Plants
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Acacia kamerunensis
Family Name:
LEGUMINOSAE
Local Name:
Sawere
Uses As Per Literature:
The dried leaves are ground, boiled in water and drunk as a cure for measles. The pulverized dried leaves are used for dressing wounds. The root bark or the whole root is pulverized and dissolved in palm-wine and a woollen plug is soaked in the liquid and inserted in a carious tooth to ease the pain. Leaf sap is applied as a liniment to treat skin diseases and affections including parasites. A decoction of the leaves is used as a bath or is drunk to bring down fever. The root boiled with flour serves as an aphrodisiac
Source: www.prota4u.org
Source: www.prota4u.org
Traditional Uses:
Used for cleaning teeth.
Plant Category:
Medicinal Plants
Paullinia pinnata
Family Name:
Sapindaceae
Local Name:
Tuantini
Uses As Per Literature:
Leaves are cooked as a vegetable. Leaves are used to treat metabolic disorders in young children.
Source: Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Source: Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Traditional Uses:
Roots are used as an aphrodisiac. It is also used in the treatment of sores.
Plant Category:
Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Sexual weakness
Griffonia simplicifolia
Family Name:
Fabaceae
Local Name:
Kagya
Uses As Per Literature:
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. The leaf sap is drunk or applied as an enema to cure kidney problems. The leaf sap is used as eye drops to cure inflamed eyes. An extract from the powdered roots has been used to treat sickle cell anaemia.
Source (Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014)
Source (Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014)
Traditional Uses:
Leaves are used in the treatment of boil, fresh wound, sore in the head and insect stink.
Plant Category:
Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Sore in head
- Insect stink
- Boil
Senna siamea
Family Name:
Fabaceae
Local Name:
Abootre
Uses As Per Literature:
Food: The young fruits and leaves are eaten as a vegetable. The flowers and young fruits are used in curries.
Medicine:The fruit is used to charm away intestinal worms and to prevent convulsions in children. The heartwood is said to be a laxative, and a decoction is used against scabies
Source: Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Medicine:The fruit is used to charm away intestinal worms and to prevent convulsions in children. The heartwood is said to be a laxative, and a decoction is used against scabies
Source: Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Traditional Uses:
The leaves are used to treat malaria.
Plant Category:
Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Malaria
Boerhavia diffusa
Family Name:
Nyctinaceae
Local Name:
Aposompo
Uses As Per Literature:
A root decoction is also taken to treat anaemia and applied externally to yaws, while the powdered root can be mixed with butter or oil to treat abdominal tumours. A decoction of the root is also taken to treat heart troubles, palpitations and jaundice. In Congo root sap is rubbed on the neck and throat to treat mumps, laryngitis and burns. In water or palm oil, or in a decoction, it is taken to treat spleen troubles, diarrhoea, dysentery, haematuria and gonorrhoea. The root is also considered abortifacient and used to hasten parturition. The roots are also applied as a snakebite antidote, and as an aphrodisiac.
Source: http://uses.plantnet-project.org/en/Boerhavia_diffusa_(PROTA)
Source: http://uses.plantnet-project.org/en/Boerhavia_diffusa_(PROTA)
Traditional Uses:
The leaves are used to treat boil.
Plant Category:
Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Boil
Thevetia neriifolia
Family Name:
APOCYNACEAE
Local Name:
Memyenemenyene
Uses As Per Literature:
The leaves in decoction are taken to treat jaundice, fever and as a purgative for intestinal worms.
Source: www.prota4u.org
Source: www.prota4u.org
Traditional Uses:
The leaves are used to treat headache.
Plant Category:
Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Headache
Aspilia africana
Family Name:
Compositae
Local Name:
Nfofo
Uses As Per Literature:
The leaves are also used to treat a range of other conditions:- they are made into a cough-medicine for children; a leaf-concoction is taken for gonorrhoea; a decoction is used to wash the face and eyes to relieve feverish headache; a leaf-infusion is taken to assist in childbirth and also to increase milk flow; an infusion, mixed with white clay, is taken to treat stomach-troubles
Source: Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Source: Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Traditional Uses:
The leaves are used in the treatment of diarrhoea and stomach ulcer.
