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This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have a medical condition.
Trichilia emetica contains bioactive compounds called trichilins and limonoids that are believed to provide analgesic effects through anti-inflammatory pathways. These compounds may inhibit prostaglandin synthesis and modulate inflammatory mediators. The seed oil also contains fatty acids that contribute to its anti-inflammatory properties. Research on the specific mechanism remains limited, with current evidence rated at level C, primarily based on animal studies and traditional use rather than human clinical trials.
Does Trichilia emetica interact with any medications?
Limited research exists on drug interactions with Trichilia emetica. Due to its emetic properties at high doses, it may interfere with medications that require consistent absorption, such as oral contraceptives or controlled-release formulations. Its potential anti-inflammatory effects could theoretically enhance the effects of NSAIDs or blood thinners. Patients taking prescription medications should consult a healthcare provider before use. No formal interaction studies have been conducted in humans.
What is the recommended dosage for Trichilia emetica?
Traditional use suggests an adult dosage of 2-3 grams of dried bark prepared as a tea. The seed oil is used topically for skin conditions in varying amounts depending on the formulation. Due to the herb's emetic effects at higher doses, users should start with lower amounts and avoid exceeding traditional recommendations. Evidence for optimal dosing is limited to level C, based primarily on ethnobotanical records rather than clinical trials.
Is Trichilia emetica safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding?
Trichilia emetica is considered unsafe during pregnancy. The herb has emetic properties and may stimulate uterine contractions, posing a risk of miscarriage or premature labor. Traditional use has specifically noted pregnancy as a contraindication. There is insufficient data on safety during breastfeeding, so avoidance is recommended. Women who are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or nursing should not use this herb without explicit guidance from a qualified healthcare provider.
What is Trichilia emetica used for in traditional medicine?
Trichilia emetica has been used traditionally in southern African medicine for pain relief, snake bite treatment, and various skin conditions. The bark is prepared as a tea or poultice, while the seed oil is applied topically for cosmetic and dermatological purposes. Indigenous healers have employed it for wound healing and as an antimicrobial agent. Current scientific evidence supporting these uses is rated at level C, indicating limited clinical data but some pharmacological support from laboratory studies.
PubMed-compiled information sheet
This sheet was compiled from PubMed (NIH) abstracts using AI assistance. Every factual claim is cited to a real PubMed article (see the source list). It has not yet been human-reviewed — confirm with a healthcare provider before use.
Compiled from 30 PubMed articles · model: gemma4:31b
Summary
Trichilia emetica is a tropical African tree used in traditional medicine for various ailments, demonstrating diverse biological activities including antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic effects [PMID:39204668, 15588675, 24616741].
Background
Trichilia emetica (Meliaceae) is a tree or bush widely distributed in Tropical Africa, including Mali, Benin, and South Africa [PMID:15588675, 12648827, 30727395]. It is utilized as a naturalized hedge, shade plant, and source of medicinal oils and butter [PMID:33100879, 41095211].
Traditional uses
Traditional uses include treatment of various illnesses in Mali folk medicine [PMID:15588675], wound-healing using leaves [PMID:12648827], treatment of dysmenorrhea [PMID:22754061], and management of malaria and liver diseases [PMID:27169180, 25752587]. In Benin, it is used for sleeping sickness [PMID:15036465], and in South Africa, seeds are used for medicinal oil [PMID:30727395].
Active compounds
Identified compounds include kurubasch aldehyde (a sesquiterpenoid) [PMID:17365682], limonoids such as nymania 1, drageana 4, trichilin A, rohituka 3, and Tr-B [PMID:9514005], and kotschyin D [PMID:2222624 la]. Other constituents include pregnanes and androstanes from roots [PMID:24125178], phenolic acids (caffeic, ferulic, p-coumaric, syringic, vanillic, protocathecuic, and gallic acids) [PMID:16427228], and polysaccharides including arabinogalactan and rhamnogalacturonan [PMID:19150368, 12648827]. Seed oils are rich in saturated fatty acids, particularly palmitic acid (51.8%), and gamma-tocopherol [PMID:41095211].
Mechanism of action
Kotschyin D acts as a client-selective Hsp90 inhibitor by binding to the middle domain of the protein, potentially preventing interaction with the activator Aha1 [PMID:22226245]. Leaf extracts demonstrate alpha-amylase inhibition for antidiabetic activity [PMID:39204668]. Certain polysaccharides exhibit complement fixing ability [PMID:12648827].
