Journal of Advances in Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences 3(4): 147-154, 2015, Article no.JAMPS.2015.036 ISSN: 2394-1111 SCIENCEDOMAIN international www.sciencedomain.org A Comprehensive Review on Ethno-Medicine, Phytochemistry and Ethnopharmacology of Chrysophyllum albidum J. O. T. Emudainohwo1, E. O. Erhirhie1*, E. G. Moke1 and K. E. Edje1 1Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out in collaboration among all authors. Authors EOE and EGM and KEE did the literature search. Authors EOE and JOTE wrote the manuscript. Authors JOTE and EOE proof read the manuscript. All Authors read and approved the final manuscript. Article Information DOI: 10.9734/JAMPS/2015/18641 Editor(s): (1) Dongdong Wang, Department of Pharmacogonosy, West China College of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, China. Reviewers: (1) Atef Mahmoud Mahmoud Attia, Biochemistry Department, Biophysical Laboratory, National Research Centre, Egypt. (2) Anonymous, University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), Brazil. Complete Peer review History: http://www.sciencedomain.org/review-history.php?iid=1016&id=36&aid=9578 Received 2nd May 2015 th Review Article Accepted 19 May 2015 Published 4th June 2015 ABSTRACT Chrysophyllum albidum (Sapotaceae), commonly called white star apple is a very useful medicinal plant common in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. This review is an update assemblage on the traditional, phytochemical and ethno-pharmacological studies carried out on it. Its reported pharmacological activities in this review include; antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti- plasmodial anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-diabetic properties, which justifies its traditional uses. The information in this work is intended to serve as a reference guide to researchers in the fields of ethnopharmacology, drug discovery and development of natural products from medicinal plants. Keywords: Chrysophyllum albidum; ethnopharmacology; ethno-medicine, phytochemistry; medicinal plants. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]; Emudainohwo et al.; JAMPS, 3(4): 147-154, 2015; Article no.JAMPS.2015.036 1. BACKGROUND commercial value in Nigeria [11]. The seeds are also used for local games or discarded. The Medicinal plants play a significant role in the fleshy fruit pulp is suitable for jams and is eaten health of humanity [1]. Most conventional especially as snack by many locals [10]. medicines, food supplements, folk medicines and pharmaceutical intermediate are derived from 1.1.2 Local names medicinal plants [2]. The affordability, accessibility, wider acceptability factor among the African star apple (C. albidium) is an edible population as well as low toxic profile of tropical fruit known by various tribal names. It is medicinal plants has negated the numerous called Utieagadava in Urhobo, agbalumo in problems associated with synthetic therapeutics Yoruba, udara in Ibo, Efik and Ibibio, ehya in [3]. Igala, agwaluma in Hausa tribes of Nigeria [10,12]. In southern Benin, it is called azongogwe As an avenue to unveil the hidden potential of or azonbobwe in local language "Fon, Goun" and medicinal plants and also advance research in azonvivo, azonvovwe or azonbebi in local ethnopharmacology, information update on language "Aïzo" [13]. medicinal plants had aided the frontier of research. Review updates on Buchhoizia 1.1.3 Scientific classification coriacea [4], Terminalia catappa [5], Mangifera indica [6], Ageratum conyzoides [7], among Kingdome: Plantea others had been published in different scientific Division: Angiosperm journals. Class: Eudicots Order: Ericales In other to promote the avalanche of medicinal Family: Sapotaceae plant review, there is need to carry out more Genus: Chrysophyllum search by gathering information on the medicinal Species: C. albidum values of natural remedies from plants. This had necessitated this present review on the 1.1.4 Ethno-medicinal values ethnomedicine, phytochemistry and ethno- pharmacology of Chrysophyllum albidum, a fruit In folklore medicine, Chrysophyllum albidum bark of high commercial and medicinal values in is employed for the treatment of yellow fever and Nigeria and other countries. malaria [12]. The leaf is used as an emollient and for the treatment of stomachache and diarrhoea. 