What is African peach / pin cushion tree?

African peach is a small tree of West and Central Africa. People use its root bark, stem bark, leaves and fruit as folk medicine. Botanists now call it Sarcocephalus latifolius; older papers call it Nauclea latifolia.

In Hausa it is tafashiya. The round, knobbly fruit is eaten as a wild snack. The bitter root bark is the part most often boiled into a drink for fever, pain or gut trouble.

Here is the honest verdict. Nearly all the research sits in test tubes and rodents. Long traditional use is not proof that it works, and it is not proof that it is safe.

This page covers what the tradition claimed, what the lab and animal work shows, and who should stay away from it.

How does African peach / pin cushion tree work?

No one has shown how this plant acts in the human body. Everything below comes from lab dishes or animals.

The root bark is rich in bitter indole alkaloids. In test tubes, some of these slow the growth of Plasmodium falciparum, the main malaria parasite. Whether that happens in a person who drinks the bark is not known.

In test tubes, bark and leaf extracts also slow some bacteria and fungi. Lab activity is a long way from treating an infection in a body.

In rats and mice, extracts have lowered blood sugar, eased pain signals, calmed the gut and reduced fits. Rodents are not people, and the doses used were often far higher than a home drink.

The tannins in the bark bind to proteins and tighten tissue. That may explain the firm, drying taste and the old use for loose stools. It has not been tested as a treatment in people.

One 2013 report claimed the roots contained tramadol, a strong painkiller. Later work found the tramadol came from local contamination, not from the plant itself. The plant does not make it.

What forms does African peach / pin cushion tree come in?

Most use is of the raw plant, not a packaged product.

Common forms:

- Dried root bark, sold in pieces or ground to powder - Stem bark chips - Dried or fresh leaves - Twigs used as chewing sticks for teeth - The ripe fruit, eaten fresh as food - Mixed herbal drinks sold in West African markets, often with several other plants

Some capsules and bottled tonics are sold online and in local shops. These rarely state how much plant material they hold.

Mixed market preparations carry an extra risk. You cannot tell what else is in them, and some have been found adulterated with drugs.

Where it comes from:

African peach has a long, well-recorded place in West African folk medicine. Healers in Nigeria, Niger, Ghana, Mali, Senegal and Guinea used it for generations.

The root bark was boiled for fever and for what people called malaria. Because of this, traders sometimes called the bark African quinine. The name reflected the bitter taste and the use, not a proven match to quinine.

Other recorded traditional uses:

- Loose stools, dysentery and stomach pain - Toothache and gum care, using twigs as chewing sticks - Wounds, sores and skin problems - Worms and other gut parasites - Fits and convulsions, in some communities - General tonic drinks after illness

The fruit has also been plain food. Children and farm workers eat it from the tree.

This page records that history. It does not suggest you copy it at home.

What does African peach / pin cushion tree help with?

• Fever and malaria symptoms (traditional use): This is the best known traditional use. Boiled root bark was given for fever across West Africa. In test tubes, alkaloids from the plant slow the malaria parasite. Some rodent studies also show lower parasite counts. No human trial has tested the plant. Malaria can kill within days. Tested drugs exist and work. Treating a fever with bark instead of getting a test is a real and serious danger.
• Diarrhoea and dysentery: Bark and leaf drinks were used to settle loose stools and bloody stools. In rats and mice, extracts slowed gut movement and reduced diarrhoea. The tannins in the bark may also tighten the gut lining, based on lab work. There is no human study. Bad or long diarrhoea needs fluids and medical care, especially in children.
• Stomach pain and indigestion: Bitter bark drinks were a standard home remedy for belly pain. In rodents, extracts have eased pain responses and protected the stomach lining from damage. These were short animal studies at set doses. Nothing has been tested in people. The drink itself can cause nausea in some users.
• Toothache and gum care: Twigs were chewed to clean teeth and ease toothache. In test tubes, extracts slow some mouth bacteria. Whether that cleans a real mouth or treats an abscess is not established. A 2013 report claimed the roots held tramadol, a strong painkiller. Later work showed that came from contamination in the area, not from the plant.
• Wounds and skin sores: Pounded bark and leaves were put on cuts, boils and sores. Lab tests show activity against some bacteria and fungi. Some rodent studies report faster wound closure. No human trial exists. Raw plant material on an open wound can also carry dirt and germs.
• High blood sugar (traditional claim): Some healers gave the bark for the thirst and weight loss of diabetes. In diabetic rats, extracts have lowered blood sugar in several studies. This finding is fairly repeatable in animals. It has never been shown in people. It also means the plant may clash with diabetes medicines and push sugar too low.
• Worms and gut parasites: Bitter bark drinks were used to clear worms. In lab dishes, extracts have killed or paralysed some worm species. That is a long way from clearing worms in a gut. No human data exists. Cheap, safe, tested worm medicines are widely available.
• Fits and convulsions (traditional use): In parts of Nigeria the root was used for fits and for restlessness. In mice, extracts delayed chemically induced fits and had a calming effect. The doses were high and the studies small. There is no human evidence. Epilepsy needs proper diagnosis and proven medicine, not bark.

Which foods are rich in African peach / pin cushion tree?

The ripe fruit is eaten as a wild food in West Africa. It is sweet and soft, with a pale, knobbly skin. Eating the fruit is not the same as drinking a bark preparation, which is far stronger and far more bitter.

What are the side effects of African peach / pin cushion tree?

• Nausea and vomiting
• Stomach pain or cramps
• Loose stools
• Very bitter taste and dry mouth
• Dizziness or drowsiness
• Low blood sugar signs: shaky, sweaty, confused
• Skin rash or itching
• Raised liver and kidney markers, seen in animals given high doses

Good to know:

Honest summary: no one has tracked side effects in people in a proper study.

The list above comes from user reports, traditional notes and animal work. How often each happens is unknown. Mild gut upset seems to be the most common complaint.

The biggest real-world harm is not a side effect at all. It is delay. Using bark for a fever that turns out to be malaria can cost lives.

How much African peach / pin cushion tree should you take?

• Recommended daily: No safe or standard dose can be given for this plant. The reasons are plain: - No human trial has set a dose for any use - Alkaloid levels differ between root, stem and leaf - Levels also differ by tree, soil and season - Few products state how much plant they contain - Market mixtures may hold other plants or added drugs Traditional amounts varied from healer to healer and were never measured. Any number on a label is the seller's guess, not a tested amount. If you are thinking of using it, talk to a doctor or pharmacist first.
• Best time of day: No evidence links any time of day to a better or worse effect. The drink is very bitter and can upset an empty stomach. People who use it often take it with or after a meal.
• With or without food: Taking it with food is the gentler option, for comfort only. Bitter bark drinks commonly cause nausea on an empty stomach. No study has compared food with no food for any effect.
• Time to effect: There is no reliable answer, because no human trial has measured one. It may do nothing at all for your problem. If you have a fever that is not settling, do not wait and watch. Get tested.
• How long to take it: No one can say how long it is safe to take. Traditional use was usually short, over a few days of illness. Daily long-term use has never been studied in people. In rodents, high doses over weeks changed liver and kidney blood markers. That is an animal finding, but it is a fair warning against long courses.