Indigenous Traditional Knowledge on Health and Equitable Benefits of Oil Palm (Elaeis spp.)

Abstract

Recent international policy resolutions have recognized the importance of indigenous knowledge and potential of native medicinal plants in providing health and equitable benefits to the indigenous communities. Lack of knowledge on available native medicinal plants and their health potential may result in inappropriate health care practices causing ailments and associated problems. Oil palm is among the plants that are widely used by the traditional natives of West Africa. Every part of the oil palm has domestic, economic, environmental and medicinal values. This review aims at exploration, perpetuation and preservation of indigenous knowledge on oil palm for health and equitable benefits for incorporation of the same into primary health care system. The traditional medicinal uses of oil palm by indigenous communities are well known from the bibliographical records. The literature consulted for this review was obtained from Medline, PubMed, Embase, Science Direct, Scopus, SID and Google Scholar search carried out from October, 2018 to November, 2018. The literature survey and screening of data revealed that preparations from different parts of Elaeis guineensis are widely used in traditional medicine by the indigenous communities, with most of the uses relating to leaf, fruit, seed, infructescence/inflorescence, root and heart. E. guineensis is used in traditional medicine mostly without being mixed with other plants, and less commonly in mixtures, sometimes in mixture with products of animal origin to treat ailments like malaria,

Ethnobotany of Elaeis guineensis Jacq. and its importance in the household economy of the Ikale and Ilaje of Ondo State, Nigeria

“…Other products that are derived from oil palm parts are kernel meat (processed into livestock feed), palm kernel oil, palm wine, palm frond (for thatch), kernel shells for fuel, traditional soap and other products such as broom, fish trap and scarred stem (as bridge in some rural areas). The report of Reddy et al (2019) is in agreement with some of the uses of oil palm tree observed in this study. Besides the social benefits (employment and income) of red palm oil and palm kernel oil production, the nutritional values of these oils have been assessed and also compared with other oil sources (Nagendran et al 2000, Atasie & Akinhanmi 2009, Adetuyi et al 2014, Mancini et al 2015.…”

Oil palm in the 2020s and beyond: challenges and solutions

“…Oil palm fruits are available year-round and have served as semi-wild food resources in traditional societies for > 7000 years. In its regions of origin the oil palm plant has great significance to local people and for wider biodiversity (Cosiaux et al 2018 ; Reddy et al 2019 ; Okolo et al 2019 ). Cultivation of oil palm as a crop was originally an informal process mainly confined to the West/Central African coastal belt between Guinea/Liberia and Northern Angola (Corley and Tinker 2015 ).…”

Oil Palm in the 2020s and Beyond: Challenges and Solutions

“…Its taste is considered savoury and earthy, with some people describing its flavour as being similar to carrot or pumpkin. It has been a staple in West African and tropical cuisines for millennia (2). Nowadays in the commercial food sector, palm oil is often used for sautéing or frying because it has a high smoke point of 232 °C and remains stable under high temperatures.…”

“…The African OP, Elaeis guineensis, is a member of the monocot order, Arecales, and is native to West Africa and is one of the world's most important palm species. The palm fruits, which are available yearround, have served as semi-wild food resources for traditional societies for >7,000 years, and the plant still has considerable significance to local people and for wider biodiversity (1)(2)(3). Cultivation of OP as a crop was originally an informal process mainly confined to its centre of origin in the West/Central African coastal belt between Guinea/Liberia and northern Angola (4).…”