The sausage tree (Kigelia pinnata):: ethnobotany and recent scientific work

Kigelia pinnata (Bignoniaceae), colloquially called the Sausage Tree, or Worsboom, on account of its large fruits, has a variety of medicinal uses throughout Africa where it grows as an endemic species in many areas. Chemical examination has resulted in the isolation of iridoids and naphthoquinolds as important secondary metabolites but flavonoids and lignans have also been isolated. Investigation into the biological activity of K. pinnata has focussed on its antibacterial activity and its cytotoxic effects against cancer cell lines. These are related to the traditional uses of bark and fruit extracts for treating diseases caused by micro-organisms and as a remedy for skin cancer. The iridoids and naphthoquinones have been shown to display antibacterial activity and also the ability to inhibit the growth of yeasts. Considerable in vitro cytotoxicity has been demonstrated by extracts of the fruits and barks and the iridoid-related compound norviburtinal and the naphthoquinone isopinnatal have been shown to be two of the compounds responsible. Although little ethnopharmacological evidence exists, the naphthoquinones are active against several protozoal species associated with disease. The compounds also show cytotoxicity against mammalian cell lines. More research is needed to investigate further the reputed effects on the skin of extracts of this plant.