BALANITES MAUGHAMII SPRAGUE (ZYGOPHYLLACEAE) IN TROPICAL AFRICA: A SYNTHESIS AND REVIEW OF ITS CHEMISTRY, PHARMACOLOGY, AND MEDICINAL POTENTIAL

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY OF BALANITES MAUGHAMII

Authors

  • ALFRED MAROYI Department of Botany, Medicinal Plants and Economic Development Research Centre, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22159/ajpcr.2019.v12i7.33915

Keywords:

Balanites maughamii,, Ethnopharmacology, Herbal medicine,, Indigenous pharmacopeia,, Southern Africa,, Zygophyllaceae

Abstract

Balanites maughamii is an important medicinal plant species in Southern Africa. This study is aimed at providing a critical review of the biological activities, phytochemistry, and medicinal uses of B. maughamii. Documented information on biological activities, medicinal uses, and phytochemistry of B. maughamii was collected from several online sources which included BMC, Scopus, SciFinder, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Elsevier, PubMed, and Web of Science. Additional information on the biological activities, phytochemistry and medicinal uses of B. maughamii were collected from pre-electronic sources such as book chapters, books, journal articles, theses, and scientific publications sourced from the university library. This study showed that the bark, fruits, leaves, and roots of B. maughamii are traditionally used for magical purposes, as emetic, tonic, fish poison, insecticidal, and herbal medicine for bilharzia. Phytochemical compounds identified from the bark, fruits, and leaves of B. maughamii are aliphatic alcohols, aliphatic ketones, benzenoid compounds, aliphatic acids, amino acids, coumarin, aliphatic esters, flavonoids, aliphatic aldehydes, and sterol. Pharmacological research revealed that B. maughamii extracts have adulticidal, antibacterial, antiplasmodial, bitterness, molluscicidal, and mutagenic activities. Future research should focus on evaluating the phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological properties of B. maughamii crude extracts as well as compounds isolated from the species.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Sheahan MC. Zygophyllaceae. In: Kubitzki K, editor. The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants: Flowering Plants Eudicots. Berlin: Springer; 2007. p. 488-500.

Hutchinson J. The Families of Flowering Plants. Oxford: Clarendon Press; 1973.

Sands MJ. Balanitaceae. In: Hedberg I, Edwards S, editors. Flora of Ethiopia 3. Addis Ababa: Addis Ababa University; 1989. p. 433-6.

Figueiredo E, Smith GF. Plants of Angola. Strelitzia 22. Pretoria: South African National Biodiversity Institute; 2008.

Cronquist A. An Integrated System of Classification of Flowering Plants. New York: Columbia University Press; 1981.

Fahn A, Werker E, Baas P. Wood Anatomy and Identification of Trees and Shrubs from Israel and Adjacent Regions. Jerusalem: Israel Academy of Science and Humanities; 1986.

Narayana L, Satyanarayana P, Radhakrishnaiah H. Systematic position of Balanitaceae. In: Bilgrami K, Dogra J, editors. Phytochemistry and Plant Anatomy. Dehli: CBS Publications; 1990. p. 157-64.

Sheahan MC, Chase MW. A phylogenetic analysis of Zygophyllaceae R.Br. based on morphological, anatomical and rbcL DNA sequence data. Bot J Linn Soc 1996;122:279-300.

Sheahan MC, Chase MW. Phylogenetic relationships within Zygophyllaceae based on DNA sequences of three plastid regions, with special emphasis on zygophylloideae. Syst Bot 2000;25:371-84.

Savolainen V, Fay MF, Albach DC, Backlund A, Van der Bank M, Cameron KM, et al. Phylogeny of the Eudicots: A nearly complete familial analysis based on rbcL gene sequences. Kew Bull 2000;55:257-309.

Beier BA, Chase MW, Thulin M. Phylogenetic relationships and taxonomy of subfamily zygophylloideae (Zygophyllaceae) based on molecular and morphological data. Plant Syst Evol 2003;240:11-39.

Jackson WP. Origins and Meanings of Names of South African Plant Genera. Cape Town: University of Cape Town; 1990.

Behr K. Balanites maughamii sub sp. maughamii; 2006. Available from: http://www.pza.sanbi.org/balanites-maughamii-subsp-maughamii. [Last accessed on 2019 Mar 19].

Palmer E, Pitman P. Trees for Southern Africa Covering all Known Indigenous Species in Republic of South Africa, South West Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland. Cape Town: A.A. Balkema; 1972.

Schmidt E, Lotter M, McCleland W. Trees and Shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park. Johannesburg: Jacana Media; 2002.

