AFRICAN SAUSAGE TREE Seeds | Kigelia africana

A plant of of the tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 3,000m. It is found in areas where the mean annual rainfall is in the range 900 - 2,000mm. It is not frost resistant, but if young plants are protected for the first 2 - 3 years from cold winds in colder areas, they will survive. Prefers a medium loam soil. Grows best in a sunny position in a fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil.

A very variable plant, a large number of species have been described by botanists, but it is now considered that the genus is monospecific and variations are due to ecological influences, affecting also phytochemistry.

A relatively slow-growing tree; depending on the climate, it reaches good shade proportions in 4 - 5 years. The growth rate is at least 1 metre/year, but it is slower in colder areas. Trees commence flowering when they are about 6 years old from seed.

Plants can flower intermittently all year round. The flowers are unpleasantly scented to attract pollinators. The tree has a rather invasive root system and should not be planted close to buildings. The tree can be used successfully for bonsai, the thick stem being an attractive feature.

The seeds are roasted and used as a famine food. The fruit is a common additive to ferment in preparing beer to increase the potency or to add to the flavour. Sometimes the fruit is baked first and the fleshy part is added to the brew to increase strength or sometimes it is the rind. These additions have been postulated as leading to increased fermentation resulting in the formation of Amyl Alcohol and explain the severe hangover after inebriation. Squirrels in Malawi are said to be very fond of the fruit, whether it is to eat the pulp and seeds is not certain, but it seems that sap which they ingest by gnawing open the end of the husk makes them quite tipsy. The nectar from the flowers is used as a source of sugar.

African Sausage Tree is a widely used herbal treatment in Africa, being used in the treatment of a great many complaints. The fruits are most commonly used, though all parts of the plant have similar properties The diversity of complaints against which the plant is used includes digestive problems, fainting, anaemia, sickle-cell anaemia, epilepsy, respiratory ailments, hepatic and cardiac disorders and nutritional illnesses such as kwashiorkor, rickets, wasting and weakness. Modern research supports the traditional uses and the plant has become an ingredient of commercially produced applications for treating skin problems.

Of the phytochemicals elucidated in extracts of the plant, the compound groups to which activity is most frequently attributed are Naphthoquinones and Iridoids. Extracts of the bark, wood, roots and fruits possess anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. These extracts exhibit significant inhibitory effects in vitro against common Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and the yeast Candida albicans. Of the Naphthoquinones isolated in fruit and root extracts, Kigelinone has shown notable anti-microbial activity. Iridoids and Dihydroisocoumarins in extracts of the bark, fruits and roots may enhance the anti-microbial activity of Naphthoquinones. Other active anti-microbial compounds present in the bark and are the Phenylpropanoids Caffeic Acid, p-Coumaric Acid and Ferulic Acid.

The plant is renowned for damaged cell removal properties and laboratory screening has confirmed in-vitro this activity. Fruit extracts exhibited significant effects against induced damaged cells. Fruit and bark extracts have shown moderate efficacy against damaged skin cell lines. The Naphthoquinones, Lapachol and Isopinnatal, in some extracts of bark, wood, fruits and roots, exhibit anti-neoplastic activity against damaged skin cell lines. Sterols and Iridoids are ubiquitous in the plant and may be a factor in the activity against damaged skin cells. The reported cytotoxicity of the root in the brine shrimp assay was attributed to the presence of γ-Sitosterol. The fruits have demonstrated anti-inflammatory actions in vivo. Cinnamic Acid derivatives are thought to be responsible for anti-convulsant properties for which the plant is used to prevent epileptic fits. 

The leaves and fruits contain Flavonoids. A high concentration of Flavonoids may be responsible for anti-diarrhoeal properties, increased by anti-microbial constituents. In contrast to the use of the plant as a laxative, preliminary studies have shown a preventive effect of leaf extracts against diarrhoea. The plant is used particularly to remedy a wide range of skin problems. Powders and infusions of the bark, leaves, stems, twigs or fruits are all used to clean and dress flesh wounds and open sores. Many dressings, topical treatments and infusions containing this species are also used for their analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.

