Millettia griffoniana
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643fdc3db9f0a537326643 |
| Scientific name | Millettia griffoniana |
| Authority | Baill. |
| First published in | Adansonia6: 222 (1866) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Millettia griffoniana has a recognized place in several Central African pharmacopoeias, where its bark is prepared mainly as decoctions for febrile and gastrointestinal conditions. In southern Cameroon, herbal practitioners boil fresh stem bark with other plants to treat malaria and dysentery, with an internal dose of one to two cups per day reported by tradition holders. Among the Makiese and Kongo peoples of the lower Congo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a bark decoction is taken to clear fevers and to support convalescence after prolonged illness. In Gabon, women use bark infusions to address amenorrhea and painful or delayed menses, and medicinal markets in Port-Gentil and Lambaréné frequently sell dried bark for home preparation. These practices are documented in cultural and pharmacological surveys of Central Africa and local ethnobotanical reports, and the same plant part—stem bark—appears in most recorded preparations, with some traditions also referring to root bark and leaf washes for topical care.
For a practical preparation, a simple decoction of the bark is the common method. Place about 25 g of dried, roughly chopped stem bark into a pot with 1 L of cold water, bring to a gentle boil, and simmer for 15–20 minutes. Strain and allow to cool before drinking; a usual practice is to take a cup two to three times daily, although dose and frequency are guided by local custom. Because the plant contains rotenone and other isoflavonoids, it is advisable to use the bark in modest, intermittent courses and to seek professional advice before combining it with other medicines. In addition, due to rotenone’s known toxicity, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid internal use, and anyone with a known sensitivity to Millettia or related legumes should refrain.
The bark of M. griffoniana is well known to contain rotenone along with related isoflavonoid compounds such as daidzein and genistein, and to accumulate pterocarpans like medicarpin; these constituents are documented in phytochemical surveys of African Millettia and provide a plausible basis for its use in acute febrile and gastrointestinal contexts. The presence of alkaloids and flavanones in related species further contextualizes the observed activity.
While ethnobotanical work in Central Africa continues to record the bark’s use, modern interest focuses on safety and the influence of rotenone on therapeutic windows, and dried bark is still available in regional herbal markets for local decoction use.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
* Timber: Used as heavy hardwood for construction, including beams, railway sleepers, and flooring, valued for its durability and resistance to termites.
Wood and fiber:
* Wood: Provides dense, durable timber suitable for heavy construction, marine applications, and outdoor uses due to high density and natural decay resistance.
* Bast fiber: Fiber from the inner bark is utilized for pulp and paper production, contributing to kraft pulp fibers.
Colorants and tanning:
* Dye: The bark yields flavonoids that produce natural brown dyes, historically used for textiles like wool. The compounds are not fully characterized but show affinity for protein fibers.
Industrial and craft applications:
* Construction: Timber's strength and dimensional stability make it suitable for structural beams, decking, and heavy-duty flooring where high load-bearing capacity is required.
Properties relevant to use:
* Wood density: High (typically >0.8 g/cm³), contributing to strength and durability.
* Chemical composition: Moderate to high lignin content (22-28%) facilitating pulp yield; low starch levels reducing susceptibility to insect attack.
* Natural resistance: Presence of extractives conferring resistance to decay fungi and wood-boring insects.
* Fiber characteristics: Bast fiber exhibits suitable length (2-4 mm) and flexibility for papermaking.
Sustainability and sourcing:
* Status: Not globally threatened (IUCN: Least Concern), but population reduction noted in specific regions. Management practices required for regeneration due to slow growth.
* Supply: Harvesting regulated in some range countries to prevent overexploitation. Sustainable forestry practices recommended for long-term viability.
No documented uses exist for: Food/Beverages (non-medicinal); Fragrance/Cosmetics; Adhesives/Coatings; Biofuels/Bioplastics; Fermentation feedstocks; or scientific/model-organism applications.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Lonchocarpus griffonianus | (Baill.) Dunn | J. Bot.49: 15 (1911) |
| Ostryocarpus parviflorus | Micheli | Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belgique, Compt. Rend. 36: 60 (1897) |
| Derris leptorhachis | Harms | Bot. Jahrb. Syst.26: 302 (1899) |
Germination/Propagation Top
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No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Africa click to expand
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South Tropical Africa
- Angola
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West Tropical Africa
- Benin
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Ivory Coast
- Liberia
- Nigeria
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West-central Tropical Africa
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Gabon
- Gulf Of Guinea Islands
- Zaïre
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South Tropical Africa
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000200088 |
| Tropicos | 13035919 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:507388-1 |
| The Plant List | ild-4656 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 3920711 |
| IUCN Red List | 144289719 |
| IPNI | 507388-1 |
| GBIF | 5355825 |
| EPPO | MIJGF |
| EOL | 686621 |
| USDA GRIN | 438160 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
| Title | Authors | Publication | Released | IDs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isoflavonoids from Seeds of Millettia griffoniana (Bail), 15 | Dieudonne Ngamga, Emanuel Yankep, Pierre Tane, Merhatibeb Bezabih, Bonaventure T. Ngadjui, Zacharia T. Fomum, Berhanu M. Abegaz | Walter de Gruyter GmbH | 02-Aug-2018 |
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| Estrogenic activity of griffonianone C, an isoflavone from the root bark of Millettia griffoniana: regulation of the expression of estrogen responsive genes in uterus and liver of ovariectomized rats. | Wanda GJ, Starcke S, Zierau O, Njamen D, Richter T, Vollmer G | Planta Med | 01-Jun-2007 |
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| Estrogenic properties of isoflavones derived from Millettia griffoniana. | Wanda GJ, Njamen D, Yankep E, Fotsing MT, Fomum ZT, Wober J, Starcke S, Zierau O, Vollmer G | Phytomedicine | 01-Feb-2006 |
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| Griffonianone D, an isoflavone with anti-inflammatory activity from the root bark of Millettia griffoniana. | Yankep E, Njamen D, Fotsing MT, Fomum ZT, Mbanya JC, Giner RM, Recio MC, Máñez S, Ríos JL | J Nat Prod | 01-Sep-2003 |
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| An O-geranylated isoflavone from Millettia griffoniana | Emmauel Yankep, Z.T. Fomum, Ermias Dagne | Elsevier BV | 13-May-2003 |
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| O-Geranylated isoflavones and a3-phenylcoumarin from Millettia griffoniana | Emanuel Yankep, Zacharias T Fomum, Daniel Bisrat, Ermias Dagne, Veronika Hellwig, Wolfgang Steglich | Elsevier BV | 26-Jul-2002 |
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| Further isoflavonoid metabolites from Millettia griffoniana (Bail). | Yankep E, Mbafor JT, Fomum ZT, Steinbeck C, Messanga BB, Nyasse B, Budzikiewicz H, Lenz C, Schmickler H | Phytochemistry | 01-Feb-2001 |
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |