Cnestis ferruginea

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Cnestis ferruginea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Oxalidales
Family: Connaraceae
Genus: Cnestis
Species: C. ferruginea
Binomial name
Cnestis ferruginea
DC

The shrub Cnestis ferruginea is native to Africa. It is best known for its uses in herbal medicine.

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. [1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Lewis, W.H. and M.P.F. Elvin-Lewis. (2003). Medical Botany. Hoboken: Wiley, page 409.

[edit] 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