Aspilia Explained

Aspilia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae.^{[1] [2] [3]} Some authors have merged this genus with Wedelia, but others maintain that more study is required.^[4] Aspilia is native to Africa, Madagascar, and Latin America.

Medicinal uses

Historically, Aspilia africana was used in Mbaise and most Igbo speaking parts of Nigeria to prevent conception, suggesting potential contraceptive and anti-fertility properties.^[5] Leaf extract and fractions of A. africana effectively arrested bleeding from fresh wounds, inhibited microbial growth of known wound contaminants and accelerated wound healing process.^[6] Aspilia is hypothesized to be used as herbal medicine by some chimpanzees.^{[7] [8]}

Species

List of Aspilia species:^[9]

Notes and References

1. Thouars, Louis-Marie Aubert du Petit-. 1806. Genera Nova Madagascariensia 12
2. http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/genus.php?genus_id=1522 Wild, H. (1967) The Compositae of the Flora Zambesiaca area. 1. Heliantheae. Kirkia 6(1) 1-62
3. http://www.tropicos.org/Name/40021031 Tropicos, Aspilia Thouars
4. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13752349#page/25/mode/1up Tadessa, Mesfin. 1999. New combinations, varieties, and synonyms in African Compositae. Compositae Newsletter 33:23-32.
5. Oluyemi Kayode A.; Okwuonu Uche C.; Baxter D. Grillo & Oyesola Tolulope, O.,"Toxic Effects of Methanolic Extract of Aspilia africana Leaf on the Estrous Cycle and Uterine Tissues of Wistar Rats" Int. J. Morphol., 25(3):609-614, 2007.
6. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine Volume 7 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/7/24
7. Web site: 8_1 Chimpanzee Medicine Chest . 2011-09-22 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110608070200/http://www.uic.edu/classes/osci/osci590/8_1%20Chimpanzee%20Medicine%20Chest.htm . 2011-06-08 .
8. Raffaele Paul "Among the Great Apes",Harper, 2010 p98
9. https://archive.today/20141108140620/http://dixon.iplantcollaborative.org/CompositaeWeb/default.aspx?Page=NameDetails&TabNum=0&NameId=4D43A33E-B714-429E-8653-3B4E61E3321B Flann, C (ed) 2009+ Global Compositae Checklist Accessed