Plant Category:
Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Diarrhoea
- Stomach ulcer
Solanum erianthum
Family Name:
Solanaceae
Local Name:
Pepediewuo
Uses As Per Literature:
In West Africa a leaf decoction of Solanum erianthum is taken for its diuretic and purgative properties to cure malaria, leprosy and venereal diseases and it is also taken to stimulate the liver functions. (Modise, D.M. & Mogotsi, K.K., 2008. Solanum erianthum D.Don. In: Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. Accessed 26 August 2016)
The leaf juice is used as a rinse for sores in the mouth (www.worldagroforestry.org)
The leaf juice is used as a rinse for sores in the mouth (www.worldagroforestry.org)
Traditional Uses:
The leaves are used to treat piles.
Plant Category:
Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Piles
Anthocleista nobilis
Family Name:
LOGANIACEAE
Local Name:
Wudifokete/Bontodee
Uses As Per Literature:
A root decoction is commonly taken to treat constipation, to regulate menstruation and as an abortifacient. It is used as a wash, bath or vapour bath to treat leprosy, venereal diseases, oedema and scrotal elephantiasis. In Sierra Leone a decoction of the roots with lemon is taken to treat hepatitis.
Source: www.prota4u.org
Source: www.prota4u.org
Traditional Uses:
The roots are used in the treatment of infectious disease of the throat (diphtheria) and also good for curing gonorrhea. “The leaves are used for aiding toddlers to walk”.
Plant Category:
Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Diphtheria
- Gonorrhea
Thaumatococcus daniellii
Family Name:
Marantaceae
Local Name:
Anwonomoase
Uses As Per Literature:
The aril of the seed contains a sweet-tasting protein (thaumatin) that can be used as a substitute for sugar, also in low caloric diets and drinks
Source: Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Source: Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Traditional Uses:
The fruit obtained from the roots are eaten raw.
Plant Category:
Forest Foods
Food Category:
Fruits
How it is eaten:
Raw
Part eaten:
Fruit
Nicotiana tabacum
Family Name:
Solanaceae
Local Name:
Bonto
Traditional Uses:
Leaves are used to treat waist pains, toothache and headache.
Plant Category:
Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Headache
- Waist pain
- Toothache
Sporobolus pyramidalis
Family Name:
Poaceae
Local Name:
Abirekyire abodwese/ Aponkye abodwese
Traditional Uses:
The root is used in the treatment ear problems, infertility and boil. It is also used to heal swellings. The leaves also help to stop bleeding from cuts.
Plant Category:
Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Ear problems
- Swelling
- Boils
- Infertility
Vitellaria paradoxa
Family Name:
Sapotaceae
Local Name:
Nkudua
Uses As Per Literature:
The leaves are used to treat stomach ache. They are also added to vapour baths to treat headache and as an eye bath.
Source:Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Source:Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Traditional Uses:
Edible oil is extracted from the seed which is used in making food.
Plant Category:
Forest Foods
Food Category:
Vegetable Oils
How it is eaten:
Cook
Part eaten:
Fruit/Seed
Vitellaria paradoxa
Family Name:
Sapotaceae
Local Name:
Nkudua
Uses As Per Literature:
The leaves are used to treat stomach ache. They are also added to vapour baths to treat headache and as an eye bath.
Source:Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Source:Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Traditional Uses:
Edible oil is extracted from the seed which is used in making food.
Plant Category:
Forest Foods
Food Category:
Vegetable Oils
How it is eaten:
Cook
Part eaten:
Fruit/Seed
Senna occidentalis
Family Name:
leguminaceae
Local Name:
Nkorakorabodie
Uses As Per Literature:
The seeds are dried, roasted then ground into a powder and used as a coffee substitute. Young leaves, immature seedpods and flowers are steamed and eaten as a vegetable.
Source: Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Source: Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Traditional Uses:
The leaves are used in the treatment of fever, stomach ache and boil. The roots are also used in the treatment of dysmenorrhoea and measles.
Seeds are used to treat hypertension.
Seeds are used to treat hypertension.
