BackgroundAngola suffered a long-lasting military conflict. Therefore, traditional knowledge of plant usage is still an important part of cultural heritage, especially concerning the still very poor health care system in the country. Our study documents for the first time traditional knowledge of plant use of local Bakongo communities in the northern province of Uíge on a large scale with a focus on medicinal plants and puts data in context to different parameters of age, gender and distance to the provincial capital.MethodsField work was carried out during nine field trips in 13 municipalities between October 2013 and October 2016. In 62 groups, 162 informants were interviewed. Herbarium specimens were taken for later identification. Database was analysed using Relative Frequency of Citations, Cultural Importance Index, and Informant Consensus Factor. Furthermore, significances of influence of age, gender and distance were calculated.ResultsOur study presents 2390 use-reports, listing 358 species in 96 plant families, while just three out of 358 mentioned species are endemic to Angola about one-fifth are neophytes. The larger the distance, the higher the number of use citations of medical plants. Although women represent just a fifth of all citations (22%), their contribution to medicinal plants was proportionally even higher (83%) than those of men (74%). Fifty percent of all plants mentioned in the study were just listed by men, 12% just by women. We made some new discoveries, for example. Gardenia ternifolia seems to be promising for treatment of measles, and Annona stenophylla subsp. cuneata has never been ethnobotanically nor phytochemically investigated.ConclusionsWhile the study area is large, no significant influence of the distance in regard to species composition in traditional healer’s concepts of the respective village was pointed out. Although several plants were just mentioned by women or men, respectively, no significant restriction to gender-specific illnesses in medical plant use could be found. Merely concerning the age of informants, a slight shift could be detected.Graphical abstractVisual representation of the ethnobotanical study in Uíge, northern Angola.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13002-018-0238-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Background/Aims: Traditional edible plants are good sources of minerals, fibers, proteins and others useful phytochemicals for human nutrition and health. Mondia whitei and Pyrenacantha klaineana leaves are underutilized, wild edible plants considered as food and spice in habitants in some part of Northern Angola. The aim of this study was to investigate the nutritional value and mineral contents of M. whitei and P. klaineana leaves. Materials and Methods: The leaves were harvested from a forest. The samples were analyzed for proximate and mineral contents using the standard methods. The results were analyzed statistically using mean and standard deviation. Results: The proximate composition of M. whitei raw and cooked leaves showed that the samples had ranged of ash, 9.53 - 12.93%, fiber 13.16 - 15.11%, protein 16.48 - 19.24%, fat 2.95 - 4.94%, carbohydrates 51.59 - 54.48% and energy (kcal) 310.39 - 326.10 in 100 g respectively. The proximate composition of P. klaineana raw and cooked leaves showed that the samples had range of ash, 4.13 - 6.74%, fiber 40.45 - 43.56%, protein 14.93 - 18.80%, fat 1.13 - 3.78%, carbohydrates 29.74 - 36.58% and energy (kcal) 217.77 - 227.88 in 100 g respectively. The mineral contents of the P. klaineana raw leaves, K 2459.20 mg, Ca 2126.33 mg, P 239.90 mg, Se 77.86 mg are richer than M. whitei raw leaves, K 1149.83 mg, Ca 844.87 mg, P 175.89 mg, etc. Conversely, the leaves of M. whitei are richer in Se 87.80 mg and Cu 3.14 mg/ 100 g than the P. klaineana (Se 77.86 and Cu 2.84 mg/100 g). Conclusion: The wild edible leaves are rich in nutritional value and mineral composition such as fiber, protein, Ca, Fe, K, Mn, Mg, P, Se etc. The consumption of M. whitei and P. klaineana leaves should be vulgarized to nutrition, diversity diet and food security.
Six new and four known dihydrochalcone glucoside derivatives (1-10), the phenylpropanoid coniferin (11), and the lignans (+)-pinoresinol (12) and lariciresinol (13) were isolated from the subaerial plant parts of Thonningia sanguinea in the course of a screening campaign for new antidiabetic lead compounds. The structures of the new substances were elucidated by HRESIMS, NMR, GC-MS, and ECD data evaluation. 2'- O-(3-Galloyl-4,6- O- S-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-3-hydroxyphloretin (4), 2'- O-(4,6- O- S-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)phloretin (5), 2'- O-(3- O-galloyl-4,6- O- S-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)phloretin (6), and thonningianin B (9) showed moderate protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B inhibition in an enzyme assay (IC values ranging from 19 to 25 μM), whereas thonningianin A (10) was identified as a more potent inhibitor (IC = 4.4 μM). The observed activity differences could be explained by molecular docking experiments. The activity of 10 could further be confirmed in HEPG2 liver carcinoma cells, where the compound was able to increase the level of phosphorylated insulin receptors in a concentration-dependent manner.
Aims: The aim of this research was to contribute to the survey of ethnobotanical knowledge on the use of Dracaena camerooniana by the local communities’ bordering the tropical forests of Uíge province. Study Design: The data collections were carried out using the semi-structured interview method. The approch methods are an ethnobotanical and socio-economics surveys populations of the study area. Place and Duration of Study: The study was undertaken in the province of Uíge, Republic of Angola, from April 2016 to March 2018, period that covers the dry and rainy season. Methodology: The surveys consisted in drafting a questionnaire beforehand to apprehend the knowledge and multiples uses of D. camerooniana among the surrounding population. The interview were conducted in Kikongo language and in Portuguese according to the mastered by the people surveyed. Results: The findings show that tropical forest zones of Congolese guinea/Zambian located in Uíge Province, is full of high value non-wood forest products (NWFPs) including D. camerooniana Baker (locally called Nzala bakala or Nsala bakala). This plant species is a wild green vegetable essence appreciated by the local population and is an additional source of financial income for subsistence farmers and Hunter-gatherers. Knowledge of D. camerooniana consumption was transmitted from generation to generation by oral tradition. The study also shows that D. camerooniana is well known and used by the local communities of Uíge. Finally, the consumption and commercialization of NWFPs, such as the leaves of D. camerooniana contribute in strengthening nutrition, health, food diversity, income and livelihoods. Conclusion: Despite its importance in food security and socioeconomic terms in both rural and urban areas, few scientific researchers have been fully interested in its valorization. In addition, the phytochemical studies should be carried out to discover the nutritional, toxic, and medicinal properties of this plant.
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