The tree belongs to the Rosaceae family. It has an unpleasant odor hence the name stinkwood tree. It is native to Sub-Saharan Africa and is widely distributed in 22 countries in the continent notably Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa.
Local names
The Zulu of South Africa call it Inyazangoma-elimnyama, the Baganda entasesa, the Chagga of Tanzania, mkonde-konde and the Kikuyu of Kenya call it muiri. The Afrikaans calls it Rooi-stinkhout.
Use
The bark of the Prunus africana tree finds use against a variety of diseases such as urinary tract disease and kidney problems. An infusion of the leaves is used against infections of the genitalia and hirsutism (unwanted growth of hair in women) and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Aphrodisiac properties
Prunus africana boosts sexual vitality and power for men. The bioactive ingredients in the leaves of the herbs boost the secretion of testosterone hormone which is responsible for improving sex drive in men. The aqueous extracts of the leaves of Prunus africana also improve erections by enhancing the vasodilation of the penile erectile tissues. This facilitates the erectile tissues to be filed with blood leading to faster and harder erections.