''Zanthoxylum gilletii'', the East African satinwood, is a tree species in the genus ''

Zanthoxylum ''Zanthoxylum'' is a genus of about 250 species of deciduous and evergreen trees, shrubs and climbers in the family Rutaceae that are native to warm temperate and subtropical areas worldwide. It is the type genus of the tribe Zanthoxyleae in ...

'' found in Africa. The fruits are used to produce the spice

uzazi The term Uzazi refers to the dried fruit of the West African deciduous shrub ''Zanthoxylum gilletii'', syn. ''Fagara tessmannii'', a member of the 'prickly ash' ''Zanthoxylum ''Zanthoxylum'' is a genus of about 250 species of deciduous ...

Chemistry

The alkaloid

nitidine Nitidine is a benzophenanthridine alkaloid found in species of the genus ''Zanthoxylum '', notably in ''Zanthoxylum nitidum ''Zanthoxylum nitidum'', commonly known as shiny-leaf prickly-ash, tez-mui (in Assamese) or liang mian zhen (in China) ...

can be isolated from the plant. The amide alkaloids N-(4-hydroxyphenethyl)octacosanamide, N-(4-hydroxyphenethyl)hexacosanamide, N-(4-hydroxyphenethyl)decanamide, N-vanilloyltyramine and N- -docosanoylvanilloylyramine can be isolated from the stem bark. The lignan

sesamin Sesamin is a lignan isolated from the bark of ''Fagara'' plants and from sesame oil. It has been used as a dietary fat-reduction supplement. Its major metabolite is enterolactone, which has an elimination half life of less than 6 hours. Sesamin an ...

, the N-isobutylamide γ-

sanshool Hydroxy-''alpha''-sanshool is a molecule found in plants from the genus ''Zanthoxylum''. It is believed to be responsible for the numbing and tingling sensation caused by eating food cooked with Sichuan peppercorns and Uzazi. The term ''sansh ...

, the

acridone alkaloids Acridone alkaloids are natural products derived from acridone. Occurrence Acridone alkaloids are found in bark, wood, leaves and roots of rue plants, especially in roots and suspension cultures of rue. Examples This group is named after ...

1-hydroxy-3-methoxy-N-methylacridone, arborinine, xanthoxoline and 1-hydroxy-3-methoxyacridone can also be extracted from the bark as well as the alkaloids oblongine, tembetarine and

magnoflorine ''(S)-''Magnoflorine is a quaternary benzylisoquinoline alkaloid (BIA) of the aporphine structural subgroup which has been isolated from various species of the family Menispermaceae, such as ''Pachygone ovata,'' ''Sinomenium acutum,'' and '' Ciss ...

and the flavonoid

hesperidin Hesperidin is a flavanone glycoside found in citrus fruits. Its aglycone form is called hesperetin. Its name is derived from the word "hesperidium", for fruit produced by citrus trees. Hesperidin was first isolated in 1828 by French chemist M. ...

References

External links

* http://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org/sea/products/afdbases/af/asp/SpeciesInfo.asp?SpID=17988 gilletii Flora of Africa Plants described in 1975 Taxa named by Émile Auguste Joseph De Wildeman {{Rutaceae-stub