Hyde MA, Wursten BT, Ballings P, Palgrave MC. Balanites maughamii Sprague; 2019. Available from: https://www. zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=132970. [Last accessed on 2019 Mar 19].

Sands MJ. The desert date and its relatives: A revision of the genus Balanites. Kew Bull 2001;56:1-128.

Palgrave MC. Keith Coates Palgrave Trees of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Struik Publishers; 2002.

Grace OM, Sands MJS. Balanites maughamii sprague. In: Van der Vossen HA, Mkamilo GS, editors. Vegetable Oils: Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 14. Wageningen: Backhuys Publishers; 2007. p. 40-2.

Van Wyk BE, Van Oudtshoorn B, Gericke N. Medicinal plants of South Africa. Pretoria: Briza Publications; 2013.

Van Wyk BE, Gericke N. People’s Plants: A Guide to Useful Plants of Southern Africa. Pretoria: Briza Publications; 2007.

Cunningham AB. An Investigation of the Herbal Medicine Trade in Natal/KwaZulu. Pietermaritzburg: Investigational Report No. 29, Institute of Natural Resources; 1988.

Cunningham AB. African Medicinal Plants: Setting Priorities at the Interface between Conservation and Primary Health Care. Paris: People and Plants Working Paper 1, UNESCO; 1993.

Netshiluvhi TR. Aspects of Seed Propagations of Commonly Utilised Medicinal Trees of KwaZulu-Natal. MSc Dissertation. Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal; 1996.

Botha J, Witkowski ET, Shackleton CM. An inventory of medicinal plants traded on the western boundary of the kruger national park, South Africa. Koedoe 2001;44:7-46.

Williams VL, Balkwill K, Witkowski ET. Unravelling the commercial market for medicinal plants and plant parts on the witwatersrand, South Africa. Econ Bot 2000;54:310-27.

Williams VL, Balkwill K, Witkowski ET. A lexicon of plants traded in the witwatersrand umuthi shops, South Africa. Bothalia 2001;31:71-98.

Grace OM, Prendergast HD, Jäger AK, van Staden J. Bark medicines used in traditional healthcare in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: An inventory. S Afr J Bot 2003;69:301-63.

Williams VL. Hawkers of Health: An Investigation of the Faraday Street Traditional Medicine Market in Johannesburg, Gauteng. Johannesburg: Plant Ecology and Conservation Series No. 15, Report Gauteng Directorate for Nature Conservation, DACEL; 2003.

Williams VL, Witkowski ET, Balkwill K. Volume and financial value of species traded in the medicinal plant markets of Gauteng, South Africa. Int J Sustain Dev World Ecol 2007;14:584-603.

Williams VL, Victor JE, Crouch NR. Red Listed medicinal plants of South Africa: Status, trends, and assessment challenges. S Afr J Bot 2013;86:23-35.

Mander M. Marketing of Indigenous Medicinal Plants in South Africa: A Case Study in KwaZulu-Natal. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; 1998.

Twine W. Medicinal bark harvesting and yields in woodlands: A case study from southern Maputaland. In: Lawes MJ, Eeley HA, Shackleton CM, Geach BG, editors. Indigenous Forests and Woodlands in South Africa: Policy, People and practice. Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Press; 2004. p. 533-7.

Maroyi A. Phytochemical and ethnopharmacological review of Heteropyxis natalensis. Asian J Pharm Clin Res 2019;12:8-15.

Maroyi A. Lannea schimperi: Review of its botany, medicinal uses, phytochemistry and biological activities. Asian J Pharm Clin Res 2019;12:31-6.

Launert E. Balanitaceae. In: Exell AW, Fernandes A, Wild H, editors. Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 2. London: Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations; 1963. p. 221-4.

Drummond RB. A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 1975;10:229-85.

Van Wyk B, van Wyk P. Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Struik Publications (Pty) Ltd; 1997.

Von Breitenbach J, De Winter B, Poynton R, Van der Berg E, Van Wyk AE, Van Wyk E. Pocket List of Southern African Indigenous Trees Including Selected Shrubs and Woody Climbers. Pretoria: Briza Publications; 2001.

Germishuizen G, Meyer NL. Plants of Southern Africa: An Annotated Checklist. Strelitzia 14. Pretoria: National Botanical Institute; 2003.

Sands MJ. Balanitaceae. In: Beentje HJ, Ghazanfar SA, editors. Flora of Tropical East Africa. Lisse: A.A. Balkema; 2003. p. 1-16.

