Okoubaka aubrevillei; Occurrence, Myth, Ethno-Medicinal Properties, and Other Uses; Mini Review
Article Sidebar
Views | PDF/EPUB Downloads:
481
/ 442
/ 38
Main Article Content
Abstract
Okoubaka aubrevillei, known as ‘igi nla’ in Yoruba (Nigeria) and ‘oku baku’ in Anyin (Ivory Coast) is the largest specie in the Santalaceae family. It is a west African tropical hardwood and a forest tree which attains height up to 40 m. The tree means different things to different peoples resulting to different beliefs and myths around it. One of it is the belief that it is a strange tree with magical powers. The tree is uncommon in the forest and is believed by the locals in the southwest of Nigeria to be monoecious. Okoubaka aubrevillei is a hemiparasite and deciduous tree and considered a trophophyte among other uses. It is crucial to do a review on this tree due to all the important attributes attached to it, particularly in western Africa. This narrative mini review aims to look at Okoubaka aubrevillei at a glance; its occurrence, the truth around the myths and its medicinal properties as it is believed to cure all ailments. The review was based on literature search from PubMed online database, Sciencedirect.com and Goggle scholar. It covers from 1987 to 2024. The results showed that few of these myths are correct while many are not. A few of the medicinal assertions are also correct but it is not true that it cures all ailments. This is the first review to the best of the authors’ knowledge on the subject matter which will go a long way in contributing to literatures on this particularly important African tree.
Downloads
Article Details
Section
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
References
Hawthorne WD. Ecological profiles of Ghanaian forest trees. Tropical Forestry Papers Oxford: Oxford Forestry Institute. 1995. 29.319p.
Alisa CO, Okoye EN, Okeke PC, Anyadogh-Nwadike SO, Agwaramgbo L, Doyle J. Antioxidant Activity and Phenolic Content of Okoubaka aubrevillei (Anunuebe) Fruit Pychnobotrya nitida (Osu) Leaf Extracts. J. Environ. Sci. Eng. B. 2022; 11(5): 206-212.
Anyadoh-Nwadike SO, Alisa EN, Okeke PC, Alisa CO. Phytochemical and Antimicrobial Properties of ‘Anunuebe’ (Okoubaka aubrevillei) Fruit. Glob. J. Pure Appl. Chem. Res. 2022; 10: 53-69.
Wagner H, Kreutzkamp B, Jurcic K. Okoubaka aubrevillei bark: components and pharmacology. Planta Medica, 1985; 5: 404-407. Doi: 10.1055/s-2007-969532
Borokini TI. Okoubaka aubrevillei (Pelleg and Norman): A Synthesis of Existing Knowledge for Research and Conservation in West and Central Africa. J. Biol. Life Sci. 2015; 6(1): 67.
Ferrari, R. Writing narrative style literature reviews. Med writing. 2015; 24(4): 230-235.
Dehkordi AH, Mazaheri E, Ibrahim HA, Dalvand S, Gheshlagh RG. How to write a systematic review: a narrative review. Int. J. preventive med. 2021; 12: 27.
Tailfer Y. The dense forest of Central Africa: Practical identification of the main trees. Cultural and Technical Cooperation Agency (CTA), Paris, France, 1989; 2, 561 – 563.
Imarhiagbe O. Aspects of the Biology and Ethnobotany of Parasitic Angiosperm Species in Nigeria. In Parasitic Plants. Intech Open 2021.
Alisa EN, Terna AD, Alisa CO, Oluboyo MB, Anozie RC, Ezekoye MO, Agwaramgbo L. A novel study on the chemical profiling of Okoubaka aubrevillei edible seed oil using GC-MS analysis and evaluation of its corrosion inhibition properties on mild steel using molecular dynamic (MD) studies. Res Square 2023; 4(2): 1-10.
Van Andel TR, Croft S, Van Loon EE, Quiroz D, Towns AM, Raes N. Prioritizing West African medicinal plants for conservation and sustainable extraction studies based on market surveys and species distribution models. Biol. Conserv. 2015; 181: 173-181.
Owusu G, Anning AK, Belford EJ, Acquah E. Plant species diversity, abundance and conservation status of the Ankasa Resource Reserve, Ghana. Trees, Forests and People. 2022; 8: 100264.
Keay RW, Onochie CF, Stanfield DP. Nigerian Trees. National Press Ltd., Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Ibadan, 47
Keller R. Sabiaceae to Symplocaceae. In A Field Guide to Tropical Plant Families, Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2023: 409-432.
