Phytochemicals, bioactivity, and ethnopharmacological potential of selected indigenous plants

Abstract

The coastal regions of Africa are endowed with indigenous wild fruit plants rich in nutritional and medicinal phytochemicals and micronutrients. South African wild fruit plants complement the diet and health needs of rural poor households by providing vital dietary nutrients and remedies for various health concerns, and alleviating food insecurity. Milk plum, Natal plum, wild custard apple, and wild medlar medicinal plants are found mainly in the coastal provinces of South Africa. Studies have established that these plants are good sources of vitamins, essential elements, and bioactive phytocompounds such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, and terpenoids, which demonstrate significant antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. The plants studied possess anti-epileptic, antiplasmodial, and snake antivenom qualities. Here we highlight the views of different reports on ethnopharmacological relevance, phytochemistry, and bioactivity of the selected South African indigenous medicinal plants. We found a research gap in the phytochemical composition and phytopharmacological activity evaluation of Carissa macrocarpa and Englerophytum magalismontanum.

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“…The tree bears pendulous (downward hanging) clusters of nearly spherical green fruits that turn yellow–brown when ripe from January to April, and they can reach a diameter of 25 mm. [ 89 , 90 ]. Wild medlar has phytochemicals such as tannins (procyanidin B5, procyanidin dimer B1, procyanidin B-type dimer), xanthohumol A, terpenoids, coumaroylquinic acid, caffeoylshikimic acid esters, saponins, anthocyanin derivatives, flavonoid aglycones (catechin); flavonoid glycosides (quercetin-3-O-rutinoside), aromatic amino acid tryptophan, and phenolic acids extracted from fruits, root bark, aerial shoots, leaves, and roots.…”

“…Wild medlar has phytochemicals such as tannins (procyanidin B5, procyanidin dimer B1, procyanidin B-type dimer), xanthohumol A, terpenoids, coumaroylquinic acid, caffeoylshikimic acid esters, saponins, anthocyanin derivatives, flavonoid aglycones (catechin); flavonoid glycosides (quercetin-3-O-rutinoside), aromatic amino acid tryptophan, and phenolic acids extracted from fruits, root bark, aerial shoots, leaves, and roots. [ 67 , 88 , 89 , 91 ]. Wild medlar has been utilized to treat roundworm, snake bites, malaria, fever, fungal infections (candidiasis), pneumonia, and chest-related problems in traditional medicine [ 56 , 88 , 92 ].…”