ABSTRACT
Important in African folk medicine. In Nigeria, it is used as a cancer remedy (JLH). Fruit extracts and bark decoction are used for bronchitis, biliousness, dysentery, and painful febrile conditions. Congolese steep bark in palm wine, suggesting one to two glasses a day for asthma, rheumatism, and stomachache. Concentrated root decoction used as mouthwash in toothache. Fruits used to counter pain and as a carminative and laxative. Used also as anthelminthic, they are especially recommended in puerperium. Its analgesic property is useful for chest pain, dermatosis, headache, lumbago, neuralgia, parturition, rib ache, and sideache. The fruits were suspected to enhance fertility and aid delivery. It was even believed abortifacient. Fruits are particularly high in zinc, perhaps a solid rationale for recommending consumption during pregnancy and lactation (X8616672).
