Kigelia Pinnata: Exploration of Potential Medicinal Usage in Human Ailments

Abstract

Purpose :Findings : Conclusion : Keywords :The usage of medicinal herbs in the treatment or cure of various human ailments has been reported since past many centuries. Due to less toxicity of herbs when compared with allopathic drug, these are utilized in the development of formulations to increase efficacy. This review explores the various chemical constituents of the plant Kigelia pinnata, commonly called as Sausage tree, and their therapeutic effects in various human ailments.Kigelia pinnata has been proven to contain many secondary metabolites like alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, flavonoids, sterols, fatty acids, naphthaquinones, etc. The plant possesses many traditional uses such as anticancer, antileprotic, antimalarial, antibacterial, analgesic and anti-inflammatory, antiurolithiasis, antidiarrhoeal, antioxidant, antidiabetic, etc.Kigelia pinnata is an important plant bearing significant medicinal values in human. This review thus helps the researcher to evaluate and establish the use of plant in various conditions as a curative or as a prophylactic agent and it also highlights the potential of the plant as therapeutic agents in different human ailments.

Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Activity of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. (Bignoniaceae)

“…Kigelia africana is native to Africa, thus the derivation of the species name "africana". The tree is deciduous, with a rounded crown, thick trunk, dark-grey to light-brown, scaly slash creamy-white with a green edge, low-branching, branches and branchlets spreading and lenticellate [11]. The tree reaches maturity within four to six years, with a height of up to 24 meters [11].…”

“…The tree is deciduous, with a rounded crown, thick trunk, dark-grey to light-brown, scaly slash creamy-white with a green edge, low-branching, branches and branchlets spreading and lenticellate [11]. The tree reaches maturity within four to six years, with a height of up to 24 meters [11]. The leaves are alternate, pinnate and stipules absent; rachis up to 50 cm long; leaflets three to six opposite pairs, usually with a terminal leaflet, elliptic to elongated lanceolate, 7-20 cm long, 4-12 cm wide, apex abruptly to gradually shortly acuminate, base slightly asymmetrical, rounded to cuneate, margins entire or sometimes slightly toothed, coriaceous or papyraceous, shiny green and usually scab rid above, dull green and glabrous to tomentose below; midrib impressed above, major lateral veins 7-12 pairs and prominent below [11].…”

“…The mature fruits can be found on trees throughout the year [6,16]. Although not eaten by humans, they find wide applications in traditional medicine [11]. Due to the unusual fruits and large attractive flowers, K. africana is considered a striking ornamental plant, and the fruits are used as florists' materials.…”

“…Table 2 shows the classes of phytochemicals in Kigelia africana, the phytochemicals therein and the plant parts in which the respective phytochemicals are found. [3,6,9,11,20,21] Roasted seeds Pneumonia, fungal infections, eczema, malaria, diabetes and waist pain [6,22] Stem and root bark Ulcers, pneumonia and toothache [23] South Africa and Zimbabwe Fruits Crude fruit creams for freckles [24] South Africa and Ethiopia…”

“…Several researchers have conducted in vitro antioxidant assays on K. africana and many other medicinal plants. Whereas the in vitro DPPH assay is commonly used to evaluate the radical scavenging activity of plant extracts [11,16,18,103], it is not a measure of pharmacological activity. Moreover, the DPPH radical is synthetic and not biologically relevant, implying it does not mimic any known free radical produced in biological systems.…”