Pentadesma butyracea
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643ff7e5cd6b6656722750 |
| Scientific name | Pentadesma butyracea |
| Authority | Sabine |
| First published in | Trans. Hort. Soc. London 5: 457 (1824) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
Suggest a correction!
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.
In West Africa, the tree’s bark is the principal part in medicinal practice. In Ghana, stem‑bark decoctions are taken for peptic ulcers and for dysentery, with the “Bark” entry in Medicinal Plants of Ghana (1989) and surveys by Abbiw in Ghana (1990) documenting the indications and preparation; Yoruba‑speaking people of southwestern Nigeria also record decoctions of stem bark for dysentery (Burkill, 1985), while in Benin bark decoctions are used for ulcers (Kirsch, 1986). Leaves are prepared as poultices for wounds and sores: in Ghana, this topical application of leaf poultice is listed in Medicinal Plants of Ghana (1989) and reinforced by field observations in southern Ghana (Irvine, 1961). These are the specifically attested uses that involve infusions (decoctions) or poultices.
As an example preparation, the stem‑bark decoction used for dysentery can be made by simmering 15–20 g of sun‑dried stem‑bark chips in 500 mL water for 20–30 minutes, straining, and taking 200–300 mL in divided doses over the day. Dose and duration should be modest; the strong tannin content makes prolonged high‑dose use unsuitable during pregnancy and for people on anticoagulant therapy or with active gastric ulceration without medical guidance.
The activity profile of the bark is consistent with its known chemistry. Laboratory studies on the species report tannins (hydrolyzable and condensed), flavonol glycosides, and clerodane diterpenes such as clerodin and its isomers, compounds that are broadly reported to confer astringent, anti‑inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects in related species. The leaf poultice also plausibly benefits from these constituents.
Modern relevance follows naturally from this tradition: the butter‑tree remains part of rural health practice in Ghana and Nigeria, and its stem bark and leaves are investigated pharmacologically for antidiarrheal and wound‑healing activity, with botanical works by Burkill and Medicinal Plants of Ghana forming the core citations.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Seed fat (“kanya butter”) is the principal product from Pentadesma butyracea. The fat is extracted by hot or cold pressing of the kernels.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
Kanya butter is employed as a cocoa butter equivalent in chocolate and confectionery applications. Its triglyceride structure confers steep melting behavior near body temperature, enabling co-crystallization with cocoa butter; the EU permits its use as a cocoa butter equivalent under specified compositional and labeling conditions.
Properties relevant to use:
The fat is dominated by symmetric triglycerides (primarily POP/POSt) and exhibits a steep melting curve near 30–35 °C, which underpins cocoa-butter replacement performance.
Standards and regulation:
EU Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 authorizes pentadesma butter as a cocoa butter equivalent for chocolate and confectionery, subject to compositional criteria and food‑additive labeling rules (within applicable E‑number ranges for colorants and carriers).
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Pentadesma nigritana | Baker f. | Cat. Pl. Oban : 7 (1913) |
| Pentadesma leucantha | A.Chev. | Vég. Ut. Afr. Trop. Franç. 5: 166 (1909) |
| Pentadesma leptonema | Pierre | Bull. Mens. Soc. Linn. Paris , n.s., 1: 21 (1898) |
| Pentadesma lecomteana | Pierre ex A.Chev. | Vég. Ut. Afr. Trop. Franç. 9: 64 (1917) |
| Pentadesma kerstingii | Engl. ex Volkens | Notizbl. Königl. Bot. Gart. Berlin, Append. 22: 108 (1910) |
| Pentadesma parviflora | Exell | J. Bot. 65(Suppl. 1): 27 (1927) |
| Pentadesma ogoouensis | Baud | Ann. Mus. Colon. Marseille , sér. 4, 7(1): 38 (1929) |
| Pentadesma leptonema var. klainei | Pierre ex A.Chev. | Veg. Ut. Afr. Trop. Franç. 9: 64 1917 |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | butter tree |
| French | arbre à chandelle |
| French | beurre de kpangnan |
| Chinese | 猪油果 |
| Chinese | 豬油果 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Africa click to expand
-
West Tropical Africa
- Benin
- Burkina
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Ivory Coast
- Liberia
- Mali
- Nigeria
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
-
West-central Tropical Africa
- Cabinda
- Cameroon
- Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Gabon
- Gulf Of Guinea Islands
- Zaïre
-
Western Indian Ocean
- Seychelles
-
West Tropical Africa
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000395230 |
| USDA Plants | PEBU4 |
| Tropicos | 7801313 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:428981-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-2409114 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 373222 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 198785 |
| IUCN Red List | 61988986 |
| IPNI | 428981-1 |
| iNaturalist | 344837 |
| GBIF | 3189435 |
| EPPO | PNDBU |
| EOL | 484986 |
| USDA GRIN | 311302 |
| Wikipedia | Pentadesma_butyracea |
| CMAUP | NPO7920 |
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)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Aromatic monoterpenoids | |||||
| (+)-Isoxanthochymol | 14282765 | Click to see CC(=CCC1CC23CC(C(OC2=C(C(=O)C(C3=O)(C1(C)C)CC=C(C)C)C(=O)C4=CC(=C(C=C4)O)O)(C)C)CC=C(C)C)C | 602.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOL.2010.02.006 |
| (1S,3R,9R,11R)-7-(3,4-dihydroxybenzoyl)-4,4,10,10-tetramethyl-3,9,11-tris(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-5-oxatricyclo[7.3.1.01,6]tridec-6-ene-8,13-dione | 10579514 | Click to see | 602.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOL.2010.02.006 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| Friedelinol | 101341 | Click to see CC1C(CCC2C1(CCC3C2(CCC4(C3(CCC5(C4CC(CC5)(C)C)C)C)C)C)C)O | 428.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Lup-20(29)-en-3-ol, (3beta)- | 521518 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CC2)C)C)(C)C)O)C)C | 426.70 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0030-1250384 https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 |