Plant Category:
Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Fever
- Stomach ache
- Boil
- Dysmenorrhoea
- Measles
- Hypertension
Phyllanthus fraternus
Family Name:
Phyllanthaceae
Local Name:
Bommaguwakyi
Uses As Per Literature:
The plant extract is reported to be strongly diuretic and taken to allay spasms, such as griping in dysentery, and the plant is also used as a laxative and to treat gonorrhoea and malaria. It is externally applied to treat skin infections.
| Reference: Oudhia, P., 2008. Phyllanthus fraternus G.L.Webster. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. <http://www.prota4u.org/search.asp>. Accessed 20 September 2016. | |||
Traditional Uses:
Leaves are used in the treatment of typhoid and fever. It is also taken to cure stomach pain and to facilitate child delivery.
Plant Category:
Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Typhoid
- Fever
- Stomach pain
Phyllanthus fraternus
Family Name:
Phyllanthaceae
Local Name:
Bommaguwakyi
Uses As Per Literature:
The plant extract is reported to be strongly diuretic and taken to allay spasms, such as griping in dysentery, and the plant is also used as a laxative and to treat gonorrhoea and malaria. It is externally applied to treat skin infections.
| Reference: Oudhia, P., 2008. Phyllanthus fraternus G.L.Webster. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. <http://www.prota4u.org/search.asp>. Accessed 20 September 2016. | |||
Traditional Uses:
Leaves are used in the treatment of typhoid and fever. It is also taken to cure stomach pain and to facilitate child delivery.
Plant Category:
Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Typhoid
- Fever
- Stomach pain
Talinum triangulare
Family Name:
Talinaceae
Local Name:
Bokoboko
Uses As Per Literature:
Used as a colouring agent in okra soup.
In Cameroon, Talinum triangulare is used as a treatment for measles, whereas in Assam (India), it is used to treat diabetes. In Indonesia a tonic is made from the fleshy root.
(Fontem, D.A. & Schippers, R.R., 2004. Talinum triangulare (Jacq.) Willd. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. Grubben, G.J.H. & Denton, O.A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. <http://www.prota4u.org/search.asp>. Accessed 23 August 2016.)
In Cameroon, Talinum triangulare is used as a treatment for measles, whereas in Assam (India), it is used to treat diabetes. In Indonesia a tonic is made from the fleshy root.
(Fontem, D.A. & Schippers, R.R., 2004. Talinum triangulare (Jacq.) Willd. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. Grubben, G.J.H. & Denton, O.A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. <http://www.prota4u.org/search.asp>. Accessed 23 August 2016.)
Traditional Uses:
Leaves are used in making stews and soup.
Plant Category:
Forest Foods
Food Category:
Vegetables
How it is eaten:
Cook
Part eaten:
Leaves
Corchorus olitorius
Family Name:
Malvaceae
Local Name:
Ayoyo
Uses As Per Literature:
The cooked leaves form a slimy sticky sauce, comparable to okra. In Nigeria this sauce is found suitable for easy consumption of starchy balls made from cassava, yam or millet. A powder prepared from dried leaves is used to prepare this sauce during the dry season. The immature fruits, called bush okra, are also dried and ground to a powder for the preparation of this slimy sauce. In East Africa several recipes exist, e.g. Jew’s mallow may be cooked with cowpeas, pumpkin, cocoyam leaves, sweet potato, milk and butter, meat, and flavoured with peppers and lemon.
Reference: (Fondio, L. & Grubben, G.J.H., 2011. Corchorus olitorius L. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. Brink, M. & Achigan-Dako, E.G. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. <http://www.prota4u.org/search.asp>. Accessed 23 August 2016.
Reference: (Fondio, L. & Grubben, G.J.H., 2011. Corchorus olitorius L. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. Brink, M. & Achigan-Dako, E.G. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. <http://www.prota4u.org/search.asp>. Accessed 23 August 2016.
Traditional Uses:
The leaves are used as vegetable in making stews and salad.
Plant Category:
Forest Foods
Food Category:
Vegetables
How it is eaten:
Cook
Part eaten:
Leaves
Corchorus olitorius
Family Name:
Malvaceae
Local Name:
Ayoyo
Uses As Per Literature:
The cooked leaves form a slimy sticky sauce, comparable to okra. In Nigeria this sauce is found suitable for easy consumption of starchy balls made from cassava, yam or millet. A powder prepared from dried leaves is used to prepare this sauce during the dry season. The immature fruits, called bush okra, are also dried and ground to a powder for the preparation of this slimy sauce. In East Africa several recipes exist, e.g. Jew’s mallow may be cooked with cowpeas, pumpkin, cocoyam leaves, sweet potato, milk and butter, meat, and flavoured with peppers and lemon.
Reference: (Fondio, L. & Grubben, G.J.H., 2011. Corchorus olitorius L. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. Brink, M. & Achigan-Dako, E.G. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. <http://www.prota4u.org/search.asp>. Accessed 23 August 2016.
Reference: (Fondio, L. & Grubben, G.J.H., 2011. Corchorus olitorius L. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. Brink, M. & Achigan-Dako, E.G. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. <http://www.prota4u.org/search.asp>. Accessed 23 August 2016.
Traditional Uses:
The leaves are used as vegetable in making stews and salad.
Plant Category:
Forest Foods
Food Category:
Vegetables
How it is eaten:
Cook
Part eaten:
Leaves
Capsicum frutescens
Family Name:
Solanaceae
Local Name:
Mesewa
Traditional Uses:
Food: Used as a spice to flavour soup and stews.
Medicine: The fruits are taken to treat waist pains.
Medicine: The fruits are taken to treat waist pains.
Plant Category:
Forest Foods and Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Waist pains
Food Category:
Spices and Condiments
Piper guineense
Family Name:
Piperaceae
Local Name:
Sorowisa
Uses As Per Literature:
Food: They are sometimes chewed with betel nut (Areca catechu) as a substitute for Piper betle. Ash from the burnt plant is used as a salt substitute
Medicinal: The roots are chewed and the juice swallowed as an aphrodisiac
Source: Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Medicinal: The roots are chewed and the juice swallowed as an aphrodisiac
Source: Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Traditional Uses:
Food: The dried fruits are used as spice in stews and soup.
Medicine: The root is used in the treatment of cough and chest pains.
Medicine: The root is used in the treatment of cough and chest pains.
Plant Category:
Forest Foods and Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Cough
- Chest pains
Food Category:
Spices and Condiments
Justicia flava
Family Name:
Acanthaceae
Local Name:
Afama/ntumunum
Uses As Per Literature:
<p>In Guinea the leaves of <em>Justicia flava</em> are used as a vegetable collected from the wild. They are cooked into soup or stew. The plant is also considered as a good forage. In Kenya the plant contributes to sand-binding vegetation in coastal dunes and sandy river banks and leaves are burnt to ash to produce a vegetable salt. In Tanzania the leaves are reported to be emetic, in Côte d’Ivoire haemostatic. Preparations are used on cuts and to treat menorrhagia, and blood in the sputum. The whole crushed plant, mixed with vegetable ash, seed of <em>Aframomum</em> species and capsicum pepper is administered by enema against painful menses, or, mixed with lemon juice, taken to induce menstruation. In Côte d’Ivoire the pulped leaves are rubbed on the skin to treat convulsions and feverish pains in babies. In Ghana the plant is used internally and externally against fever, yaws and diarrhoea in children. The inflorescence is said to be a cure for dysentery. An infusion of the plant is taken with egg albumen and coconut juice against palpitations of the heart and leaf sap is used as an eye lotion. In Tanzania leaf sap is taken against hookworm and to treat hydrocele, including bathing the affected parts. The bitter root is chewed by the Masai to cure diarrhoea and coughs.
source: www.prota4u.org</p>
source: www.prota4u.org</p>
Traditional Uses:
Foods: Leaves are also used as a vegetable for stews and soup.
Medicines: Leaves are used in the treatment of stomach ache, menstrual disorders and also helps to stop bleedin.
Medicines: Leaves are used in the treatment of stomach ache, menstrual disorders and also helps to stop bleedin.
Plant Category:
Forest Foods and Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Stomach ache
- Dysmenorrhoea
Food Category:
Vegetables
Vernonia amygdalina
Family Name:
Compositae
Local Name:
Awonwono
Traditional Uses:
Food: Leaves are used as a vegetable in stews and soups.
Medicine: Leaves are used in the treatment of heartache, menstrual pain and for foetal strength. The leaves are also used to boost apetite.
Medicine: Leaves are used in the treatment of heartache, menstrual pain and for foetal strength. The leaves are also used to boost apetite.
