The shrub Cnestis ferruginea is native to Africa. It is best known for its uses in herbal medicine.
Medicinal uses The tart, astringent fruit is chewed for oral hygiene. Extracts from the fruit have been found to have antimicrobial effects, especially against gram-positive bacteria.Lewis, W.H. and M.P.F. Elvin-Lewis. (2003). Medical Botany: Plants Affecting Human Health, 2/e. Hoboken: Wiley, page 409. It is used in the Nigerian polyherbal mixture Aju Mbaise along with other plant species.Ogueke, Chika & Owuamanam, Clifford & Chizitere, Onyedinma & Evelin, Bede & Amarachi, Iroanya & Nwachukwu, Ikenna. (2016). Antimicrobial activity, phytochemical properties and mineral content of aju Mbaise decoction a liquid extract administered to nursing mothers. Nigerian Journal of Nutritional Sciences. 37. 114.
References
Further reading Olugbade T.A., J.O. Oluwadiya, and W.A. Yisak. (1982). Chemical constituents of Cnestis ferruginea DC. I. Petroleum ether fraction. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 6(3):365-70
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