Vaocanga Africana Seeds

Voacanga africana is one of the well guarded secrets of the African Magic Healers. Little is know about the actual use other than that the plant is held in high esteem for ritual and visionary purposes. The root is used as a stimulant during hunts that often last for days. The seeds extract is Voacamine, Vincamine etc.

Scientific name: Voacanga africana

Common name: Voacanga

Local names: Bedaa (Asante), Bonawa (Akyem), Fruma (Kwahu). Obranfoa, mpentemaba (Fanti) Atweadae (Dormaa), fakapenpen (Sefwi) bakye-bakye (Enchi), freketema (Ahanta) Kreketema (Wassa), tsikogoe (Hohoe) etc. foba (Nzema)

Family: Apocynaceae

Description: It is a small tropical tree that grows to 6m in height with wild glossy flowers, with scent of mushroom during flowering.

Habitat: It is a deciduous tree found in forest and high savannah areas.

Parts used: seed, root bark (radix) and bark

Uses: (folklore): Stem bark and seeds of the tree are used as a poison, stimulant, aphrodisiac and ceremonial psychedelic. Leaves used in treating burns.

Active ingredients: Iboga alkaloids such as voacangine, voacamine, vobtussne, amataine, akuammidine, tabersonine, coronaridine, others are ibogaine,

oboxygaine and iboluteine. Orthodox uses: Manages Alzheimer's disease (enhance

memory), suppresses drug addition; used as hypotensives. (The presence of vobtussive is active in the treatment of Cardiac problems.

SPEARSON

GHANA