Voacanga africana
Encyclopedia
Voacanga africana is a small tropical Africa
n tree that grows to 6m in height. It has leaves that are up to 30 cm in length, and the tree produces yellow or white flowers, which become berries with yellow seeds.
The bark and seeds of the tree are used in Ghana
as a poison
, stimulant
, aphrodisiac
, and ceremonial psychedelic
. These effects are due to the presence of a complex mixture of iboga alkaloid
s such as voacangine
, vocamine, vobtusine, amataine, akuammidine, tabersonine, coronaridine
and vobtusine.
, which is a common precursor in the semi-synthesis of the anti-addiction medication ibogaine
. Small amounts of ibogaine are found in Voacanga Africana root bark but not in sufficient quantity to have much medicinal effect, although other alkaloid
s from the plant such as coronaridine and voacangine
may have a weak anti-addictive effect in their own right.
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n tree that grows to 6m in height. It has leaves that are up to 30 cm in length, and the tree produces yellow or white flowers, which become berries with yellow seeds.
Uses
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
as a poison
Poison
In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
, stimulant
Stimulant
Stimulants are psychoactive drugs which induce temporary improvements in either mental or physical function or both. Examples of these kinds of effects may include enhanced alertness, wakefulness, and locomotion, among others...
, aphrodisiac
Aphrodisiac
An aphrodisiac is a substance that increases sexual desire. The name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sexuality and love. Throughout history, many foods, drinks, and behaviors have had a reputation for making sex more attainable and/or pleasurable...
, and ceremonial psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
. These effects are due to the presence of a complex mixture of iboga alkaloid
Ibogaine
Ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychoactive substance found in a number of plants, principally in a member of the Apocynaceae family known as Iboga . A hallucinogen with both psychedelic and dissociative properties, the substance is banned in some countries; in other countries it is being used...
s such as voacangine
Voacangine
Voacangine is an alkaloid found predominantly in the rootbark of the Voacanga africana tree, as well as in other plants such as Tabernanthe iboga, Tabernaemontana africana, Trachelospermum jasminoides and Ervatamia yunnanensis...
, vocamine, vobtusine, amataine, akuammidine, tabersonine, coronaridine
Coronaridine
Coronaridine is an alkaloid found in Tabernanthe iboga and related species....
and vobtusine.
Medicinal uses
A number of these compounds have pharmaceutical uses. Of particular pharmaceutical interest is voacangineVoacangine
Voacangine is an alkaloid found predominantly in the rootbark of the Voacanga africana tree, as well as in other plants such as Tabernanthe iboga, Tabernaemontana africana, Trachelospermum jasminoides and Ervatamia yunnanensis...
, which is a common precursor in the semi-synthesis of the anti-addiction medication ibogaine
Ibogaine
Ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychoactive substance found in a number of plants, principally in a member of the Apocynaceae family known as Iboga . A hallucinogen with both psychedelic and dissociative properties, the substance is banned in some countries; in other countries it is being used...
. Small amounts of ibogaine are found in Voacanga Africana root bark but not in sufficient quantity to have much medicinal effect, although other alkaloid
Alkaloid
Alkaloids are a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds that contain mostly basic nitrogen atoms. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Also some synthetic compounds of similar structure are attributed to alkaloids...
s from the plant such as coronaridine and voacangine
Voacangine
Voacangine is an alkaloid found predominantly in the rootbark of the Voacanga africana tree, as well as in other plants such as Tabernanthe iboga, Tabernaemontana africana, Trachelospermum jasminoides and Ervatamia yunnanensis...
may have a weak anti-addictive effect in their own right.