Nutritional and pharmacological potential of the genus Ceratotheca--An underutilized leafy vegetable of Africa

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Ceratotheca (Pedaliaceae) is an endemic African genus comprising of five species. The genus is commonly used as a leafy vegetable with medicinal properties.

Aim of the review: The review aims to highlight the unexplored nutritional and pharmacological potential of African indigenous leafy vegetables Ceratotheca sesamoides and triloba, in order to conserve and domesticate these species.

Methods: The information was obtained from various search engines such as Scopus, Google Scholar and Web of Science as well as Ethnobotanical books.

Results: Ceratotheca sesamoides and triloba have good nutritional potential. The species are high in energy levels, fat content, proteins and carbohydrate values. The species have also been reported to have good antibacterial, antidiarrhoeal, antidiabetic, antiplasmodial and antiviral properties. These species have slight toxicity and cytotoxic activity when extracted at high concentrations but no mutagenic activity was detected.

Conclusions: To date, few studies have documented the usage (nutrition and pharmacology) of Ceratotheca sesamoides and triloba. More studies investigating the nutritional content as well as methods of its improvement are necessary if the plant is to be included as a domesticated vegetable crop. Safety and toxicity analysis of this leafy vegetable need to be extensively studied as the plants are consumed in high quantities.

Keywords: Antioxidants; Nutrient analysis; Phytochemical content; Propagation strategies; Toxicology; Traditional leafy vegetables.