Van Andel TR, Croft S, Van Loon EE, Quiroz D, Towns AM, Raes N. Prioritizing West African medicinal plants for conservation and sustainable extraction studies based on market surveys and species distribution models. Biol Conserv. 2015; 181: 173-181. Doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2014.11.015
Teut, M.; Dahler, J.; Hirschberg, U.; Luedtke, R.; Albrecht, H.; Witt, C.M. Homeopathic drug proving of Okoubaka aubrevillei: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Trials, 2013; 14: 1-13. Doi: 10.1186/1745-6215-14-96
Idu M, Onyibe HI. Medicinal plants of Edo State, Nigeria. Res. J. Med. Plants 2007; 1: 32-41.
Ogunkunle ATJ, Oyelakin TM, Enitan AO, Oyewole FE. A Quantitative Documentation of the Composition of Two Powdered Herbal Formulations (Antimalarial and Haematinic) using Ethnomedicinal Information from Ogbomoso, Nigeria. Evidence-Based. Compl. Alt. Med. 2014; 8(1): 751219. Doi:10.1155/2014/751291
Van Andel, T.; Myren, B.; Van Onselen S. Ghana’s herbal market. J. Ethnopharmacol. 2012; 140(2): 368-378. Doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2012.01.028
Buchheim-Schmidt S, Peters U, Duysburgh C, Van den Abbeele P, Marzorati M, Keller T, Martin D, Klement P. In vitro evaluation of the anti-pathogenic activity of Okoubaka aubrevillei on the human gastrointestinal tract. Z Gastroenterol. 2021; 59(05), 423-437. Doi :10.1055/a-1404-3344
Buchholzer ML, Kirch M, Kirchner C, Knöss W. Toxicological assessment compilation of selected examples of raw materials for homeopathic and anthroposophic medicinal products–Part 2. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology. 2022; 134:105215.
Asigbaase M, Adusu D, Musah AA, Anaba L, Nsor CA, Abugre S, Derkyi M. Ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal tree species used in the treatment of diseases by forest-fringe communities of Southwestern Ghana. Heliyon. 2024; 10(1).
Felton A, Löfroth T, Angelstam P, Gustafsson L, Hjältén J, Felton AM, Simonsson P, Dahlberg A, Lindbladh M, Svensson J, Nilsson U. Keeping pace with forestry: Multi-scale conservation in a changing production forest matrix. Ambio 2020; 49: 1050-1064.
Di Sacco A, Hardwick KA, Blakesley D, Brancalion PH, Breman E, Cecilio Rebola L, Chomba S, Dixon K, Elliott S, Ruyonga G, Shaw K. Ten golden rules for reforestation to optimize carbon sequestration, biodiversity recovery and livelihood benefits. Global Change Biol. 2021; 27(7): 1328-1348.
Haq SM, Pieroni A, Bussmann RW, Abd-ElGawad AM, El-Ansary HO. Integrating traditional ecological knowledge into habitat restoration: implications for meeting forest restoration challenges. J. Ethnobiol. and Ethnomed. 2023; 19(1): 1-19.
Tsegaye NT, Negewo DA, Mitiku ST. Effect of Deforestation on the Status of Soil Fertility. East Afr J. For. Agroforestry. 2023; 6(1): 137-147.
Tsaktsira M, Tsoulpha P, Economou A, Scaltsoyiannes A. Mitigation of Global Climate Change through Genetic Improvement of Resin Production from Resinous Pines: The Case of Pinus halepensis in Greece. Sustainability 2023; 15(10): 8052.
Ghorbani A, Zhu K, Mousazadeh H, Almani FA, Zangiabadi A, Pireh M, Dávid LD. Sustainable Behaviours Conceptualization for Forest Adventures Tours: The Case of Cloud Ocean Sites in Hyrcanian Forests Listed as UNESCO’s World Heritage Property. Forests. 2023; 14(5): 1034.
Oyebanji JA, Oyedepo SO, Oyebanji OT, Araoyinbo AO, Kilanko O, Dirisu JO, Saleh B. Experimental investigation of heating values and chemical compositions of selected fuel woods as bio-fuel sources in developing countries. Fuel. 2023; 340: 127600.
Dago MR, Zo-Bi IC, Badouard V, Patacca M, Hérault B. Concomitant effects of multiple disturbances (logging, fire, biological invasion) on native tree abundances into West Africa's semi-deciduous forests. Biol. Conserv. 2023; 285: 110220.
