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Medicinal Spices and Vegetables from Africa

Therapeutic Potential against Metabolic, Inflammatory, Infectious and Systemic Diseases

  • 1st Edition - January 14, 2017
  • Latest edition
  • Editor: Victor Kuete
  • Language: English

Medicinal Spices and Vegetables from Africa: Therapeutic Potential against Metabolic, Inflammatory, Infectious and Systemic Diseases provides a detailed look at medicinal spices an… Read more

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Description

Medicinal Spices and Vegetables from Africa: Therapeutic Potential against Metabolic, Inflammatory, Infectious and Systemic Diseases provides a detailed look at medicinal spices and vegetables that have proven safe-and-effective for consumption and the treatment of diseases, including infectious diseases, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

It provides pharmacological evidence, such as the latest information related to efficacy and safety data, in vitro and in vivo studies, clinical trials, and more, to illustrate the use of these spices and vegetables as both palliative and alternative treatments with the goal of furthering research in this area to produce safer and more effective drugs.

Key features

  • Provides scientific evidence for the potential of medicinal spices and vegetables used in Africa to fight metabolic, inflammatory, and infectious diseases
  • Includes a review of the latest methods used to investigate the effects of medicinal plants in the treatment of disease
  • Offers an updated resource for students sand scientists in the fields of pharmaceutical science, pharmacognosy, complementary and alternative medicine, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, biochemistry, and more

Readership

Professors, students and researchers in the fields of pharmacology, toxicology, pharmacognosy, phytochemistry, medicine, pharmaceutical biology and ethnopharmacology