Da Silva MC, Izidine S, Amuda AB. A Preliminary Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Mozambique. SABONET Report No. 30. Pretoria: South African National Biodiversity Institute; 2004.

Mapaura A, Timberlake J. A Checklist of Zimbabwean Vascular Plants. SABONET Report No. 33. Pretoria: South African National Biodiversity Institute; 2004.

Burrows JE, Burrows SM, Lötter MC, Schmidt E. Trees and Shrubs Mozambique. Cape Town: Publishing Print Matters (Pty); 2018.

Watt JM, Breyer-Brandwijk MG. The Medicinal and Poisonous Plants of Southern and Eastern Africa. London: E. and S. Livingstone; 1962.

Fox FW, Young ME. Food from the Veld. Johannesburg: Delta Books; 1982.

Ackhurst AA. Interactive Database on all Edible Fruits in Southern Africa. MSc Dissertation. Johannesburg: Rand Afrikaans University; 1996.

Hutchings A, Scott AH, Lewis G, Cunningham AB. Zulu Medicinal Plants: An Inventory. Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Press; 1996.

Long C. Swaziland’s Flora: SiSwati Names and Uses. Swaziland National Trust Commission, Mbambane; 2005. Available from: http:// www.sntc.org.sz/index.asp. [Last accessed on 2019 Apr 04].

Shava S. Research on indigenous knowledge and its application: A case of wild food plants of Zimbabwe. South Afr J Environ Educ 2005;22:73-86.

Magwede K, Van Wyk BE, Van Wyk AE. An inventory of vhavenḓa useful plants. S Afr J Bot 2018. DOI: 10.1016/J.Sajb.2017.12.013.

Welcome AK, Van Wyk BE. An inventory and analysis of the food plants of Southern Africa. S Afr J Bot 2018. DOI: 10.1016/J. SAJB.2018.11.003.

Mahlo MS. Antibacterial Activity of Selected Plants Used in Ethnoveterinary Medicine. MSc Dissertation. Sovenga: University of Limpopo; 2006.

Peters CR, O’Brien EM, Drummond RB. Edible Wild Plants of Sub-saharan Africa. London: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; 1992.

Olivier DK. The Ethnobotany and Chemistry of South African Tonic Plants. PhD Thesis. Johannesburg: University of Johannesbur; 2012.

Iwu MM. Empirical investigations of dietary plants used in igbo ethnomedicine. In: Etkin NL, editor. Plants in Indigenous Medicine and Diet: Behavioural Approaches. New York: Redgrave Publishing Co.; 1986. p. 131-56.

Izidine SA. Licuáti Forest Reserve, Mozambique: Flora, Utilization and Conservation. MSc Dissertation. Pretoria: University of Pretoria; 2003.

McGaw LJ, Lall N, Meyer JJ, Eloff JN. The potential of South African plants against Mycobacterium infections. J Ethnopharmacol 2008;119:482-500.

Ribeiro A, Romeiras MM, Tavares J, Faria MT. Ethnobotanical survey in canhane village, district of massingir, Mozambique: Medicinal plants and traditional knowledge. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 2010;6:33.

Mavundza EJ. Mosquitocidal activity Against Anopheles arabiensis of Plants used as Mosquito Repellents in South Africa. PhD Thesis. Pietermaritzburg: University of KwaZulu-Natal; 2014.

Chingwaru W, Vidmar J, Kapewangolo PT. The potential of sub-saharan African plants in the management of human immunodeficiency virus infections: A review. Phytother Res 2015;29:1452-87.

Khan AU, Gilani AH. Natural products useful in respiratory disorders: Focus on side-effect neutralizing combinations. Phytother Res 2015;29:1265-85.

Luseba D, Van der Merwe D. Ethnoveterinary medicine practices among Tsonga speaking people of South Africa. Onderstepoort J Vet Res 2006;73:115-22.

McGaw LJ, Eloff JN. Ethnoveterinary use of Southern African plants and scientific evaluation of their medicinal properties. J Ethnopharmacol 2008;119:559-74.

Clark TE, Appleton CC, Drewes SE. A semi-quantitative approach to the selection of appropriate candidate plant molluscicides a South African application. J Ethnopharmacol 1997;56:1-3.

Langlois A. The Chemical Investigation of four Medicinal Plants. MSc Dissertation. Durban: University of Natal; 2000.

Prozesky EA, Meyer JJ, Louw AI. In vitro antiplasmodial activity and cytotoxicity of ethnobotanically selected South African plants. J Ethnopharmacol 2001;76:239-45.

