This Newsletter Contains:
PENTADESMA BUTYRACEA ("Golden Shea"
TOGO ISSUES
BICYCLES FOR EDUCATION

PENTADESMA BUTYRACEA ("Golden Shea")
Kpangnan, pronounced "pa-nya," is the oil extracted from the seeds of Pentadesma butyracea, a tree that grows in the gallery forests along the rivers of West Africa. It is a bright yellow solid butter that has been sold in the USA as "golden shea butter" or "yellow shea butter." Although the fatty acid profile of Kpangnan is quite similar to that of shea butter, they are very different oils. Kpangnan is a harder butter at room temperature, more like cocoa butter than shea butter. It also has a very distinctive odor and smooth dry feel.

Kpangnan and shea butter differ in their unsaponifiable constituents, specifically in their sterol fractions. The majority of sterols in shea butter are spinasterol and stigmastenol. Kpangnan has a very unique composition, with stigmasterol being the principle sterol (44.7%). This is interesting, since stigmasterol is rarely found in nature. Stigmasterol is used as a starting material in the manufacture of synthetic progesterone, but has other interesting properties as well. Some research shows stigmasterol can lower the risk of certain cancers, including ovarian cancer. Certain extracts of stigmasterol have also been found to be affective topical anti-inflammatory agents.

Kpangnan can be used in soaps, lotions, and creams like shea butter or cocoa butter. Some lotion makers have told us that the powdery smooth texture of Kpangnan carries through in lotions.

You can read more about Kpangnan and the differences between it and shea butter at our website, www.agbangakarite.com.

Source: Dencausse et al. 1995. Comparaison des compositions lipidiques des beurres de pentadesma et de karite. Oleagineux Corps gras Lipides 2:143-147.

TOGO NEWS

Due to recent events in Togo, some of you may be concerned about the availability of our products. We would like to reassure you that these events will not affect our supply, as we are located far from the political center. In fact, another shipment will be leaving next week.

BICYCLES FOR EDUCATION

The website for the Global Alliance for Community Empowerment is now up. You can view it at www.empowermentalliance.org.

We are now accepting donations of working bicycles for our Bicycles for Education project. In many areas of Togo, West Africa, students walk up to 10 miles a day to go to school. Schools do not provide transportation, and the families cannot afford bicycles. Not only does walking take a large amount of time, but it is also physically demanding for the children. Our Bicycles for Education project aims to gather functioning used bicycles to distribute to children in their communities in central Togo. These bicycles will encourage children's participation in school and allow them more time to study. For more information about donating your bicycle, please visit the website above.

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Copyright 2004-2005 Agbanga Karite Group

Volumes:

October 2004
November 2004
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January 2005
February 2005
March 2005
April 2005
May 2005