Warburgia ugandensis is an African tree plant belonging to the genus Warbugia which has an array of medicinal uses across the continent. Warburgia ugandensis is found in lowland rainforests of several countries in East, Central and South Africa including Kenya, Uganda Tanzania, Malawi, DRC and Ethiopia.
Common names
Warburgia ugandensis goes by different vernacular names in the continent; It is called mkaa in Swahili, East African green wood, East African green heart, pepperbark and Kenyan green heart in English. In Amharic it is called zogdom, mukuzanume in Luganda and abwach in Karamoja.
Medicinal Uses
Warburgia ugandensis bark and root extracts are used for a variety of ailments in Africa ranging from coughs, constipation, inflammation, skin irritation, hernia, respiratory diseases, odontological problems and sexual dysfunctions.
Phytochemistry
The medicinal uses of Warburgia ugandensis are attributable to the abundance of several drimane and colorotane sesquiterpernoides. These include warburgin, cinnamodial, ugandensolide, warburgiadione, cinnamolide, 11a-hydroxymuzigadiolide, 7a-hydroxy-8-drimen-11,12-olide, deacetylugandensolide, mukaadial, cinnamolide-3ß-acetate and linoleic acid, muzigadiolide and muzigadial which can be obtained from the bark of the stem. It also has plenty of alkaloids which give it the peppery-bitter taste.
Pharmacology
Antifungal properties
Warburgia ugandensis bark extracts exhibits very strong antifungal properties against yeasts and fungi including; candida albicans (which causes candidiasis). It is also strongly potent against, Candida utilis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Sclerotinia libertiana.
Antibacterial Properties
Bark extracts of Warburgia ugandensis has antibacterial properties against a variety of bacterial organisms such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Vibrio cholera all of which are responsible for enteric infections such as diarrhea, abdominal pains, vomiting and flatulence.
Anti-oxidative properties
Warburgia ugandensis is highly active as an antioxidant exhibiting inhibitory effects almost similar to Trolox, a conventional anti-oxidative drug.
Warburgia ugandensis also possesses anti-feedant properties against the African armyworm.