A review of indigenous knowledge and ethnopharmacological significance of African Copaiba Balsam Tree, Daniellia oliveri (Fabaceae)

Daniellia oliveri has found its indigenous relevance in the management of diseases including but not limited to diabetes mellitus, tuberculosis, fever, ulcers, pain, worm manifestation, pneumonia, skin ailments, infectious diseases, sickle cell anaemia, hence, a review of its indigenous knowledge, ethnopharmacological and nutritional benefits was undertaken. Information used for the review was sourced from popular scientific databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, BioMed Central, JSTOR, African Plant, Global Biodiversity Information and others), conference proceedings, dissertations or theses, chapters in books, edited books, and journal collections. The materials obtained from 121 scientific documents targeting majorly between 1994 and 2023 established the presence of major secondary metabolites (such as polyphenols, flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, etc.), minerals (e.g., sodium, potassium, phosphorus, selenium, calcium, magnesium, etc.), vitamins (beta-carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, ascorbic acid, etc.), and nutrients (crude protein, moisture, dry matter, ether, carbohydrates, and energy). Literature also lent credence to the preliminary safety profiles of the plant and its pharmacological potentials as analgesic, antinociceptive, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antidiarrhoeal, anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, antimelanogenesis, antimicrobial, antiplasmodial, antisickling, cardiotoxic, cytotoxic, and neuroprotective agents. While the review is majorly limited to Africa particularly western countries (such as Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, Ghana, Togo, and Benin) and the plant is found to be largely underutilized, it is evident that limited information exists on the in vivo pharmacological evaluation, bioactive compounds identification, and there is a lack of preclinical and clinical trials for possible drug development. Based on the aforementioned, it is hoped that further research studies geared toward providing insights into the established grey areas (such as traditional use investigation, targeted or assay-guided compounds identification, and preclinical and clinical studies) are necessary in order to fully explore the therapeutic, nutritional, and economic benefits of the plant.

Automated summary

Daniellia oliveri is a plant that has indigenous relevance in the management of diseases and contains various secondary metabolites, minerals, vitamins, and nutrients. However, there is limited information on in vivo pharmacological evaluation, identification of bioactive compounds, and clinical trials, requiring further research.