Cobbinah JR, Moss C, Golob P, Belmain SR. Conducting ethnobotanical surveys: an example from Ghana on plants used for the protection of stored cereals and pulses NRI Bulletin 77 (Working Paper), Natural Resources Institute, Chatham, UK. 1999, 15.
Neuwinger, H.D. Plants used for poison fishing in tropical Africa. Toxicon. 2004; 44(4): 417-430.
Imarhiagbe O. Aspects of the Biology and Ethnobotany of Parasitic Angiosperm Species in Nigeria. In Parasitic Plants 2021; Intech Open.
Hawthorne WD. Ecological profiles of Ghanaian forest trees. Tropical Forestry Papers Oxford: Oxford Forestry Institute. 1995. 29.319p.
Alisa CO, Okoye EN, Okeke PC, Anyadogh-Nwadike SO, Agwaramgbo L, Doyle J. Antioxidant Activity and Phenolic Content of Okoubaka aubrevillei (Anunuebe) Fruit Pychnobotrya nitida (Osu) Leaf Extracts. J. Environ. Sci. Eng. B. 2022; 11(5): 206-212.
Anyadoh-Nwadike SO, Alisa EN, Okeke PC, Alisa CO. Phytochemical and Antimicrobial Properties of ‘Anunuebe’ (Okoubaka aubrevillei) Fruit. Glob. J. Pure Appl. Chem. Res. 2022; 10: 53-69.
Wagner H, Kreutzkamp B, Jurcic K. Okoubaka aubrevillei bark: components and pharmacology. Planta Medica, 1985; 5: 404-407. Doi: 10.1055/s-2007-969532
Borokini TI. Okoubaka aubrevillei (Pelleg and Norman): A Synthesis of Existing Knowledge for Research and Conservation in West and Central Africa. J. Biol. Life Sci. 2015; 6(1): 67.
Ferrari, R. Writing narrative style literature reviews. Med writing. 2015; 24(4): 230-235.
Dehkordi AH, Mazaheri E, Ibrahim HA, Dalvand S, Gheshlagh RG. How to write a systematic review: a narrative review. Int. J. preventive med. 2021; 12: 27.
Tailfer Y. The dense forest of Central Africa: Practical identification of the main trees. Cultural and Technical Cooperation Agency (CTA), Paris, France, 1989; 2, 561 – 563.
Imarhiagbe O. Aspects of the Biology and Ethnobotany of Parasitic Angiosperm Species in Nigeria. In Parasitic Plants. Intech Open 2021.
Alisa EN, Terna AD, Alisa CO, Oluboyo MB, Anozie RC, Ezekoye MO, Agwaramgbo L. A novel study on the chemical profiling of Okoubaka aubrevillei edible seed oil using GC-MS analysis and evaluation of its corrosion inhibition properties on mild steel using molecular dynamic (MD) studies. Res Square 2023; 4(2): 1-10.
Van Andel TR, Croft S, Van Loon EE, Quiroz D, Towns AM, Raes N. Prioritizing West African medicinal plants for conservation and sustainable extraction studies based on market surveys and species distribution models. Biol. Conserv. 2015; 181: 173-181.
Owusu G, Anning AK, Belford EJ, Acquah E. Plant species diversity, abundance and conservation status of the Ankasa Resource Reserve, Ghana. Trees, Forests and People. 2022; 8: 100264.
Keay RW, Onochie CF, Stanfield DP. Nigerian Trees. National Press Ltd., Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Ibadan, 47
Keller R. Sabiaceae to Symplocaceae. In A Field Guide to Tropical Plant Families, Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2023: 409-432.
Van Andel TR, Croft S, Van Loon EE, Quiroz D, Towns AM, Raes N. Prioritizing West African medicinal plants for conservation and sustainable extraction studies based on market surveys and species distribution models. Biol Conserv. 2015; 181: 173-181. Doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2014.11.015
Teut, M.; Dahler, J.; Hirschberg, U.; Luedtke, R.; Albrecht, H.; Witt, C.M. Homeopathic drug proving of Okoubaka aubrevillei: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Trials, 2013; 14: 1-13. Doi: 10.1186/1745-6215-14-96
Idu M, Onyibe HI. Medicinal plants of Edo State, Nigeria. Res. J. Med. Plants 2007; 1: 32-41.
