Kigelia African: Traditonal Uses And Known Properties(EN)

Kigelia Africana Tree

The traditional use of kigelia fruit in Africa has been both medicinal – as a treatment for skin complaints from eczema to skin cancer – and cosmetic, as a preparation to firm and enhance skin tissue. Several scientific studies in recent years suggest that kigelia may indeed have remarkable healing and conditioning effects on the skin.

Traditional african healers use kigelia to treat a wide range of skin ailments from fungal infections, boils, acne and psoriasis, through to more serious diseases, such as leprosy, syphilis and skin cancer. It is also used effectively to dress wounds and sores.

Kigelia Africana Fruit

The Tonga women of the Zambezi valley apply cosmetic preparations of kigelia to their faces to blemish-free complexion. Young men and women also use it to enhance the growth of their genitalia and breasts respectively. Perhaps not surprisingly given its suggestive shape, the fruit has also found traditional use as an aphrodisiac.

As well as being used as a topical skin preparation, kigelia is also taken internally to treat conditions such as dysentery, ringworm, malaria, diabetes and pneumonia.

The traditional use of kigelia as a healing agent for skin conditions is validated by a significant body of scientific literature and patents (see below for examples-refer to http://phytotrade.com/products/kigelia-africana/). Several papers support the use of kigelia extract for treating skin cancer while the extract has found a market in Europe and the Far East as the active ingredient in skin tightening and breast firming formulations.

Strong anecdotal evidence suggests that kigelia is effective in the treatment of solar keratosis and Kaposi’s sarcoma, an HIV-related skin ailment. Research by PhytoTrade Africa supports its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Compounds contained in kigelia include norviburtinal, coumarins, iridoids, flavonoids, fatty acids, sterols, glycosides and napthaquinones. Scientific literature has shown antibacterial activity and kigelia extract has also been shown to contract the area of small wounds.

Norviburtinal has shown tumour reducing cytotoxic activity, while steroids are known to help a range of skin conditions, notably eczema. Flavonoids have clear hygroscopic (attracts water from its environment) and fungicidal properties.

Source taken from http://phytotrade.com/products/kigelia-africana/.