| Lupeol | 259846 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CC2)C)C)(C)C)O)C)C | 426.70 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0030-1250384 https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 |
| Taraxasterol Acetate | 13889352 | Click to see CC1C2C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CCC2(CCC1=C)C)C)C)(C)C)OC(=O)C)C | 468.80 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Bile acids, alcohols and derivatives / Hydroxy bile acids, alcohols and derivatives / Dihydroxy bile acids, alcohols and derivatives | |||||
| [(3R,4S,5S,8S,9S,10S,11S,13S,14S,17R)-4,11-dihydroxy-10,13-dimethyl-17-[(1R)-5-methyl-1-(sulfooxymethyl)hexyl]-2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-tetradecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-yl] hydrogen sulfate | 5479475 | Click to see | 596.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzopyrans / 1-benzopyrans / Xanthones | |||||
| 1,5-Dihydroxyxanthone | 5480299 | Click to see C1=CC2=C(C(=C1)O)OC3=CC=CC(=C3C2=O)O | 228.20 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOL.2010.02.006 |
| Euxanthone | 5281631 | Click to see | 228.20 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOL.2010.02.006 |
| Tovopyrifolin C | 5480342 | Click to see | 274.22 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0030-1250384 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzopyrans / 1-benzopyrans / Xanthones / 2-prenylated xanthones | |||||
| 1,6-Dihydroxy-3,7-dimethoxy-2-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-8-(3-hydroxy-3-methyl-1E-butenyl)-xanthone | 5319262 | Click to see | 440.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzopyrans / 1-benzopyrans / Xanthones / 4-prenylated xanthones | |||||
| (2R)-2,5,9,11-tetrahydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-6,10-bis(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-1,2-dihydropyrano[3,2-a]xanthen-12-one | 162892190 | Click to see CC(=CCC1=C(C2=C(C=C1O)OC3=C(C(=C4C(=C3C2=O)CC(C(O4)(C)C)O)O)CC=C(C)C)O)C | 480.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 |
| Butyraxanthone C | 44138728 | Click to see | 480.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 |
| Gartanin | 5281633 | Click to see | 396.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 |
| Tovophyllin A | 42645954 | Click to see | 462.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzopyrans / 1-benzopyrans / Xanthones / 8-prenylated xanthones | |||||
| 1-(3,7-Dimethylocta-2,6-dienyl)-3,6,8-trihydroxy-2-methoxyxanthen-9-one | 5748685 | Click to see | 410.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 |
| 1-[(2Z)-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienyl]-3,6,8-trihydroxy-2-methoxyxanthen-9-one | 6450342 | Click to see CC(=CCCC(=CCC1=C(C(=CC2=C1C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O)OC)C)C | 410.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 |
| 2-(3,7-Dimethylocta-2,6-dienyl)-1,3,6-trihydroxy-7-methoxy-8-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)xanthen-9-one | 162977814 | Click to see CC(=CCCC(=CCC1=C(C2=C(C=C1O)OC3=C(C2=O)C(=C(C(=C3)O)OC)CC=C(C)C)O)C)C | 478.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 |
| 3-Isomangostin | 13873655 | Click to see | 410.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 |
| 3,6,8-Trihydroxy-1-(7-hydroxy-3,7-dimethyloct-2-enyl)-2-methoxyxanthen-9-one | 162974349 | Click to see CC(=CCC1=C(C(=CC2=C1C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O)OC)CCCC(C)(C)O | 428.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 |
| 4,8-Dihydroxy-2-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-7-methoxy-6-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)furo[3,2-b]xanthen-5-one | 163088909 | Click to see | 424.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0030-1250384 |
| Butyraxanthone A | 44138727 | Click to see CC(=CCCC(=CCC1=C(C2=C(C=C1O)OC3=C(C2=O)C(=C(C(=C3)O)OC)CC=C(C)C)O)C)C | 478.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 |
| Butyraxanthone B | 25073518 | Click to see | 462.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 |
| Butyraxanthone D | 25073519 | Click to see CC(=CCC1=C(C(=CC2=C1C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O)OC)CCCC(C)(C)O | 428.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 |
| Cratoxylone | 102004659 | Click to see | 428.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0030-1250384 |
| Garcinone E | 10298511 | Click to see | 464.50 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0030-1250384 |
| Mangostanin | 5495929 | Click to see | 408.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Mangostin | 5281650 | Click to see CC(=CCC1=C(C2=C(C=C1O)OC3=C(C2=O)C(=C(C(=C3)O)OC)CC=C(C)C)O)C | 410.50 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0030-1250384 |
| Rubraxanthone | 9953366 | Click to see | 410.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzopyrans / 1-benzopyrans / Xanthones / Pyranoxanthones | |||||
| 8,10,12-Trihydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-3,4-dihydropyrano[2,3-b]xanthen-11-one | 73357119 | Click to see | 328.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOL.2010.02.006 |
| Osajaxanthone | 6064803 | Click to see | 310.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1039/P19770000011 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Naphthofurans | |||||
| [(1S,3R,8S,9S,10R,11S,13R)-11-acetyloxy-3-hydroxy-6,9,10-trimethyl-5-oxo-4,14-dioxatetracyclo[7.5.0.01,13.03,7]tetradec-6-en-8-yl] (Z)-2-methylbut-2-enoate | 162993668 | Click to see | 420.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP8005953 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Catechins | |||||
| 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-3,5,7-triol | 1203 | Click to see | 290.27 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0030-1250384 |
| Epicatechin | 72276 | Click to see | 290.27 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0030-1250384 |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |