<i>Garcinia lucida</i> Vesque (Clusiaceae): from traditional uses to pharmacopeic monograph for an emerging local plant-based drug development

Abstract

Guedje et al., J. Appl. Biosci. 2017 Garcinia lucida Vesque (Clusiaceae): from traditional uses to pharmacopeic monograph for an emerging local plant-based drug development 10594Journal of Applied Biosciences 109: 10594-10608 ISSN 1997-5902 Garcinia lucida Vesque (Clusiaceae): from traditional uses to pharmacopeic monograph for an emerging local plant-based drug development ABSTRACT Objectives: This paper seeks to assess information on the identity, traditional uses, safety and efficacy of Garcinia lucida Vesque (Essok in Boulou and Ewondo local language), in order to highlight it potential as species to be registered in medicinal plant list and formularies needed for the development of monographs leading to local production of phytomedicines. Methodology and Results: Ethnobotanical survey was carried in the Bipindi-Akom II region (South Cameroon) with the help of interviews based on standardised questionnaires addressed to key-informants. Bark and seeds were the major parts used, highly appreciated due to its properties in preventing consumers from poison, diarrhoea and headaches. The most important therapeutic indications were additive to palm wine, antidote to poisoning, gastritis and snake bite. Other uses in treating included gynaecological pains and infections, sexual diseases and cancers. The bark was also believed by local people to act on the stability of chemical antibiotic drugs in pharmacy, while leaves were used as insect repellent against mosquitoes and cockroaches. Conclusions and application of findings: As an additive in palm wine processing, poisoning antidote, aphrodisiac and medicines, bark and seeds are widely used in the Bipindi-Lolodorf-Akom II area, in the Centre and South regions of Cameroon, in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, in Central Africa and West Africa. This similarity of use across many regions is considered as important biological activity marker tools guiding plant parts or species selection in drug discovery and development using ethnopharmacological approach. Through the ethnobotanical and biological tests, assessed, accurate information is provided to substantiate safety and efficacy of G. lucida and to satisfy the requirements of official compendia such as pharmacopoeia. Further studies are needed to understand the effects of bark and seeds as additive to palm wine, as well as the interaction between bark and chemical antibiotic drugs.

The use of traditional ecological knowledge in sustainable use and management of plant resource through a community-based and participatory assessment

“…However, there were some gaps and discrepancies between the two types of knowledge, most notably with the fact that harvesters identified two types of "essok" based on the ability of bark to be more or less easily removed from wood. In fact, this information has later led to found that there exists only one species of G. lucida, accurately identified by trained botanists (Guedje et al, 2017), from which, bark was easily removed from wood like "cassava peel" when trees were characterized physiologically by the existence or predominance of an upward sap flow, due to good water supply in trees and consequently on soil, given the fact that the species was mainly found in hilly mountain sides. On the contrary, bark was hardly removed when trees were characterized by the predominance of a downward sap flow (Guedje et al, 2016).…”

“…Many active compounds with bioactivities such as antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatories, antacids, curare antidote or inhibitory effect, β-lactamase inhibition have been found in its diverse plant parts and summarized by Guedje et al (2017). Several in vitro and in vivo activities were carried out on G. lucida and found to be potential good sources of numerous therapeutic agents (Nguedia and Nsagha, 2014).…”

Anatomical Characteristics of Garcinia lucida (Vesque) and Scorodophloeus zenkeri (Harms) Wood and Debarking Response in the South Region Cameroon

“…The natural habitat of G. lucida is the Atlantic "primary" rain forests. G. lucida tree grows in high-density stands covering few hectares with an abundance varying from 348 young matures (5 -10 cm dbh) to 5 large trees (> 20 cm dbh) per hectare (Guedje et al 2017).…”

“…The bark is used as an additive to palm wine production and in distilling fermented palm wine to produce liquor. The bark and the seeds, dried or fresh, are widely used for medicinal purposes to prevent food poisoning and to cure stomach and gynaecological pains, as well as to cure snake bites (Guedje, Tadjouteu, Onana, Nnanga Nga, & Ndoye, 2017). This species is a gregarious species that grows in dense stands on the slopes of forests above 500 meters of altitude.…”

Strategies towards sustainable bark sourcing as raw material for plant-based drug development: a case study on <i>Garcinia lucida</i> tree species

“…2). The bark and the seeds are widely used in Central and West Africa as additive to palm wine production, and for multiple medicinal purposes against poisoning, gastritis, snakebite, gynaecological pains and infections, sexual diseases and cancers (Guedje et al, 2017). The results from pharmacological studies using diverse plant parts of this species have found it to be potential good sources of numerous therapeutic agents (Nguedia & Nsagha, 2014), and have supported its popular use as antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antacids, curare antidote or inhibitory effect, β-lactamase inhibition have been found in its diverse plant parts (Kamanyi et al, 1990;Nyemba et al, 1990;Fotie et al, 2007;Gangoué-Piéboji et al, 2009;Momo et al, 2011;Lacmata et al, 2012).…”