Survey of the Ethnobotanical Uses of Ximenia Americana L

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Survey of the Ethnobotanical Uses of Ximenia Americana L Journal of Medicinal Plants Research Vol. 7(1), pp. 7-18, 3 January, 2013 Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/JMPR DOI: 10.5897/JMPR11.492 ISSN 1996-0875 ©2013 Academic Journals Full Length Research Paper Survey of the ethnobotanical uses of Ximenia americana L. ( mumpeke ) among rural communities in South Angola Valeria Urso, Maria Adele Signorini and Piero Bruschi* Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Section of Environmental and Applied Botany, University of Florence, P.le delle Cascine 28, 50144 Firenze, Italy. Accepted 18 January, 2012 An insight into the cosmetic and medicinal importance of Ximenia americana (mumpeke ) in South Angola is provided. In the years 2009 and 2010 a field investigation was carried out in four rural communities, in order to gather information on traditional uses of this species. Sixty-eight informants were interviewed and 71% reported the use of X. americana . A total of 210 citations were recorded for 13 different uses: 9 medicinal (84 citations), 3 cosmetic (125) and 1 veterinary (1). The most relevant use resulted to be direct application of the oil extracted from seeds as a cosmetic for body and hair care and as a medicinal remedy to prevent varicose veins. Minor medicinal and veterinary uses of leaves were also recorded. Quantitative analyses showed that the use of mumpeke oil both as a cosmetic and as a medical remedy is widely and homogenously distributed within the communities (UE = 1). The category 'cosmetic uses' showed also the higher use diversity index (UD = 0.59). No statistically significant difference emerged in the number of uses cited by the informants grouped either for gender or for age. Yet, when comparing the distribution of citations with Hurlbert’s PIE, women and >40 yrs informants showed a significantly higher use diversity. The distribution of knowledge among communities is also analyzed and discussed. Local traditional technique of oil extraction is described, based on direct observation in the investigated communities. Mumpeke oil is a potential economic resource for local communities and could provide important opportunities in increasing family income . Key words: Angola, ethnobotany, ethnopharmacology, Ximenia americana , mumpeke , mumpeke oil, medicinal uses, cosmetic uses, quantitative analyses. INTRODUCTION Non wood forest products (NWFPs) are products of social development in rural areas, especially in biological origin other than wood derived from forests developing countries. Plants with medicinal and cosmetic andallied land uses (Belcher, 2003). NWFPs can be a properties can play an important role in this field significant part of local household economy which meets Undoubtedly, cosmetic uses of oils extracted from seeds the community needs, at the same time assuring forest of different plant species are currently one of the fastest resources conservation. In recent years, international growing sectors in the global phytotherapic market. In interest for natural products which can replace or at least Africa, several plants are known to produce seeds be combined with synthetic products is considerably containing fats used in cosmetics and skin care products, increasing, providing new opportunities for economic and as is the case of ' argan oil' (extracted from Argania spinosa ) in Morocco, ' marula oil' (from Sclerocarya birrea ) . in Southern Africa, and ' shea (or karité ) butter' (from Vitellaria paradoxa ) in Western Africa. Another significant *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. example can be found in the use of 'mumpeke oil' (from 8 J. Med. Plants Res. a) b) Figure 1. Ximenia americana : a) a twig with leaves and fruit; b) dried fruits, kernels and seeds. Ximenia americana ) in different regions of tropical Africa. et al., 2008). Bark or roots are used for healing skin diseases (ulcers or wounds) in Mali (Diallo et al., 2002; Grønhaug et al., 2008). In western tropical Africa, the Ximenia americana L. and its traditional uses roots have been used to treat 'sleeping sickness', in combination with those of Annona chrysophylla Boj Ximenia americana L. (Olacaceae) - also known as 'wild (Burkill, 1997) and febrile headache (Okigbo et al., 2009). plum', 'yellow plum' or 'sea lemon' - is a semi-scandent The roots have also been used in different African shrub or small tree with small elliptic leaves and whitish countries as an antiseptic to treat fever, edema, diarrhea, to yellowish-green flowers borne in small cymes. The fruit sexually transmitted diseases and as an antidote for is a drupe, 20 to 30 mm long, oval-shaped, somehow poisons (Omer and Ali, 1998; Okigbo et al., 2009). A resembling a yellowish plum or a small lemon (Figure 1). decoction of leafy twigs is given in Zimbabwe to heal Immature fruits have a strong almond-like smell caused febrile colds and cough and as a laxative (Okigbo et al., by cyanogenetic compounds, of which the most important 2009); in Nigeria, the same preparation is used as a has been identified as