''Griffonia simplicifolia'' (syn. ''Bandeiraea simplicifolia'' Benth.) is a

wood Wood is a structural tissue/material found as xylem in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulosic fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin t ...

climbing Climbing is the activity of using one's hands, feet, or other parts of the body to ascend a steep topographical object that can range from the world's tallest mountains (e.g. the eight thousanders) to small boulders. Climbing is done for locom ...

shrub A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...

native to

West Africa West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Gha ...

and

Central Africa Central Africa (French language, French: ''Afrique centrale''; Spanish language, Spanish: ''África central''; Portuguese language, Portuguese: ''África Central'') is a subregion of the African continent comprising various countries accordin ...

. It grows to about 3 m, and bears greenish flowers followed by black pods.

Taxonomy and early study

The genus ''Griffonia'' was named by botanist Henri Baillon in honour of his friend and fellow physician

Marie-Théophile Griffon du Bellay Marie-Théophile Griffon du Bellay (14 August 1829 – 10 November 1908) was a French physician, naval surgeon, explorer and ethnobotanist. Life Marie-Théophile was born at Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, Rochefort, the middle child of t ...

, explorer of

Gabon Gabon ( ; ), officially the Gabonese Republic (), is a country on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, on the equator, bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo to the east and south, and ...

, pioneer in the study of

sleeping sickness African trypanosomiasis is an insect-borne parasitic infection of humans and other animals. Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as African sleeping sickness or simply sleeping sickness, is caused by the species '' Trypanosoma b ...

and also of the African

entheogen Entheogens are psychoactive substances used in spiritual and religious contexts to induce altered states of consciousness. Hallucinogens such as the psilocybin found in so-called "magic" mushrooms have been used in sacred contexts since ancie ...

Iboga, source of the alkaloid

ibogaine Ibogaine is a psychoactive indole alkaloid derived from plants such as '' Tabernanthe iboga'', characterized by hallucinogenic and oneirogenic effects. Traditionally used by Central African foragers, it has undergone controversial research ...

. Griffon de Bellay undertook an early study of the properties of ''G. simplicifolia''.

Chemical constituents

The seeds of the plant contain between six and 20 percent

5-hydroxytryptophan 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), used medically as oxitriptan, is a naturally occurring amino acid and chemical precursor as well as a metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of the neurotransmitter serotonin. 5-HTP can be manufactured and use ...

(5-HTP). 5-Hydroxytryptophan is an important building block for the human body to form

serotonin Serotonin (), also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is a monoamine neurotransmitter with a wide range of functions in both the central nervous system (CNS) and also peripheral tissues. It is involved in mood, cognition, reward, learning, ...

, a neurotransmitter. In one "randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial" in 2010 ''Griffonia simplicifolia'' extract, was administered via oral spray to twenty overweight females resulting in increased satiety. ''Griffonia simplicifolia'' also has a legume lectin called GS Isolectin B4, which binds to alpha-D-galactosyl residues of polysaccharides and glycoproteins. This supplement is often given by spider silk farmers to increase production of stronger silk.

Synonyms

Botanical synonyms for the plant also include ''Schotia simplicifolia'' (Vahl ex DC) Baill.

References

Medicinal plants of Africa Cercidoideae Taxa named by Alphonse Pyramus de Candolle Taxa named by Henri Ernest Baillon {{medicinal-plant-stub