Pruni africani cortex

Pruni africani cortex, also known as Pygei africani cortex or African plum tree bark, is a drug made from the whole or cut, dried bark of the African plum tree.

The drug is used medicinally to treat complaints of the lower urinary tract, especially benign prostatic syndrome.
Since preparations containing African plum tree bark only gained importance in the EU countries after the Commission E monographs were compiled, there is no Commission E monograph, but there is one from ESCOP. The quality is laid down in the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.).

HMPC monograph: Traditional-use: complaints of the urinary tract in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
ESCOP monograph: symptomatic treatment of micturition complaints in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in stages I and II (according to Alken) or stages II and III (according to Vahlensieck) such as painful and frequent urination, nocturnal urge to urinate and urinary retention.
Commission E: no monograph for African plum tree bark.

African plum tree bark contains steroids(sitosterol) phenolic and terpene acids such as oleanolic acid, tannins, phytosterols and N-butylbenzoesulfonamide.

Extracts of African plum tree bark have anti-inflammatory, anti-germinative and antiandrogenic effects.

Pruni africani cortex is used for the symptomatic treatment of benign prostate enlargement (n. ESCOP: benign prostate syndrome grade I-II according to Alken).

The daily dose is 100 to 200 mg of a lipophilic extract.

Rarely: indigestion (nausea, constipation) or diarrhoea.

Allergy to one of the ingredients, children and adolescents under 18 years of age, no data for pregnancy and gestation.

There are no known interactions with other drugs.

As currently (2016) no pygeum preparations are available in Germany, preparations with a prescription can be ordered in Switzerland, as they are officially approved there.

1. Schilcher H (216) In: Leitfaden Phytotherapie, Urban & Fischer Verlag München, pp. 252 f.
2. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/plum-tree--african.php.
3. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/final-european-union-herbal-monograph-prunus-africana-hook-f-kalkm-cortex_en.pdf