GSCARR-2021-0024 Article Proof
GSCARR-2021-0024 Article Proof
GSCARR-2021-0024 Article Proof
Publication history: Received on 15 January 2021; revised on 21 February 2021; accepted on 23 February 2021
Abstract
There has been tremendous growth in field of herbal medicine as therapeutic agents. Dennettiatripetala, is known to
possess ethnomedicinal properties and has been used for centuries in the Ayurvedic system of medicine for the
treatments of various diseases. The present review provides detailed description on the distribution, ethno-medicinal
use, phyto-constituents, and biological properties of the plant that justifies its use as a potential therapeutic agent in
management of different diseases. The phyto chemical composition of Dennettiatripetala include alkaloids, tannins,
saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids and cardiac glycosides while the biological activities of Dennettiatripetala
include antioxidant, antidiabetic, antibacterial, antihypertensive, anticonvulsant, antitrypanosomal, antimalarial, anti-
inflammatory and cytotoxic properties among others. In conclusion, Dennettiatripetala contains various nutritional
and phytochemicals compositions make this plant valuable for pharmacological purposes.
1. Introduction
D. tripetala is an important indigenous plant of West Tropical Africa that belongs to the family Annonaceae (1). It is a
found in Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Cameroon. It is commonly called 'pepper fruit' in English, mmimi in Igbo, nkaika in
Ibibio, imako in Urhobo, ako in Edo, opipiinIdoma and igberi in Yoruba languages of Nigeria (2,3).
The fruits and leaves are commonly used as a spices or seasonings which are added to prepared food such as meat,
sausage, stew, soup and vegetables (4). The bark of the tree is added to food to create variation in the taste and flavour
of the foods. The wood is used as fuel (5). The leaves and seeds are used in folk medicine for the treatment of fever,
cough, asthma, catarrh, toothache, diarrhea and rheumatism (6) and are also used to enhance appetite, clear throats,
check excess saliva, relieve coated tongues and stop nausea (4,7). The seeds serve as important component in the
diets of women after childbirth, since it is believed that spices and herbs aid the contraction of the uterus (8). The
plant has also been reported for several biological activities including anti-oxidant, antidiarrheal, antimicrobial,
antiparasitic, anticonvulsant, antitrypanosomal, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, anti-snake venom, and
antinociceptive properties.
Corresponding author: Corresponding author’s name
Affiliation, Department, Institute, City, State, Country.
Copyright © 2021 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0.
GSC Advanced Research and Reviews, 2021, XX(XX), XXX–XXX
Studies have shown that D. tripetala possesses many phytochemicals in which the type and amount of phytochemical
depends on the part of D. tripetala plant. Adedayo et al., (9) reported that the fruits possess alkaloids, tannins,
saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids and cardiac glycosides which is slightly different from the study carried out
in 2015 (3). The phytochemicals present in the fruits of D. tripetala according to Egharevba and Idah, (3) are tannins,
alkaloids, steroids, terpenes, flavonoids, balsams (resin) and phenol. The study carried out by Egharevba and Idah, (3)
showed that the leaf has a similar phytochemical profile to the fruit except that the leaf lacks balsams (resin) and
steroids. The seedsof D.tripetalashowed the presence of Alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids,
steroids and cardiac glycosides (10). These bioactive compounds are the basis for therapeutic potentials of medicinal
plants (5). Herein, we provide a comprehensive review on ethno medicinal use, phyto-constituents, and biological
properties of Dennettiatripetala (Pepper Fruit).
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Magnoliales
Family: Annonaceae
Genus: Dennettia
Species: tripetala(11).
The parts used traditionally for medicine include; the leaves, fruits, seeds, roots and stem.
Figure 1(A) Dennettiatripetalatree with leaves and unripe fruits. (B) Ripe (red) and unripe (green)
Dennettiatripetalafruits. (Source: 12)
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of the foods. The wood is used as fuel (5). The matured fruits is the edible portion, they are chewed in different forms
(fresh green, fresh ripened red, black dry fruit and dry seed) because of its characteristic spicy taste and also serve as
a mild stimulant to the consumer (6, 13). The fruits are used in entertaining guest; it is a sign of good reception in
combination with cola nuts, garden egg and palm-wine. It is also used in Igbo land during coronation, the new yam
festival and marriage ceremonies (14).
Pepper fruits have high carbohydrate content which ranges between 53% - 68% (15, 16, 17). The fruits comprise of
sugars such as glucose, sucrose and fructose, hemicellulose and pectin, which act as dietary fibre, add bulk to the diet
and may, sometimes, act as a mild natural laxative (14). Okwu and Morah (16) reported that pepper fruits contain a
caloric value of 480.24 g cal·100 g –1. The proximate composition of D. tripetala fruits is given below (table 2.2). It has
also been reported that D. tripetala fruits is rich minerals and vitamins. D. tripetala fruits contain mostly water-soluble
vitamins such as ascorbic acid, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin (16) which explain its uses for the treatment of the
common cold and the control of other diseases such as prostate cancer (18). The fruits of D. tripetalacontains high
amount of potassium (2.48%) and calcium (1.80%) and a low concentration of sodium, Zinc, copper, manganese,
cobalt, nickel and cadmium (table 2.3)(19). Fruits of the plant also contains high (17.75 %) amount of iron (16) which
is an essential component of heme moieties of haemoglobin. It helps in oxygen transport and plays a vital role in body
metabolism especially in humans (18).
Table 2.1Variations in Proximate Composition of D.Tripetala Fruit with Ripeness (Pepper Fruit).
% Nutrients Sample
Unripe Ripe
Moisture content 15.26 ± 0.07 18.73 ± 0.02
Protein 6.59 ± 0.08 4.67 ± 0.08
Fat 5.52 ± 0.3 5.78 ± 0.08
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Parameters % composition
Moisture (%) 8-9.08
Ash (%) 3.18- 6.40
Fat (Lipid) (%) 3.47-9.66
Crude fibre (%) 9.00-14.32
Protein (%) 4.67-15.31
Carbohydrate (%) 53.3-68.12
Sources: (15, 16, 17)
Parameters Composition
Sodium (%) 2.50 ± 0.10
Phosphorus (%) 0.33 ± 0.10
Magnesium (%) 0.42 ±0.30
Iron (%) 17.75 + 0.30
Calcium (%) 1.80 ± 0.40
Thiamine (vitamin B1) (mg·100 g–1) 0.12 + 0.10
Niacin (nicotinic acid) (mg·100 g )–1
10.08 + 0.20
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) (mg·100 g–1) 0.56 + 0.01
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) (mg·100 g ) –1
58.48 + 0.20
Source: (16)
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The LD50 of the ethyl acetate root extract of D. tripetala was reported to be 1120 mg/kg when given intraperitoneally
with no remarkable change observed in the major organs at postmortem (37).
2. Conclusion
In conclusion, Dennettiatripetala contains various nutritional and phytochemicals compositions make this plant
valuable for pharmacological purposes. . Thus, the importance of this beneficial plant should be emphasized and the
bioactive components of Dennettiatripetala should be analyzed further and, an extensive research and development
work should be undertaken on the plant and its products for better economic and therapeutic utilization.
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgments must be inserted here.
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