Kola nut
Common name
Cola, Cola Nut
ID
HD0186
Scientific name of the plant
Cola acuminata and/or Cola nitida
Anatomical part for use
fruit
Human use
Fatigue & weakness
Summary
The term kola nut usually refers to the seeds of certain species of plant of the genus Cola, placed formerly in the cocoa family Sterculiaceae and now usually subsumed in the mallow family Malvaceae (as subfamily Sterculioideae). These cola species are trees native to the tropical rainforests of Africa. Their caffeine-containing seeds are used as flavouring ingredients in beverages – whence the name ‘cola’, applied to various carbonated soft drinks, originates.
Evidence Level
Level 0 (No convinced report of liver injury caused by herbal and dietary supplement)
Hepatotoxicity Description
N/A
Uses
The kola nut has a bitter flavor and contains caffeine. It is chewed in many West African countries, in both private and social settings. It is often used ceremonially, presented to chiefs or guests. In folk medicine, kola nuts are considered useful for aiding digestion when ground and mixed with honey, and are used as a remedy for coughs. Kola nuts are perhaps best known to Western culture as a flavoring ingredient and one of the sources of caffeine in cola and other similarly flavored beverages, although kola nut extract is no longer used in major commercial cola drinks such as Coca-Cola. (Source: Wiki)
Common name
Cola, Cola Nut
ID
HD0186
Scientific name of the plant
Cola acuminata and/or Cola nitida
Anatomical part for use
fruit
Human use
Fatigue & weakness
Summary
The term kola nut usually refers to the seeds of certain species of plant of the genus Cola, placed formerly in the cocoa family Sterculiaceae and now usually subsumed in the mallow family Malvaceae (as subfamily Sterculioideae). These cola species are trees native to the tropical rainforests of Africa. Their caffeine-containing seeds are used as flavouring ingredients in beverages – whence the name ‘cola’, applied to various carbonated soft drinks, originates.
Evidence Level
Level 0 (No convinced report of liver injury caused by herbal and dietary supplement)
Hepatotoxicity Description
N/A
Uses
The kola nut has a bitter flavor and contains caffeine. It is chewed in many West African countries, in both private and social settings. It is often used ceremonially, presented to chiefs or guests. In folk medicine, kola nuts are considered useful for aiding digestion when ground and mixed with honey, and are used as a remedy for coughs. Kola nuts are perhaps best known to Western culture as a flavoring ingredient and one of the sources of caffeine in cola and other similarly flavored beverages, although kola nut extract is no longer used in major commercial cola drinks such as Coca-Cola. (Source: Wiki)