Sobiecki JF. A preliminary inventory of plants used for psychoactive purposes in Southern African healing traditions. Trans Royal Soc S Afr 2002;57:1-24.

Aston Philander L. An ethnobotany of Western cape rasta bush medicine. J Ethnopharmacol 2011;138:578-94.

Neuwinger HD. Plants used for poison fishing in tropical Africa. Toxicon 2004;44:417-30.

Mavundza EJ, Maharaj R, Finnie JF, Kabera G, Van Staden J. An ethnobotanical survey of mosquito repellent plants in uMkhanyakude district, KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. J Ethnopharmacol 2011;137:1516-20.

Pavela R, Benelli G. Ethnobotanical knowledge on botanical repellents employed in the African region against mosquito vectors a review. Exp Parasitol 2016;167:103-8.

Dlamini B. Swaziland Flora: Their Local Names and Uses. Mbabane: Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Forestry Section; 1981.

Liengme CA. Plants used by the Tsonga people of Gazankulu. Bothalia 1981;13:501-18.

Mabogo DE. The Ethnobotany of the Vhavenda. MSc Dissertation. Pretoria: University of Pretoria; 1990.

Pooley E. The Complete Field Guide to Trees of Natal, Zululand and Transkei. Durban: Natal Flora Publications Trust; 1998.

Corrigan BM, Van Wyk BE, Geldenhuys CJ, Jardine JM. Ethnobotanical plant uses in the KwaNibela Peninsula, St Lucia, South Africa. S Afr J Bot 2011;77:346-59.

Dierenfeld ES, du Toit R, Braselto WE. Nutrient composition of selected browses consumed by black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) in the Zambezi valley, Zimbabwe. J Zoo Wildl Med 1995;26:220-30.

Viljoen S. Elephant Fruit: The Dispersal Attributes of Balanites maughamii. MSc Dissertation. Cape Town: University of Cape Town; 2013.

Midgley JJ, Kruger LM, Viljoen S, Bijl A. Fruit and seed traits of the elephant-dispersed African savanna plant Balanites maughamii. J Trop Ecol 2015;31:557-61.

Mavundza EJ, Maharaj R, Chukwujekwu JC, Finnie JF, Van Staden J. Screening for adulticidal activity against Anopheles arabiensis in ten plants used as mosquito repellent in South Africa. Malar J 2014;13:173.

Mahlo SM, Chauke H. Antibacterial activity of selected medicinal plants used in ethnoveterinary medicine. J Med Plant Res 2013;7:2777-82.

Olivier DK, van Wyk BE. Bitterness values for traditional tonic plants of Southern Africa. J Ethnopharmacol 2013;147:676-9.

Wager VA. The possibility of eradicating bilharzia by extensive planting of the tree Balanites. S Afr Med J 1936;10:10-1.

Pretorius SJ, Joubert PH, Evans AC. A re-evaluation of the molluscicidal properties of the torchwood tree, Balanites maughamii sprague. S Afr J Sci 1988;84:201-2.

Ojewole OJ. Indigenous plants and schistosomiasis control in South Africa: molluscicidal activity of some zulu medicinal plants. Bol Latinoam Caribe Plant Med Aromáticas 2004;3:8-22.

Elgorashi EE, Taylor JL, Maes A, De Kimpe N, Van Staden J, Verschaeve L. The use of plants in traditional medicine: Potential genotoxic risks. S Afr J Bot 2002;68:408-10.

Taylor JL, Elgorashi EE, Maes A, Van Gorp U, De Kimpe N, Van Staden J, et al. Investigating the safety of plants used in South African traditional medicine: Testing for genotoxicity in the micronucleus and alkaline comet assays. Environ Mol Mutagen 2003;42:144-54.

World Health Organisation (WHO) Quality Control Methods for Medicinal Plant Materials. Geneva: World Health Organisation; 2002.

European Pharmacopoeia. Bitterness Value. Strasbourg: Council of Europe; 2005.

Published

07-07-2019

How to Cite

ALFRED MAROYI. “BALANITES MAUGHAMII SPRAGUE (ZYGOPHYLLACEAE) IN TROPICAL AFRICA: A SYNTHESIS AND REVIEW OF ITS CHEMISTRY, PHARMACOLOGY, AND MEDICINAL POTENTIAL: ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY OF BALANITES MAUGHAMII”. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research, vol. 12, no. 7, July 2019, pp. 85-90, doi:10.22159/ajpcr.2019.v12i7.33915.

Issue

Section

Review Article(s)

Most read articles by the same author(s)

1 2 > >>