1.1 Chrysophyllum albidum The leaf and cotyledons from its seed are used as ointments in the treatment of vaginal and 1.1.1 Description dermatological infections in Western Nigeria [14]. The roots, barks and leaves of C. albidumis are Chrysophyllum albidum (C. albidium), commonly widely used as an application to sprains, bruises called white star apple, belonging to the family of and wounds in southern Nigeria. The seeds and Sapotaceae (which has up to 800 species) is a roots extracts of C. albidium is used to arrest lowland rain forest tree species that grows up to bleeding from fresh wounds, and to inhibit 25 to 37 m in height at maturity with a girth microbial growth of known wound contaminants varying from 1.5 to 2 m [8]. The Scottish botanist and also enhance wound healing process [15]. George Don described it as a forest fruit tree [9]. It is common throughout the tropical Central, 1.1.5 Other uses East and West Africa regions and other parts of the world [10]. When it is ripe, the fruit is ovoid to Chrysophyllum albidum leaves were occasionally sub-globose, pointed at the apex, and up to 6 cm used for fodder. Rotten or damaged fruits are long and 5 cm in diameter. The skin or peel, is also used to feed pigs. In southern Benin, it is orange to golden yellow when ripe and the pulp useful in traditional rituals and also has medico- within the peel may be orange, pinkish, or light magical properties apart from its common uses. yellow. Within the pulp are three to five seeds According to local socio-cultural considerations, it which are not usually eaten. The seed-coats are was also mentioned to be used to chase bad hard, bony, shiny, and dark brown, and when spirits and the trees can only be cultivated by broken reveals white-coloured cotyledons. The older people in order to avoid early death of a (Fig. 1) fruit is seasonal (usually from the months young person who would attempt to propagate of December to March). The plant is a crop of the species from seed [13]. 148 Emudainohwo et al.; JAMPS, 3(4): 147-154, 2015; Article no.JAMPS.2015.036 1.2 Phytochemical and Nutrient Composi- According to Amusa et al. [10], eleagnine, tion tetrahydro- 2 -methylharman and skatole are present in the methanol extract of Chrysophyllum Study by Okoli, [15] on the phytochemistry of albidum cotyledon seeds. The fruit was found to Chrysophyllum albidum stem slash, seed have the highest content of ascorbic acid per 100 cotyledon, leaves and root revealed the presence g of edible fruit, which is about 100 times that of of alkaloids, tannins, phenols and flavonoids; oranges and 10 times of that of guava and except cardiac glycosides in the root; tannins in cashew. Chrysophyllum albidum is also an leaves; and phenol in seed. The study by Ushie excellent source of vitamins, irons and flavours to et al. [16] on the methanol leaf extracts of C. diets [19]. The fruits also contain 90% anacadic albidum also revealed the presence of acid, which is used industrially in protecting wood flavonoids, phenols, glycosides, terpenoids, and as source of resin. Ajewole and Adeyeye saponins, steroids and alkaloids. MacDonald et [20] also confirmed that unsaturated fatty acids al. [17] also revealed the presence of alkaloids, are the main components of the oil (74%) of flavonoids, saponins and tannins in Chrysophyllum albidum. Chrysophyllum albidum. According to Duyilemi and Lawal, [18], leave extract of Chrysophyllum The physicochemical and minerals analyses of albidum contains anthraquinone, tannin and Chrysophyllum albidum according to Imaga and cardiac glycoside and with no traces of reducing Urua [21] revealed the following; moisture (48.38 sugars, saponin and alkaloids. and 47.02%), crude protein (2.75 and 2.68%), Fig. 1. Showing pictures of Chrysophyllum albidum fruit, tree and seed 149 Emudainohwo et al.; JAMPS, 3(4): 147-154, 2015; Article no.JAMPS.2015.036 carbohydrate (24.26 and 25.17%), ash (4.175 scavenging activity of free radicals compared to and 4.68%), crude fat (10.94 and 10.79%) and the aqueous extract. Reducing power increased energy value (206.50 and 208.53 Kcal) for remarkably at 75 µg/ml in the extracts. The ethanol and aqueous extract. Also, 100 g mineral ethanol extract showed more reducing power composition (mg) of the fruit contains sodium than the aqueous at equal concentrations. Nitric (123.05), iron (42.45), zinc (34.45), magnesium oxide showed significant increase in the (34.05), calcium (24.55), manganese (4.1) and scavenging activity of the ethanol extract at 75 potassium (2.05). The vitamins analyzed in µg/ml (p < 0.05), while there was a significant mg/100 g indicated vitamin K (35.36), vitamin B1 (p<0.05) decrease in the scavenging activity of (18.68), folate (2.02), vitamin C (3.084) and the aqueous extract. The ethanol extract showed vitamin B6 (3.26). Tannins, phenols, flavonoids, greater scavenging activity at all concentrations cardiac glycosides, terpenoids, reducing sugar than the aqueous extract. and phlobatannins were also present in both extracts. Saponins, steroids and alkaloid were In vitro and in vivo antioxidant properties of present in