sambunigrine (Hutchinson and mouth wash and to relieve toothache (Dalziel, 1937). Dalziel, 1972). X. americana is currently widespread Leaves, barks, peeling and roots are used in different throughout tropical and subtropical countries in Central African countries for treating toothaches, mumps and and Southern America, Africa, India and Southeast Asia conjunctivitis in frontal applications (Okigbo et al., 2009). to Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific islands. The native Many studies report the use of an ointment prepared with distribution area of the plant is controversial (Alpern, minced leaves and applied on the skin to treat wounds, 2008). According to the Plants Database of the USDA and also measles and rashes (Chinsembu and Hedimbi, Natural Resources Conservation Service (http:// 2010; Cheikhyoussef et al., 2011). plants.usda.gov/java), it is possibly a native of Florida, The presence of tannins and flavonoids (Ogunleye and Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The plant is mainly Ibitoye, 2003) might support this action, due to their anti- found in semi-arid scrubs and sandy open woodlands up inflammatory properties. Direct application of minced to an altitude of 2000 m, with rainfall between 250 and leaves or an infusion of bark or leaves are also used as 1330 mm. It grows on different soils, often poor and dry. an antidote in the case of snake and scorpion bites in This species is widely used in folk medicine of different different tropical countries (Teo, 1997; Feiberger and countries to treat several human ailments. Data from Vanderjagt, 1998). This use could be explained with the some pharmacological studies seem to support some of presence of chemical compounds such as alkaloids these traditional medical uses. Fruits of X. americana are (Maikai et al., 2009), glycosides, phenols, tannins, used in Burkina Faso as a remedy for constipation and as saponins (Ogunleye and Ibitoye, 2003) and volatile oils a natural source for astringent and tonic purposes (Meda (Mevy et al., 2006). Actually, most of these compounds Urso et al. 9 are not able to neutralize the venom itself, but can work the use of the oil extracted from seeds as a cosmetic and as anesthetics, sedatives and anti-inflammatory, helping of other plant parts to treat dermatological and respiratory in relieving many ancillary symptoms or reactions affections and dental caries. Alves (1951), cited in (Okonogi et al., 1970). Bossard (1993), reported that the same oil is used to Antimicrobial effects have been reported for water lubricate machinery and to treat leather. The aim of this extracts of leaves, which could support the traditional use study is to gather information on current ethnobotanical in treating infections and venereal diseases in Mali (Diallo knowledge about this species and its traditional uses in et al., 2002) and malaria, ulcers and different kinds of Southern Angola. To achieve this goal, we carried out a skin infections in Nigeria (Ogunleye and Ibitoye, 2003). field investigation in some selected communities. Besides its medicinal uses, X. americana is traditionally used for different purposes. The use of the plant as a food source has been reported by some authors. In MATERIALS AND METHODS different Ethiopian regions, fresh fruit is consumed as such (Tilahun Teklehaymanot and Giday, 2010) or Study area processed to make juice (Balemie and Kebebew, 2006); All the investigated communities lie in the municipality of Bibala jams, jellies or alcoholic beverages are obtained from this province of Namibe (13° 21’ S, 14°46’ E), approximately 200 km NE fruit in Ethiopia and in different African countries (Watt from the provincial capital, Namibe (Figure 2). The climate is and Breyer-Brandwijk, 1962). Actually, according to seasonal semi-arid, with an average annual temperature of 21.6°C literature, edibility of X. americana fruit is controversial. and an average rainfall of 300 to 600 mm. It is characterized by the The fruit is reported to be rich in vitamin C (Da Silva et presence of two seasons: a rainy hot season from January to March and a dry, long winter lasting nine months. In the area, al., 2008); however, other studies remarked the presence altitude ranges from 700 to 1000 m. Soils are defined as of polyphenolic and/or poisonous cyanogenetic paraferralitic of medium or coarse texture (Diniz, 1998). compounds (Mora et al., 2009; Benoit and Santillana, Vegetation is mostly composed of woodlands ( mata de mutuate ), 2000), suggesting that differences in taste and edibility of with Colophospermum mopane (Kirk ex Benth.) Kirk ex J. Léonard the fruit can be related with variations in its content of (mutuate ) as the dominant species alone or in association with Adansonia digitata L. ( imbondeiro ). Local communities lived mainly such chemical compounds. According to Chikamai et al. on livestock breeding and charcoal production. Livestock is (2006), the pulp is edible, while the seed is toxic. Studies considered by people as their main survival means and income are not concordant even on the edibility of the oil source and is also regarded as a wealth symbol.
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