Ogunkunle ATJ, Oyelakin TM, Enitan AO, Oyewole FE. A Quantitative Documentation of the Composition of Two Powdered Herbal Formulations (Antimalarial and Haematinic) using Ethnomedicinal Information from Ogbomoso, Nigeria. Evidence-Based. Compl. Alt. Med. 2014; 8(1): 751219. Doi:10.1155/2014/751291
Van Andel, T.; Myren, B.; Van Onselen S. Ghana’s herbal market. J. Ethnopharmacol. 2012; 140(2): 368-378. Doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2012.01.028
Buchheim-Schmidt S, Peters U, Duysburgh C, Van den Abbeele P, Marzorati M, Keller T, Martin D, Klement P. In vitro evaluation of the anti-pathogenic activity of Okoubaka aubrevillei on the human gastrointestinal tract. Z Gastroenterol. 2021; 59(05), 423-437. Doi :10.1055/a-1404-3344
Buchholzer ML, Kirch M, Kirchner C, Knöss W. Toxicological assessment compilation of selected examples of raw materials for homeopathic and anthroposophic medicinal products–Part 2. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology. 2022; 134:105215.
Asigbaase M, Adusu D, Musah AA, Anaba L, Nsor CA, Abugre S, Derkyi M. Ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal tree species used in the treatment of diseases by forest-fringe communities of Southwestern Ghana. Heliyon. 2024; 10(1).
Felton A, Löfroth T, Angelstam P, Gustafsson L, Hjältén J, Felton AM, Simonsson P, Dahlberg A, Lindbladh M, Svensson J, Nilsson U. Keeping pace with forestry: Multi-scale conservation in a changing production forest matrix. Ambio 2020; 49: 1050-1064.
Di Sacco A, Hardwick KA, Blakesley D, Brancalion PH, Breman E, Cecilio Rebola L, Chomba S, Dixon K, Elliott S, Ruyonga G, Shaw K. Ten golden rules for reforestation to optimize carbon sequestration, biodiversity recovery and livelihood benefits. Global Change Biol. 2021; 27(7): 1328-1348.
Haq SM, Pieroni A, Bussmann RW, Abd-ElGawad AM, El-Ansary HO. Integrating traditional ecological knowledge into habitat restoration: implications for meeting forest restoration challenges. J. Ethnobiol. and Ethnomed. 2023; 19(1): 1-19.
Tsegaye NT, Negewo DA, Mitiku ST. Effect of Deforestation on the Status of Soil Fertility. East Afr J. For. Agroforestry. 2023; 6(1): 137-147.
Tsaktsira M, Tsoulpha P, Economou A, Scaltsoyiannes A. Mitigation of Global Climate Change through Genetic Improvement of Resin Production from Resinous Pines: The Case of Pinus halepensis in Greece. Sustainability 2023; 15(10): 8052.
Ghorbani A, Zhu K, Mousazadeh H, Almani FA, Zangiabadi A, Pireh M, Dávid LD. Sustainable Behaviours Conceptualization for Forest Adventures Tours: The Case of Cloud Ocean Sites in Hyrcanian Forests Listed as UNESCO’s World Heritage Property. Forests. 2023; 14(5): 1034.
Oyebanji JA, Oyedepo SO, Oyebanji OT, Araoyinbo AO, Kilanko O, Dirisu JO, Saleh B. Experimental investigation of heating values and chemical compositions of selected fuel woods as bio-fuel sources in developing countries. Fuel. 2023; 340: 127600.
Dago MR, Zo-Bi IC, Badouard V, Patacca M, Hérault B. Concomitant effects of multiple disturbances (logging, fire, biological invasion) on native tree abundances into West Africa's semi-deciduous forests. Biol. Conserv. 2023; 285: 110220.
Cobbinah JR, Moss C, Golob P, Belmain SR. Conducting ethnobotanical surveys: an example from Ghana on plants used for the protection of stored cereals and pulses NRI Bulletin 77 (Working Paper), Natural Resources Institute, Chatham, UK. 1999, 15.
Neuwinger, H.D. Plants used for poison fishing in tropical Africa. Toxicon. 2004; 44(4): 417-430.
Imarhiagbe O. Aspects of the Biology and Ethnobotany of Parasitic Angiosperm Species in Nigeria. In Parasitic Plants 2021; Intech Open.
Maundu P, Kariuki P, Eyog-Matig O. Threats to Medicinal Plant Species - an African Perspective. In: Miththapala, S. (ed.) Conserving Medicinal Species: securing a healthy future. IUCN: Ecosystems and Livelihoods Group, Asia. 2006; 184
Hardie ADK. Okoubaka - a rare juju tree. The Nig. Field. 1963; 27: 70-72.
Burkill HM. The Useful plants of West Tropical Africa. 2nd Edition. Volume 5, Families S–Z, Addenda. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom, 2000; 686