A. Species
Scientific name: Prunus africana
Common name(s): African cherry
Global IUCN Red List Threat Status: Vulnerable
B. Location of use
Geographic location(s):
- Cameroon
Country/Region:
C. Scale of assessment
Scale of assessment: Sub-national / Sub-region / Sub-State
Name/Details of location: Oku, Jakiri, Belo and Fundong, covering mount Kilum-Ijim.
D. Timescale of use
Start Year: 2009
End Year: 2009
E. Information about the use
How is the wild species sourced?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat
Type of use: Extractive
Practice of use: Logging and/or Wood Harvesting
Lethal or non-lethal: Lethal and Non-Lethal
Does this use involve take/extraction of: The whole entire organism and Only parts or products of the organism
Purpose(s) of end use: Medicine and hygiene
Motivation of use: Income generation from trade (individual/household/community) and Largescale commercial exploitation for trade
Is this use legal or illegal?: Legal under national law
F. Information about the Users
Which stakeholder(s) does the record primarily focus on?: Local people and National / local private sector
G. Information about the sustainability of use
Is there evidence that the use is having an impact on the target species?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an ecological perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered unsustainable
Details of assessment carried out: This MSc thesis
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Generally, P. africana has been under high and unsustainable exploitation following the harvest of its bark by the local population and companies (Plantecam-Medicam). Emphasis in this study was more on best practice techniques to minimize tree damage when bark stripping, regional differences in contemporary tree stands, and rates of tree damage. However, high and sustainable rates of natural P. africana regeneration were mentioned for some sites.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an economic perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered unsustainable
Details of assessment carried out: This MSc thesis
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Implicitly, profits based on an unsustainable resource cannot be sustainable. n the 1997, the price of a kilogram of bark was estimated to 170 FCFA and 0.20 U.S dollars respectively in Cameroon and Madagascar. The over-the-counter value of Prunus africana products on World market is 220 million dollars annually.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a social perspective been recorded?: No, sustainability not determined
Details of assessment carried out: This MSc thesis
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: The availability of P. africana bark is ecologically unsustainable but this bark is important to local people. Prunus africana is the fourth most popular medicinal plant according to interviews with families in the region of Mount Cameroon. In the Oku area, barks is mixed with honey for the treatment of stomachache and malaria fever by traditional practitioners. Leaves and roots of Prunus africana are used for fever treatment, stomachaches, and heart infections. Non-crystalline and purified crystalline extracts of Prunus africana plant are the active ingredient in the medical treatment for glandular disorders such as benign prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a human health perspective been recorded?: No, sustainability not determined
Details of assessment carried out: This MSc thesis
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: The availability of P. africana bark is ecologically unsustainable but this bark is important to local people. Prunus africana is the fourth most popular medicinal plant according to interviews with families in the region of Mount Cameroon. In the Oku area, barks is mixed with honey for the treatment of stomachache and malaria fever by traditional practitioners. Leaves and roots of Prunus africana are used for fever treatment, stomachaches, and heart infections. Non-crystalline and purified crystalline extracts of Prunus africana plant are the active ingredient in the medical treatment for glandular disorders such as benign prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an animal health/welfare perspective been recorded?: not recorded
Recommendations provided in the record to maintain or enhance the sustainability of the use of the target species
This MSc clearly intends to conclude with recommendations, but they are missing from this file, beyond the final colon.
Record source
Information about the record source: grey_lit
Date of publication/issue/production: 2010-01-01T00:00:00+0000
Source Reference(s):
Thesis presented in partial fulfilment for the obtention of a Master II certificate by Charles NDIFON NCHAMCHAM.
University of Yaounde I.
Date of record entry: 2023-09-21