Ethnobotanical Potentials of Nauclea Latifolia (egbesi Plant) In African Traditional Medicine
Posted: Tuesday, July 06, 2010
by Rahaman Onike
This plant belongs to the Rubiacea family. It is also called sarcocephalus latifolus .The common name of the plant is African peach .The commonly used parts of the plant include bark, fruit, roots, stem and sap. In Nigeria , Nauclea Latifolia is called Egbesi [Yoruba] uburu inu/nbitinu [Igbo] and marga [Hausa] in the local languages
The result of biochemical evaluation of the fruit of Nauclea of latifolia carried out by Nkafamiya I. et al (2006) in the African Journal of Biotechnology Vol 6 [19 ] shows that the fruit of egbesi plant/tree possess high values of calcium,phosphorous and magnesium and this indicates that the fruit can play a vital role in the development of bones,teeth, it is a co-factor in enzymatic reactions, good for nerve impulse transmission and can be used as anti clotting agent . The iron levels of the fruit which range between 1.8-6.7mg/100g is 2-5 times higher than value obtain in fruit like orange [0.2mg/100g] and mango [0.4mg/100g]
The level of ascorbic acids in Nauclea Latifolia [Egbesi] fruits [309.00± 0.22mg/100g] is significantly higher [P <0.05]when compare with values of orange [50mg/100g and strawberries [59mg/100g]. These fruits will therefore prove important in the prevention of scurvy and alleviate symptoms of common cold.
The phytochemical elements that define its medicinal values include oxalate,phytate,saponins,tannins and alkaloids. According to Nkafamiya I.et al (2006) of Federal University of Technology,Yola, Adamawa State , Nigeria ,in the African Journal of Biotechnology Vol.6(19)pp2461-2463,report that Nuclea Latifolia contains 10.50±1.12mg/100g of oxalate,0.85±0.01mg/100g of pyhtate,6.03±mg/100g of saponins and 4.62mg/100g of tannin.
Ogunleye(2010)following the result of ethnobotanical survey of uses of medicinal plants reports that Nuclea Latifolia is good for the treatment of malaria fever(www.fao.org/docrep/article).Sonibare and Gbile(2008) in African Journal of Traditional ,Complimentary and Alternative Medicines Vol.5,No4,2008,pp340-345 report that Nuclea Latifolia is good for the treatment of ashma.
Aiyeloja and Bello(2006)in Educational Research and Review Vol.1(1)pp16-22 report that Nuclea Latifolia is good for the treatment of yellow fever.Prof.Odugbemi(2008)in the book entitled-Outlines and Pictures of Medicinal Plants from Nigeria,University of Lagos, reports that Nuclea Latifolia is good for the treatment of cough,febrile conditions,thrush,jaundice,piles,emetic,menstrual disorders, stomach disorders,meascles,sore etc.
Biochemical evaluation of the plant (Nuclea Latifolia)indicates that the plant has high anti-diabetic property, high anti-hypertensive property,anti-palpitation,anti-convulsant,anti-depressant and anti-abortifient.In African traditional medicine,Nauclea Latifolia (EGBESI PLANT)has neuropharmacological effects and it is also being used as herbal recipe for its cardiovascular activities.
Nauclea Latifolia according to www.docstoc.com is a good anti-anxiety, good aphrodisiac,invitro antispasmodic activity,antibiotic,antiviral,anti-inflammatory and equally has anti-cancer property.Also,nauclea latifolia has analgesic property,anxiolitic and good for the treatment of arthritis.
The active constituents of the plant can be extracted by decotion,aqeous extraction,methanolic extraction and can be used in powdered form.
This Article has been viewed 1,268 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.