Closely related to Tabernaemontana contorta, a species endemic to Cameroon[].

Common Name:

General Information

Tabernaemontana pachysiphon is an evergreen shrub or small tree growing from 2 - 18 metres tall[, ].
The tree is commonly harvested from the wild and is widely used as a medicine within its native range. It is used as a shade plant and has ornamental value because of its dark green shiny leaves and sweet-scented white flowers[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Ghana to Sudan, south Angola and Tanzania.

Habitat

Light forest understorey and riverine forest, from sea level to 1,500 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	10.00 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a position in part sun to bright, filtered light[710. Grows best in a fertile, open, well-drained soil[].
Plants flower and fruit throughout the year[, ]. The fruits mature in 1 year[].
The contents of the major alkaloids apparicine, tubotaiwine and isovoacangine vary with provenance, leaf age, shade position of leaves in the crown and plant age. Alkaloid content is highest in young leaves, and in leaves from shaded conditions[].
The plant can be pollarded when being grown for fuel[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

This species is commonly used in traditional medicine and considerable research has been carried out into its medicinal virtues. Indole alkaloids are the most important medicinal compounds found in Tabernaemontana spp, and more than 40 alkaloids, with a wide range of pharmacological activities, have been identified from this species[].
Coronaridine, conopharyngine, ibogaine, ibogamine, voacangine and voacristine exhibit central nervous system stimulant effects[].
In regular doses, voacangine, ibogaine, perivine and conopharyngine have hypotensive properties, cause bradycardia and decrease body temperature[].
High doses of ibogaine, ibogamine and voacangine produce convulsions and asphyxia[].
In experiments, coronaridine has shown diuretic and hypoglycaemic activities, whilst it is also an effective antifertility agent because of its oestrogenic activity[].
Voacangine, conopharyngine, ibogaine, coronaridine, perivine, tubotaiwine and apparicine have local analgesic activity[].
Most of the pharmacological work on voacorine and voacamine has focused on their cardiotonic properties. Voacamine shows little tendency to accumulate, and is less toxic than cardiac glycosides such as digitoxin. In high doses both are hypertensive due largely to peripheral vasoconstriction. Both compounds also have parasympatholytic and sympatholytic properties, bringing about contraction of smooth muscle fibres. Both of the alkaloids, plus affinine, are also central nervous system depressants[].
At higher doses, affinine can cause tremor, loss of coordination and hypothermia. A cumulative increase of the dose has shown some toxicity, e.g. bradycardia, respiratory depression and cardiac arrhythmia[].
At low doses, ibogaine exerts primarily a stimulant effect, increasing alertness and reducing fatigue, hunger and thirst. At higher doses, the primary effects are hallucinations. Apart from the psychological effects, the physical effects include tremor, light sensitivity, nausea, vomiting, and loss of coordination. Toxic doses produce convulsions, paralysis and death from respiratory arrest although the heart continues to beat. Ibogaine is also a potent cholinesterase inhibitor[].
Conoduramine, conodurine, voacamine, affinine and apparicine have shown moderate to strong antibacterial activity against several human pathogens, whereas affinine and apparicine also showed strong activity against the type III poliovirus (HPV-3)[].

Most parts of the plant contain latex and, in traditional medicine, it is generally used as a styptic and, when applied to fresh wounds, forms a film over the wound to prevent infection[]. It is also applied to sore eyes[].
The bark latex is rubbed locally to relieve cramps[]. Painful breasts of lactating women are treated with the latex from the petioles or bark[].
The latex of the fruit is rubbed into scarifications to treat lymphatic glandular swellings[].

A leaf infusion is used in the treatment of headaches[].
The dried and powdered leaves are applied externally to sores and ulcers to heal them[].

The root bark is hypnotic[]. A decoction is taken for the treatment of insanity[]. It is also used in the treatment of hypertension, stomach-ache, constipation, flatulence, and headache[].
Externally, a maceration prepared from the stem bark is used to wash the body against scabies[].

The grated roots and crushed leaves are used to treat scabies[]. The maceration is drunk against headache[].

Other Uses

The plant produces an abundance of white latex, which does not coagulate and has been used to adulterate the rubber obtained from Hevea brasiliensis[, ]. The latex can be used to mend broken pots and calabashes[].

The bark contains fibre, which is used to make cloth[, ]. Small ropes are made from the inner bark.

The pulp of the pounded leaves is used to colour hair brown[]. Black[].

The white to yellow wood is soft, easy to work, but is not durable in the ground[]. The sapwood and heartwood are not differentiated[]. It is used to make knife sheaths, handles and combs[].
Pollarded branches are used locally for firewood and to make charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - germinate best when sown as soon as collected[]. Pre-soaking the seeds in cold water for 24 hours will hasten germination[].
Semi-ripe cuttings[].

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