Review of Medicinal Uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacological Properties, Extraction Methods and Toxicology of Lannea microcarpa (African Grapes)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Lannea microcarpa is an African herbal medicinal plant by pan-African distribution and has huge native medicinal and non-medicinal applications. The plant is being used traditionally as a medicine for many diseases such as mouth blisters, rheumatism, dysentery, sore throat, as a dressing on boils, as a cathartic, livestock feed, diarrhoea, gastroenteritis, malaria, dysentery, infection from bacteria, toothaches, gastroenteritis, female infertility, in blood pressure, oedema, coughing, cathartic, poisoning, and burns. It is also used in the manufacture of the cloths termed ‘basilan fini’ widely related to the concept of healing (medicine applied on cloth). Aim of the Review: This review aims to assemble an up-to-date review of the advancement made in the continuous pharmacological and phytochemical study of Lannea microcarpa and the consistent commercial and therapeutic application of it. These findings provide guide to the upcoming research on this plant. Methods: The assessment is systematically directed by searching the database of MEDLINE, PubMed, Springer, BMC, the Web of Knowledge, Google Scholar, ChemSpider and Science Direct for original research articles and books using related search terms. Result: Pharmacological studies verified the capability of this plant as it showed antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activities. Bioactive constituents are found to be present in all parts of the plant. So far, this plant having high antioxidant capabilities, Lannea microcarpa is composed of many chemical compounds such as vitexin, lipids, proteins & amino acids, epi-catechin, gallic acid, myricetin, iso-Vitexin, fatty acid, carbohydrates, and tannins. This plant possesses antioxidant and antimicrobial properties owing to the presence of polyphenolics & flavonoids constituents. Novel compounds with the potent antiinflammatory effects such as 4’-methoxy-myricetin 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside, myricetin 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside, and myricetin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside among others, have been identified. Microparticles formulation of Lannea microcarpa was also prepared and further studies are still going on.