy green appearance. The
tree produces small, inconspicuous flowers, which develop into trilobed
capsules containing seeds. Distribution and
Habitat: This species is native to various
regions across Africa, including Nigeria, Ethiopia, Cameroon, and Tanzania. It
thrives in diverse habitats such as riverine forests, swampy areas, and moist
woodlands, often favoring well-drained soils and elevations up to 1,500 meters. Medicinal Properties: Sapium ellipticum
has been utilized in traditional African medicine for various therapeutic
purposes:
- Antidiabetic
Activity:
- The leaf extract has demonstrated
significant antidiabetic potential by reducing fasting blood glucose
levels and improving insulin concentrations in streptozotocin-induced
diabetic rats. This effect is attributed to the presence of bioactive
compounds such as amentoflavone, lupeol, and luteolin-7-O-glucoside.
- Antioxidant
Properties:
- Methanolic extracts of the stem
bark exhibit notable antioxidant activity, which is linked to their high
phenolic content. These antioxidants help neutralize free radicals,
thereby reducing oxidative stress.
- Antidiarrheal
Activity:
- The aqueous stem bark extract has
been traditionally used to treat gastrointestinal disorders, particularly
diarrhea. Studies have confirmed its efficacy, supporting its use in
managing such conditions.
- Cytotoxic
Activity:
- Ethanolic leaf extracts have shown
significant cytotoxic effects against certain cancer cell lines,
including MCF-7 (breast cancer) and HT29 (colon cancer), suggesting
potential anticancer properties.
- Immunomodulatory
Effects:
- The stem bark extract has
demonstrated immunomodulatory potential by influencing the expression of
cytokines such as IL-6, IL-10, IL-1Ra, and IL-1β,
indicating its role in modulating immune responses.
Known Toxicity: While Sapium ellipticum exhibits
various medicinal benefits, certain studies have indicated potential toxic
effects:
- Acute
Toxicity:
- Acute toxicity assessments have
shown that the aqueous stem bark extract is safe at doses up to 2,000
mg/kg in animal models, with no significant hematological or biochemical
alterations observed.
- Sub-Acute
Toxicity:
- Sub-acute toxicity studies
involving ethanol leaf extracts administered to Wistar rats at doses of
400 and 800 mg/kg body weight over 14 days revealed no significant
adverse effects, suggesting a favorable safety profile at these dosages.
Additional Information: Beyond its medicinal applications, Sapium
ellipticum holds cultural and economic significance:
- Timber
Use:
- The wood is utilized locally for
construction, furniture making, and as fuelwood due to its workable
nature.
- Environmental
Role:
- The tree is often planted for
erosion control and as a shade provider in agroforestry systems,
contributing to environmental conservation efforts.
References: - Ighodaro,
O. M., & Akinloye, O. A. (2017). Anti-diabetic potential of Sapium
ellipticum (Hochst) Pax leaf extract in streptozotocin-induced
diabetic Wistar rats. BMC Complementary and Alternative
Medicine, 17, 525. https://bmccomplementmedtherapies.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12906-017-2013-8
- Adesegun,
S. A., Fajana, A., Orabueze, C. I., & Coker, H. A. B.
(2008). Antioxidant properties of methanolic extract of Sapium
ellipticum. Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences,
11(3), 453–457. https://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=pjbs.2008.453.457
- Wansi,
S. L., Mbiantcha, M., Kamanyi, A., Mbongue, F. A., & Watcho, P.
(2014). Antidiarrheal activity of aqueous extract of the stem bark of Sapium
ellipticum (Euphorbiaceae). Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical
Research, 13(6), 937–944. https://www.tjpr.org/vol13_no6/2014_13_6_15.pdf
- Sowemimo,
A., Van de Venter, M., Baatjies, L., & Koekemoer, T.
(2011). Cytotoxicity evaluation of selected Nigerian plants used in traditional
cancer treatment. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research,
5(11), 2442–2444. https://www.academia.edu/83354896/Cytotoxicity_evaluation_of_selected_Nigerian_plants_used_in_traditional_cancer_treatment
- Masalu,
R. J., & Mpinda, C. (2022). Immunomodulatory potential of Sapium
ellipticum stem bark extract in cytokine modulation. Tanzania
Health Research Bulletin, 24(4), 310–319. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/thrb/article/view/248330
- Obidah,
W., & Okafor, S. O. (2021). Sub-acute toxicity assessment
of Sapium ellipticum ethanol leaf extract in Wistar
rats. European Journal of Biomedical Sciences, 8(4),
101–110. https://europub.co.uk/articles/sub-acute-toxicity-assessment-of-sapium-ellipticum-hochst-pax-ethanol-leaf-extract-in-wistar-rats-A-236716
External Links - https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=135730
- https://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000302794
- https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:355801-1
- https://www.gbif.org/species/119121479
- https://plants.jstor.org/stable/10.5555/al.ap.upwta.2_260
- https://plants.jstor.org/stable/10.5555/al.ap.flora.fz7241
- https://www.gbif.org/species/5378253
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5478886/
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