Plant Category:
Forest Foods and Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Heart ache
- Dysmenorrhoea
Food Category:
Vegetables
Aframomum melegueta
Family Name:
Zingiberaceae
Local Name:
Fam wisa
Uses As Per Literature:
The seeds can help to reduce or prevent vomiting and to bring relief from nausea. The seed is used to treat head colds, influenza, slight abdominal pains, constipation, menstrual pains and rheumatism. A decoction of the whole plant is used to treat menstrual pain.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Traditional Uses:
Used as a spice in stews, porridge and soups.
Plant Category:
Forest Foods
Food Category:
Spices and Condiments
How it is eaten:
Cook
Part eaten:
Fruit
Xylopia aethiopica
Family Name:
Annonaceae
Local Name:
Hwentia
Traditional Uses:
Fruit is used as a spice to flavour food.
Plant Category:
Forest Foods
Food Category:
Spices and Condiments
How it is eaten:
Cooked
Part eaten:
Seed
Deinbollia grandifolia
Family Name:
Sapindaceae
Local Name:
Adwea, Asikoto
Uses As Per Literature:
The fleshy fruit pulp is edible and the slightly oily seeds are eaten as well. Juice from the mashed inner bark is used as eye-drops to treat jaundice.
Source: www.prota4u.org
Source: www.prota4u.org
Traditional Uses:
Fleshy fruit pulp is eaten as a fruit.
Plant Category:
Forest Foods
Seasons Available:
Rainy Season
Food Category:
Fruits
How it is eaten:
Raw
Part eaten:
Fruit pulp
Pisonia aculeata
Family Name:
Nyctaginaceae
Local Name:
Akobowere
Uses As Per Literature:
The leaves are used, either fresh or in decoction, to treat skin problems such as scabies and ulcers. The roots are purgative. They are also used to treat cough.
Source:Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Source:Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Traditional Uses:
Bark is used in the treatment of cough, chest pains and also used as an aphrodiac (sexual weakness).
Plant Category:
Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Cough
- Chest pains
- Sexual weakness
Pisonia aculeata
Family Name:
Nyctaginaceae
Local Name:
Akobowere
Uses As Per Literature:
The leaves are used, either fresh or in decoction, to treat skin problems such as scabies and ulcers. The roots are purgative. They are also used to treat cough.
Source:Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Source:Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Traditional Uses:
Bark is used in the treatment of cough, chest pains and also used as an aphrodiac (sexual weakness).
Plant Category:
Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Cough
- Chest pains
- Sexual weakness
Taraxacum officinale
Family Name:
Asteraceae
Local Name:
*Dandelion
Uses As Per Literature:
The herb is used to treat jaundice and the yellowing of the skin that comes with liver dysfunction, cirrhosis, hepatitis and liver disease. Source: http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-dandelion.html last accessed 22/09/2016
Traditional Uses:
Food: Leaves are used as vegetable in making stews and salad.
Medicine: Leaves are used to treat heart diseases.
Medicine: Leaves are used to treat heart diseases.
Plant Category:
Forest Foods and Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Heart diseases
Food Category:
Vegetables
Pycnanthus angolensis
Family Name:
Myristicaceae
Local Name:
Otie
Uses As Per Literature:
Preparations made from the bark are used as a potent purgative, to cleanse the milk of lactating mothers and to treat coughs and chest complaints. In Côte d’Ivoire, bark is used as a poison antidote and against ascites and leprosy. In Congo the bark is used to treat a number of gynaecological problems, from infertility to gonorrhoea. In Côte d’Ivoire a root macerate mixed with parts of other plants is taken by draught to treat schistosomiasis. In São Tomé the bark is used to treat malaria.
Source:www.prota4u.org
Source:www.prota4u.org
Traditional Uses:
Bark is used to treat fever and rheumatism. A decoction of the bark is taken to treat anaemia.
Plant Category:
Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Fever
- Rheumatism
- Anaemia
Alstonia boonei
Family Name:
Apocynaceae
Local Name:
Osenuro (nyamedua)
Uses As Per Literature:
The bark, leaves and roots are all used to relieve rheumatic pain and other pains. The leaf-sap is used to cleanse sores. The bark sap is used externally to treat some skin-complaints. In Ghana a decoction is given after childbirth to promote expulsion of the afterbirth.
Source: Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Source: Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014
Traditional Uses:
Bark is used to treat measles.
Plant Category:
Medicinal Plants
Disease Treated:
- Measles