Clinical evidence
Evidence DType 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Flavonoid-rich fractions from leaves decreased total cholesterol concentrations in an animal model and showed antioxidant capacities [PMID:24616741]
Evidence DHepatotoxicity
Aqueous root extracts exerted significant hepatoprotective activity against CCl4-induced damage in rat hepatocytes [PMID:15588675]
Evidence DCancer (S180 cells)
Kurubasch aldehyde was a potent inhibitor of S180 cancer cell proliferation (IC50 7.4 microM) [PMID:17365682]
Leaf polysaccharides possessed significant cough-suppressive effects on chemically induced cough in vivo [PMID:19150368]
Evidence DSchistosomiasis
Safety & adverse effects
Methylene chloride leaf extracts showed toxicity to mammalian cell lines (L6 and J774 cells), although usually at higher concentrations than the antitrypanosomal activity [PMID:15036465]. Seed butter obtained via Soxhlet extraction demonstrated the highest cytotoxicity in MTT assays [PMID:39204668].
Evidence summary
The current evidence is primarily based on in vitro assays and animal models (Level D), demonstrating significant pharmacological potential in antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and cytotoxic activities, but lacks human clinical trials.
PubMed sources
1.PMID: 17365682 (2007) — Cytotoxic kurubasch aldehyde from Trichilia emetica. · Natural product research
2.PMID: 39204668 (2024) — A Comparative Study on the Antidiabetic Activity, Cytotoxicity and Lipid Profile of Trichilia emetica Oils. · Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3.PMID: 33100879 (2020) — Quantitative and qualitative assessment on the suitability of seed oil from water plant (Trichilia emetica) for soap making. · Saudi journal of biological sciences
4.PMID: 39885899 (2024) — Antimycobacterial and Antifungal Activities of Leaf Extracts From Trichilia emetica. · Scientifica
5.PMID: 41095211 (2025) — Comparative Analysis of Mafura Butter Oils from Trichilia emetica and Trichilia dregeana Extracted by Screw-Press from Seeds Collected in KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa.
Government sources
No direct government monograph is available for this herb. The content below is AI-generated and has not been verified against an authoritative government source. Use the search links to check official sources before relying on this information.
Methylene chloride leaf extracts possessed antitrypanosomal activity with IC50s ranging from 1.5 to 39 microg/ml [PMID:15036465]
· Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
6.PMID: 24616741 (2014) — Free Radicals Scavenging Capacity, Antidiabetic and Antihypertensive Activities of Flavonoid-Rich Fractions from Leaves of Trichilia emetica and Opilia amentacea in an Animal Model of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. · Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
7.PMID: 24125178 (2013) — Androstanes and pregnanes from Trichilia emetica ssp. suberosa J.J. de Wilde. · Phytochemistry
8.PMID: 15588675 (2005) — Hepatoprotective and antibacterial effects of extracts from Trichilia emetica Vahl. (Meliaceae). · Journal of ethnopharmacology
9.PMID: 16427228 (2006) — Evaluation of the antioxidant properties and bioavailability of free and bound phenolic acids from Trichilia emetica Vahl. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
10.PMID: 12648827 (2003) — The malian medicinal plant Trichilia emetica; studies on polysaccharides with complement fixing ability. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
11.PMID: 30727395 (2012) — Shot-Hole Reaction of Trichilia emetica in Response to Infection by Cocconia concentrica in South Africa. · Plant disease
12.PMID: 22754061 (2011) — Medicinal plants traditionally used in Mali for dysmenorrhea. · African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM
13.PMID: 22226245 (2012) — Structural characterization of tetranortriterpenes from Pseudrocedrela kotschyi and Trichilia emetica and study of their activity towards the chaperone Hsp90. · Phytochemistry
14.PMID: 9514005 (1998) — Limonoids showing selective toxicity to DNA repair-deficient yeast and other constituents of Trichilia emetica. · Journal of natural products
15.PMID: 19150368 (2009) — Antitussive activity of polysaccharides isolated from the Malian medicinal plants. · International journal of biological macromolecules
16.PMID: 17126508 (2007) — Antiplasmodial and GABA(A)-benzodiazepine receptor binding activities of five plants used in traditional medicine in Mali, West Africa. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
17.PMID: 15036465 (2004) — In vitro antitrypanosomal activity of ethnopharmacologically selected Beninese plants. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
18.PMID: 11025158 (2000) — Efficiency of traditionally used South African plants against schistosomiasis. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
19.PMID: 26994818 (2016) — In vitro inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum early and late stage gametocyte viability by extracts from eight traditionally used South African plant species. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
20.PMID: 25752587 (2015) — Ethnobotanical study of plants used against malaria in Sélingué subdistrict, Mali. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
21.PMID: 20673795 (2010) — In vitro screening on β-amyloid peptide production of plants used in traditional medicine for cognitive disorders. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
22.PMID: 27169180 (2016) — Medicinal Plants Used in Mali for the Treatment of Malaria and Liver Diseases. · Natural product communications