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Afewerky HK, Ayodeji AE, Tiamiyu BB, Orege JI, Okeke ES, Oyejobi AO, Bate PNN, Adeyemi SB. Critical review of the Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal: ethnobotany, pharmacological efficacy, and commercialization significance in Africa. Bull Natl Res Cent 2021; 45:176. [PMID: 34697529 PMCID: PMC8529567 DOI: 10.1186/s42269-021-00635-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (W. somnifera) is a herb commonly known by its English name as Winter Cherry. Africa is indigenous to many medicinal plants and natural products. However, there is inadequate documentation of medicinal plants, including W. somnifera, in Africa. There is, therefore, a need for a comprehensive compilation of research outcomes of this reviewed plant as used in traditional medicine in different regions of Africa. METHODOLOGY Scientific articles and publications were scooped and sourced from high-impact factor journals and filtered with relevant keywords on W. somnifera. Scientific databases, including GBIF, PubMed, NCBI, Google Scholar, Research Gate, Science Direct, SciFinder, and Web of Science, were accessed to identify the most influential articles and recent breakthroughs published on the contexts of ethnography, ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and commercialization of W. somnifera. RESULTS This critical review covers the W. somnifera ethnography, phytochemistry, and ethnomedicinal usage to demonstrate the use of the plant in Africa and elsewhere to prevent or alleviate several pathophysiological conditions, including cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, reproductive impotence, as well as other chronic diseases. CONCLUSION W. somnifera is reportedly safe for administration in ethnomedicine as several research outcomes confirmed its safety status. The significance of commercializing this plant in Africa for drug development is herein thoroughly covered to provide the much-needed highlights towards its cultivations economic benefit to Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henok Kessete Afewerky
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030 China
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030 China
- School of Allied Health Professions, Asmara College of Health Sciences, 00291 Asmara, Eritrea
- Organization of African Academic Doctors, Nairobi, 00100 Kenya
| | - Ayeni Emmanuel Ayodeji
- Organization of African Academic Doctors, Nairobi, 00100 Kenya
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Drug Development, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, PMB 1044, Kaduna, 800211 Nigeria
| | - Bashir Bolaji Tiamiyu
- Organization of African Academic Doctors, Nairobi, 00100 Kenya
- Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, 240001 Nigeria
| | - Joshua Iseoluwa Orege
- Organization of African Academic Doctors, Nairobi, 00100 Kenya
- Department of Industrial Chemistry, Ekiti State University, PMB 5363, Ado-Ekiti, 362001 Nigeria
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023 China
| | - Emmanuel Sunday Okeke
- Organization of African Academic Doctors, Nairobi, 00100 Kenya
- Department of Biochemistry, FBS and Natural Science Unit, SGS, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 410001 Nigeria
- School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013 China
| | - Aanuoluwapo Opeyemi Oyejobi
- Organization of African Academic Doctors, Nairobi, 00100 Kenya
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Petuel Ndip Ndip Bate
- Organization of African Academic Doctors, Nairobi, 00100 Kenya
- Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health, Guangzhou, 510530 China
| | - Sherif Babatunde Adeyemi
- Organization of African Academic Doctors, Nairobi, 00100 Kenya
- Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, 240001 Nigeria
- C.G. Bhakta Institute of Biotechnology, Uka Tarsadia University, Bardoli-Mahuva Road, Bardoli, Surat, Gujarat 394350 India
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