Dust Almanac

Makore

Tieghemella heckelii · Sapotaceae · hardwood

Also known as: makoré, cherry mahogany, African cherry

Region: West Africa

Planed board of makore with fine-textured pinkish to reddish-brown heartwood and a narrow pale sapwood edge.

A fine-textured, pinkish to reddish-brown West African hardwood, sometimes used as a stand-in for cherry or mahogany. Used for furniture, veneers, panelling, flooring, doors, and boats.

Health hazards

  • Asthma / respiratory allergy

    Evidence: Confirmed in clinical testing

    A cabinet maker's asthma was confirmed by specific challenge with an extract of makore dust, which produced both an immediate and a delayed reaction. No IgE mechanism was found, and the paper refers to the wood as African cherry (makore).1

    Effects
    asthma
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Skin irritation

    Evidence: Listed by an agency

    HSE lists dermatitis among reported effects of makore. The wood contains a quinone that sensitized guinea pigs in laboratory tests.23

    Effects
    dermatitis
    Exposure route
    skin
    From
    dust

  • Respiratory irritation

    Evidence: Listed by an agency

    HSE lists irritation of the nose, throat and airways from makore dust.2

    Effects
    mucous membrane irritation, respiratory tract irritation
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Whole-body (systemic) effects

    Evidence: Listed by an agency

    HSE also lists effects on the nervous system and blood from makore. No primary report describing these effects was found during this review.2

    Effects
    central nervous system effects, blood effects
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Cancer

    Evidence: Applies to all wood dust

    IARC classifies all wood dust as carcinogenic to humans, chiefly through cancers of the nose and sinuses. This applies to makore dust as it does to any other wood.4

    Effects
    nasal and sinus cancer
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

Not finding a hazard listed here does not mean this wood is safe. All wood dust is hazardous; see how to protect yourself.

Exposure limits

Workplace exposure limits (8-hour average, mg/m³)
BodyLimitNotes
ACGIH TLV1 mg/m³ (inhalable) source
EU binding limit (hardwood)2 mg/m³Applies to all hardwood dust
UK WEL (hardwood)3 mg/m³Applies to all hardwood dust
NIOSH REL1 mg/m³Recommended limit for all wood dust

Compare limits across agencies.

Cancer classifications

Known compounds

  • 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone: quinone contact sensitizer found in makore and many other woods source

Not the same as Prunus africana, which is also called African cherry. See notes_internal.

Sources

  1. Obata H, Dittrick M, Chan H, Chan-Yeung M. Occupational asthma due to exposure to African cherry (Makore) wood dust. Intern Med. 2000;39(11):947-949. Link
  2. Health and Safety Executive. Toxic woods. Woodworking Information Sheet No 30 (Revision 1), WIS30(rev1). HSE; first published 11/2012. Withdrawn from hse.gov.uk (404 since c. Jan 2020); archived copy cited. Link
  3. Hausen BM. Sensitizing capacity of naturally occurring quinones. V. 2,6-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone: occurrence and significance as a contact allergen. Contact Dermatitis. 1978;4(4):204-213. Link
  4. IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Wood Dust and Formaldehyde. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, Vol. 62. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 1995. Link
  5. US Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Occupational Chemical Database: Wood Dust. Last updated 06/23/2023. Link

Last reviewed .