The bark, stems, twigs, leaves and fruits are infused and taken orally or applied locally, to relieve rheumatism, sprains, haematoma and bruising. Snake bite antidotes are made with an infusion of the fruits, stems, leaves, twigs or bark, taken orally or rubbed onto the bite. Infectious diseases, including leprosy, impetigo and worm infestations in the blood, are all treated with this plant. Dermal complaints and infections, such as whitlows, cysts, acne and boils, are treated with traditional medicines containing the fruits, and less frequently, the bark. Sore eyes are treated with drops made from flower sap mixed with water.

The fruits are pendulous, up to 45cm long by 15cm diameter and resemble a 'German' sausage. They are the most commonly used part of the tree, being widely viewed as a fetish with magical properties to enhance their medicinal virtues. The fruits are not edible, even when fully ripe, and are said to be aphrodisiac, intoxicant, purgative and toxic.

In particular, the fruit is used to increase breast size and function. It is given in decoction and also massaged into the breasts of young girls before puberty to promote development, a practice said to be proven by recorded measurements. Infusions and decoctions are applied as a wash or rub to promote weight gain in infants. The fruit is used to increase milk flow. The fruit and roots, along with the 'male' tassel of the plantain inflorescence, are boiled together to make a women's nostrum.

The fruit is also used in the treatment of many other complaints. For example, it is used for treating scrotal elephantiasis, oedema of the legs and asthma. It is combined with peppers to treat constipation and piles. Externally, the fruit is used in poultices for treating wounds, syphilis, ulcers, boils and rheumatism. The fruit-ash when powdered is said to have disinfective and curative properties after the style of Boric Acid. Cut into pieces, the fruits are boiled with the roots of Anthocleista spp and the liquid is taken by draught or enema for treating piles and lumbago. The bark and fruit are combined and used to heal sores and to restore taste. An oily ointment is made from the powder to rub on rheumatic parts and skin issues. The bark is reported to contain a bitter principle and Tannic Acid. It has a somewhat bitter taste. It is pounded and taken internally for relieving asthma and for treating dysentery and Venereal Disease.

It is used, in the form of a decoction or enema, to treat dysentery and stomach and kidney complaints, but only in conjunction with other plants. Similar preparations are used in vapour baths to treat snake bite. This softens the wound, facilitating the action of medication applied afterwards. The heated bark is applied to women’s breasts to hasten their return to normal after a suckling child has been weaned. The crushed bark is applied to chronic wounds and sores. The application process is painful.

The bark is combined with the bark of Mitragyna inermis, the roots of Xanthoxylum xanthoxyloides and the seeds of Sterculia setigera for treating epilepsy. It enters into various prescriptions for the treatment of leprosy. The bitter tasting root is used as a remedy for boils, sore throat, constipation and tapeworm. Combined with other roots, it is soaked in water which is then drunk for treating syphilis. The leaves are sometimes used to treat rheumatism, malaria, infertility, epilepsy, headache, dysentery, stomach and kidney complaints. They can be used to prepare a general tonic for improved health and growth. An infusion of the leaves with other leaves is used for treating an undefined venereal disease

The extensive root system makes the plant suitable for erosion control and riverbank stabilisation. The tree does not compete with nearby plants.

The fruit contains Tannin which can be extracted from the roots and stem bark. A black dye can be obtained from the fruit. A yellow dye can be obtained from the roots. In areas where stones for a fire hearth are scarce, the fruits are used to stand pots on in a fire as they are almost fire proof. The husk is hollowed out, fitted with a noose and bait and used as a mousetrap. Dolls are also made from the husks. Some people make ladles and cups from the cut husk. The heartwood is pale brown to reddish-yellow and the sapwood is white-yellow. The wood is light, soft, but strong. It is not valued commercially, but is widely utilised by local people where it is used for items such as fence posts where it is believed that it does not rot. It’s used to make dugout canoes. So valued is it for this purpose that the tree has had to be protected in Malawi. A wide range of small items such as tool handles, mortars, drums, boxes, and stools. The branch wood is used for bows and small branches are hollowed out to make enema tubes for use on children. The wood is used for fuel.