Common Name:

General Information

Griffonia simplicifolia is an evergreen, hard-wooded shrub or large climbing plant with short strong woody tendrils. It can grow to about 3 metres tall[, , ].
A multipurpose plant with a wide range of medicinal uses, some minor edible uses and various miscellaneous uses, it is commonly harvested from the wild for the local community. The seeds are a commercial source of 5-HTP, a serotonin precursor widely used in the treatment of depression and other conditions. The seeds are collected from the wild on a commercial basis and are sold internationally in large quantities[].
Even though Griffonia simplicifolia is reportedly common, the high commercial value of the seeds forms a serious threat. Destructive harvesting combined with high grazing pressure could contribute to reduction of populations[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

West tropical Africa - Liberia to Nigeria, Gabon, Congo.

Habitat

Grass savannah; coastal plains on termite mounds; scrub thickets; climber in secondary and gallery forests[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Climber
Height	3.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Although many species within the family Fabaceae have a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria, this species is said to be devoid of such a relationship and therefore does not fix atmospheric nitrogen[].

Edible Uses

The leaves are used in the production of palm wine, and give the wine a bitter taste[].

Sap that exudes from cut stems can be drunk to quench thirst[].

Medicinal

The pulped bark is applied to syphilitic sores[].

A leaf decoction is used as an emetic, cough medicine and aphrodisiac[]. The leaf sap and is drunk or applied as an enema to cure kidney problems[].
The leaf sap is used as eye drops to cure inflamed eyes[]. A paste made from the leaves is applied to burns[].

A decoction of stems and leaves is taken as a purgative to treat constipation and is used externally as an antiseptic wash to treat suppurating wounds[].

Chewing the stems is claimed to produce an aphrodisiac effect[].
Stems and stem bark are made into a paste that is applied to decaying teeth[]. The powdered twig bark, combined with lemon juice and Capsicum pepper, is applied to scarifications to treat intercostal pain[].

An extract from the powdered roots has been used to treat sickle cell anaemia[].

The seed is a commercial source of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), a serotonin precursor. In humans, 5-HTP increases the synthesis of serotonin in the central nervous system and has been shown to be effective in treating a wide variety of conditions, including depression, fibromyalgia, obesity, chronic headaches and insomnia[].
The leaves contain a volatile oil and coumarins.
The cyanoglucoside lithospermoside (= griffonin) has been isolated from the roots; it is the active ingredient against sickle-cell anaemia[].
Isolectin B4, isolated from Griffonia simplicifolia, is used as a marker of small primary sensory neurons in neurological research[].

Other Uses

The leaves are put in chicken pens to kill lice[].

The roots are chewed and dried to produce a white powder that is used by women to powder their face[].

A black dye is obtained from the leaves[].

The stems are used to make baskets and cages[].

The stems are beaten into fibres that serve as chewing sponges, a popular means of tooth cleaning in Ghana[].
The stems and roots are used as chew-sticks to clean the teeth and maintain gum health and oral hygiene[].

The seeds contain the compound 5-HTP, which is poisonous to certain insects, i.e. bruchids (Callosobruchus maculatus)[].
A number of lectins are found in the seeds. One of them is of the acetylglucosamine-group, which is commonly found in Poaceae and Solanaceae, but is rare in Fabaceae. Some lectins have insecticidal properties[].

The pods are made into toy whistles and spoons[].

The wood is hard and fairly tough. It can be bent and after crooking is used for making walking-sticks[, ].

Propagation

Seed - propagation by seed has given poor results and different seed treatments do not improve germination, although fungicide treatment of the seed appeared beneficial for establishment[].
In productivity trials, wildlings were successfully used as planting material; though this is impractical at a larger scale[].
Use of stem cuttings has not been successful[].

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