Alstonia Boonei

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NAME:  Alstonia boonei

FAMILY: Apocynaceae

COMMON NAMES: Stool wood, Pattern wood, Cheese wood

LOCAL NAMES: Awun, Ahun, Eghu, Akpi, Onyame dua

USEFUL PART(s):  Root, bark, leaves

GENERAL USES:

  • The wood is use for construction and carving

  • The plant produces good timber which can be traded internationally

  • The wood is used for fuel as firewood

 

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION

  • Ethiopia

  • Tanzania

  • Egypt

  • Cameroon

  • Central African Republic

  • Ghana

  • Cote D’Ivoire

  • Nigeria

WHY IS IT GREEN?

Alstonia boonei medicinal values include:

  • Breast development

  • Filaria worms

  • Anthelmintics

  • Antidote

  • Malaria fever

  • Yellow fever

  • Anti-periodic

  • Arthritis

  • Antimalarial

  • Aphrodisiac

  • Dysmenorrhoea

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

  • It is a good shade tree for crops

FUNFUL FACT

  • Alstonia boonei is a tall, deciduous, evergreen forest tree which height can reach 145ft in damp areas

  • The leaves are  oblanceolate, and in whorls at nodes and can be propagated by seeds

  • The latex from is toxic

FURTHER READINGS

Agbedahunsi, J. M., Adepiti, A. O., Adedini, A. A., Akinsomisoye, A., & Adepitan, O. (2016). Antimalarial Properties of Morinda lucida and Alstonia boonei on Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine and Curcuma longa on Quinine in Mice. Journal of Herbs, Spices and Medicinal Plants, 22(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/10496475.2014.999151

Akinnawo, O. O., Anyasor, G. N., & Osilesi, O. (2017). Aqueous fraction of Alstonia boonei de Wild leaves suppressed inflammatory responses in carrageenan and formaldehyde induced arthritic rats. Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy, 86, 95–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2016.11.145

Chime S.A, Ugwuoke E.C, Onyishi I.V, Brown S.A, O. G. . (2013). and Evaluation of Alstonia boonei Stem Bark Powder Tablets. Indian Journal Pharmaceutics Science, 2(April), 226–230.

Erhunse, N., Oriakhi, K., Orhue, N. E. J., & Omoregie, E. S. (2016). Comparative study on phytochemical constituents, antioxidant activity and acute toxicity of extracts of Alstonia boonei de Wild and Anthocleista djalonensis. Journal, 13(1), 14–24. https://doi.org/10.4314/jpb.v13i1.3

Idowu, E. T., Ajaegbu, H. C. N., Omotayo, A. I., Aina, O. O., & Otubanjo, O. A. (2015). In vivo anti-plasmodial activities and toxic impacts of lime extract of a combination of Picralima nitida, Alstonia boonei and Gongronema latifolium in mice infected with Chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium berghei. African Health Sciences, 15(4), 1262–1270. https://doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v15i4.27

Lucien Nkono Ya Nkono, B., Dongmo Sokeng, S., Djomeni Paul Désiré, D., & Kamtchouing, P. (2014). Antihyperglycemic and Antioxydant Properties of Alstonia boonei De Wild. (Apocynaceae) Stem Bark Aqueous Extract in Dexamethasone-Induced Hyperglycemic Rats. International Journal of Diabetes Research, 3(3), 27–35. https://doi.org/10.5923/j.diabetes.20140303.01

Ogueke, C. C., Uwaleke, J., Owuamanam, C. I., & Okolue, B. (2014). Antimicrobial activities of Alstonia boonei stem bark, a Nigerian traditional medicinal plant. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Disease, 4(S2), S957–S962. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2222-1808(14)60766-0

Omoregie, E., Oriakhi, K., Oikeh, E., Okugbo, O., & Akpobire, D. (2014). Comparative study of phenolic content and antioxidant activity of leaf extracts of Alstonia boonei and Eupatorium odoratum. Nigerian Journal of Basic and Applied Science, 22(3&4), 91–97. https://doi.org/10.4314/njbas.v22i3.7

Sarpong, L. M., Sarpong, F. M., & Amponsah, I. K. (2016). Antiplasmodial activity of the leaves and stem bark of Carapa procera and Alstonia boonei. Der Pharmacia Lettre, 8(3), 116–122.