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.[5]

Aspilia
Aspilia foliacea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Heliantheae
Subtribe: Ecliptinae
Genus: Aspilia
Thouars
Type species
Aspilia thouarsii

Medicinal uses

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Historically, Aspilia africana was used in Mbaise and most Igbo speaking parts of Nigeria to prevent conception, suggesting potential contraceptive and anti-fertility properties.[6] 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.[7] Aspilia is hypothesized to be used as herbal medicine by some chimpanzees.[8][9]

Species

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List of Aspilia species:[5]

References

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  1. ^ Thouars, Louis-Marie Aubert du Petit-. 1806. Genera Nova Madagascariensia 12
  2. ^ Wild, H. (1967) The Compositae of the Flora Zambesiaca area. 1. Heliantheae. Kirkia 6(1) 1-62
  3. ^ Tropicos, Aspilia Thouars
  4. ^ Tadessa, Mesfin. 1999. New combinations, varieties, and synonyms in African Compositae. Compositae Newsletter 33:23-32.
  5. ^ a b Flann, C (ed) 2009+ Global Compositae Checklist Accessed
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine Volume 7 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/7/24
  8. ^ "8_1 Chimpanzee Medicine Chest". Archived from the original on 2011-06-08. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  9. ^ Raffaele Paul "Among the Great Apes",Harper, 2010 p98