Zanthoxylum Fagara

1.   History and use

The root of Guene gui deg is widely used in Senegal as a toothbrush. lt has a very popular pungent flavor and used to soothe dental pain and infections. lt is also by examining the antibacterial properties of an extract from the plant on a culture medium containing blood. Professor SOFOWORA from Nigeria found that the blood on which the “Guene mistletoe” had been deposited remained red for a very long time, and he concluded that the plant should prevent hemolysis of red blood cells.

For fifteen more than thirty publications have years indicated the anti-panpiotic action of the plant, that is to say the important power it has to give red blood cells their normal round shape in patients and to allow a better supply of oxygen of the plant has been isolated and tablets prepared in Nigeria.

2.   Description of the plant

Small tree 6 to 7 meters high, with many hooked spines on the branches, all the organs give off a lemony odor, the leaves are imparipinnate and the flowers are fragrant white.

3.      Curative action

An extract of the plant given orally corresponding to one gram of root powder three times a day to a very sick sickle-cell completely removes the attacks which are on average 25 per month. The active ingredients responsible for the anti-panrocytive action are acids whose main one is hydroxynlethyl-benzoic acid and also zanthoxylol.

4.   Uses

Anti-hepatocyte Make a maceration of the plant for 24 hours (100 grams of roots in 100 ml of water) and drink three times a day 5 ml of the solution or take one gram three times per day of root powder.