Background Limonoids are a class of highly oxygenated modified triterpenoids with a diverse range of biological activities. Although with restricted occurrence in the plant kingdom, these compounds are found extensively in the Meliaceae and Rutaceae families. Limonoids are of great interest in science given that the small number of plant families where they occur exhibit a broad range of medicinal properties that promote health and prevent disease. Main text The Meliaceae family includes the genus Khaya and comprises tree species that have been used in traditional medicine to treat several ailments. In recent years, the genus Khaya has attracted much research interest owing to the presence of limonoids in different plant parts of a few species that can serve as therapeutic molecules in the pharmaceutical industry. In this study, a literature search over the past two decades (2000–2020) was conducted on the biological activities of limonoids in the genus Khaya using different databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus and ISI Web of Science. The taxonomy, geographical distribution and the various traditional uses of the genus are presented in detail. This study reveals that the currently documented biological activities of limonoids both in vivo and in vitro are limited to four species (K. anthotheca, K. grandifoliola, K. ivorensis and K. senegalensis) in the genus Khaya, and include anticancer, antimalarial, hepatoprotection, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotection, antimicrobial, antifungal and antifeedant. The most well-researched species, K. senegalensis, has the most notable biological activities and traditional uses in the genus Khaya. Conclusion The present detailed and up-to-date review of recent literature on the biological activities in the genus Khaya reveals the potentials of limonoids for drug development in managing several ailments.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has extensively spread worldwide with high mortality. Besides vaccination, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved only one oral medication as a treatment. Medicinal plants with antiviral and immunomodulatory properties could be explored as complementary treatments for COVID-19. Ogbomosho is home to such plants traditionally used to treat infectious diseases in Nigeria, making it relevant in complementary medicine. An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used to treat COVID-19 and related ailments, including cough and flu in Ogbomosho South and North Local Government Areas, Nigeria, was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire. Information was obtained from 56 participants, consisting of different groups of individuals with native knowledge of medicinal plants, and ethnobotanical indices, including the frequency of citation (FC), relative frequency of citation (RFC), and fidelity level (FL) were computed. Twenty-six medicinal plants (17 families) were used to treat COVID-19, 31 (20 families) for cough, and 29 (19 families) for flu. The most cited plant was Zingiber officinale (FC = 10; RFC = 0.18; FL = 18%) for treating COVID-19, Citrus limon (FC = 13; RFC = 0.23; FL = 23%) for cough, and Zingiber officinale (FC = 9; RFC = 0.16; FL = 16%) for flu. Leaves were the most used plant part for treating COVID-19 and flu, while the bark was the most used for cough. Trees and herbs were the most cited plant growth forms. The herbal remedies were mostly prepared by decoction and infusion and were mainly administered orally. Further research should be conducted on the identified species for the scientific validation of their antiviral and immunomodulatory efficacies and safety for use.
Purpose: The objective of this study was to examine the livestock business operations and livestock entrepreneurship interest of youths, their perception of livestock agribusiness entrepreneurship as a source of income and livelihood, the influence on their choice of livestock agribusiness entrepreneurship as a livelihood and the constraints to their livestock agribusiness entrepreneurship livelihood decision making. Design/methodology/approach: Cross-sectional data were obtained from 779 youth livestock agribusiness entrepreneurs who were selected through a multi-stage sampling procedure. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Findings: Youths positively perceived livestock entrepreneurship as a source of income and livelihood. To a great extent, their personal interest and passion was a major factor that influenced their choice of livestock agribusiness as career. The most serious constraints to livestock agribusiness career decision making among the youths was the inadequate finance and inaccessibility to fund. Research limitations/implications: The challenge of having limited access to data, time constraints and conflicts arising from some youth participants’ personal issues. Practical implications: This study will provide information to enable policy makers come up with policies that will address the food security needs of the country’s population. Originality/value: The information is required to close the gap in the literature and contributes to the body of understanding on youths’ agribusiness entrepreneurship activities. Paper type: Research paper
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