Table of contents

  • List of Contributors
  • Preface
  • Part I: Diverse Degenerative Diseases in Africa
    • Chapter 1: Diseases in Africa: An Overview
      • Abstract
      • 1. General overview of disease burden in Africa
      • 2. Infectious diseases
      • 3. Neglected tropical diseases
      • 4. Noncommunicable diseases
      • 5. Malnutrition
      • 6. Conclusions
    • Chapter 2: Management of Inflammatory and Nociceptive Disorders in Africa
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Epidemiology of inflammatory and nociceptive disorders
      • 3. Gender and age of patients versus inflammatory and nociceptive disorders in Africa
      • 4. Prevention
      • 5. Inflammatory pain control policy in the African context
      • 6. The inflammatory response
      • 7. Pain processing and nociception pathway
      • 8. Conventional drugs used for the management of inflammatory and nociception disorders
      • 9. Medicinal plants used for the management of inflammatory and nociception disorders
      • 10. Conclusions
    • Chapter 3: Burden and Health Policy of Cancers in Africa
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Common cancers in Africa
      • 3. Government control policies for cancer in African countries
      • 4. Conclusions
    • Chapter 4: Metabolic Syndromes and Public Health Policies in Africa
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Africa
      • 3. Systematic review of public health policies on metabolic syndrome in Africa
      • 4. Framework to develop public health policy for medicinal herbs—the case of pepper
      • 5. Conclusions
    • Chapter 5: Management of Infectious Diseases in Africa
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. HIV/AIDS
      • 3. Dengue
      • 4. Ebola
      • 5. Chikungunya
      • 6. Cholera
      • 7. Cryptococcal meningitis
      • 8. Malaria
      • 9. Schistosomiasis
      • 10. Antimicrobial resistance
      • 11. Management of infectious diseases using African biodiversity
      • 12. Conclusions
    • Chapter 6: Overview of Governmental Support Across Africa Toward the Development and Growth of Herbal Medicine
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Encouragement of use of medicinal plants in health care programs
      • 3. Policies for conservation of medicinal plants and local community participation
      • 4. Policy for restoring plants harvested in the wild and sustainability of use
      • 5. Incentives to collectors and farmers to keep production of medicinal plants sustainable
      • 6. Government support on medicinal plant research
      • 7. Policies regarding export of medicinal plants
      • 8. Policy for trade in herbal medicine
      • 9. Herbal medicine regulation in Africa
      • 10. Conclusions and recommendations
    • Chapter 7: Preparation, Standardization, and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants in Africa
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Factors that affect the use of medicinal plant preparations
      • 3. Modes of preparation of medicinal plants used in traditional medicine
      • 4. Modes of preparation of extracts in research laboratories in Africa
      • 5. Parameters for selecting an appropriate extraction method
      • 6. Standardization of medicinal plant preparation in Africa and other parts of the world
      • 7. Quality control of medicinal preparations
      • 8. Conclusions
  • Part II: Therapeutic Potential of African Medicinal Spices and Vegetables
    • Chapter 8: Antimicrobial Activities of African Medicinal Spices and Vegetables
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Antimicrobial secondary metabolites and their modes of action
      • 3. In vitro screening methods of phytochemicals for antimicrobial activities
      • 4. Antimicrobial effects of African medicinal spices and vegetables
      • 5. Other antimicrobial spices and vegetables from Africa
      • 6. Antimicrobial mode of action of African spices and vegetables
      • 7. Conclusions
    • Chapter 9: Anti-inflammatory and Anti-nociceptive Activities of African Medicinal Spices and Vegetables
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Methods used in the screening of antiinflammatory and antinociceptive activity of African spices and vegetables
      • 3. Selected African spices with antiinflammatory and antinociceptive activity
      • 4. Prominent antiinflammatory active ingredients found in African spices and vegetables
      • 5. Clinical trials
      • 6. Conclusions
    • Chapter 10: Anticancer Activities of African Medicinal Spices and Vegetables
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. In vitro screening methods of phytochemicals for anticancer activities
      • 3. Anticancer potential of phytochemicals
      • 4. Antiproliferative effects of African medicinal spices
      • 5. Cytotoxicity of other African medicinal vegetables
      • 6. Mode of action of African spices, vegetable’s extracts, and derived products
      • 7. Conclusions
    • Chapter 11: Antiemetic African Medicinal Spices and Vegetables
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Modes of action of antiemetics
      • 3. Antiemetics screening methods
      • 4. In vitro and in vivo antiemetic activities of chemicals
      • 5. African medicinal spices as sources of antiemetics
      • 6. African vegetables as sources of antiemetics
      • 7. Conclusions
    • Chapter 12: African Medicinal Spices and Vegetables and Their Potential in the Management of Metabolic Syndrome
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. In vitro screening methods of phytochemicals against metabolic syndrome
      • 3. Potential of phytochemicals against metabolic syndrome
      • 4. Effects of African medicinal spices on metabolic syndrome
      • 5. Conclusions
    • Chapter 13: Other Health Benefits of African Medicinal Spices and Vegetables
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. African medicinal spices and vegetables in the treatment of age-related and Alzheimer’s diseases
      • 3. Oxidative stress and antioxidant effects of African medicinal spices and vegetables
      • 4. Medicinal spices and vegetables from Africa used in the treatment of epilepsy
      • 5. Prevention of rheumatoid arthritis with African medicinal spices and vegetables
      • 6. African spices and vegetables and their potential effects on obesity
      • 7. Role of African spices and vegetables in human fertility
      • Conclusions
  • Part III: Popular African Medicinal Spices and Vegetables, and Their Health Effects
    • Chapter 14: Allium cepa
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Cultivation and distribution of Allium cepa
      • 3. Chemistry of Allium cepa
      • 4. Pharmacology of Allium cepa
      • 5. Patents with Allium cepa
      • Conclusions
    • Chapter 15: Allium sativum
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Cultivation and distribution of Allium sativum
      • 3. Chemistry of Allium sativum
      • 4. Pharmacology of Allium sativum
      • 5. Toxicity of Allium sativum
      • 6. Patents with Allium sativum
      • Conclusions
    • Chapter 16: Canarium schweinfurthii
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Botanical aspects and distribution of Canarium schweinfurthii
      • 3. Chemistry of Canarium schweinfurthii
      • 4. Pharmacology of Canarium schweinfurthii
      • 5. Conclusions
    • Chapter 17: Cinnamon Species
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Botanical aspects
      • 3. Chemistry of Cinnamomum cassia and Cinnamomum zeylanicum
      • 4. Pharmacology of Cinnamomum cassia and Cinnamomum zeylanicum
      • 5. Conclusions
    • Chapter 18: Cymbopogon citratus
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Chemical constituents of C. citratus
      • 3. Pharmacological activities of C. citratus
      • 4. Patents
      • 5. Conclusions
    • Chapter 19: Curcuma longa
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Cultivation and distribution of Curcuma longa
      • 3. Chemistry of Curcuma longa
      • 4. Pharmacology of Curcuma longa
      • 5. Patents with Curcuma Longa
      • 6. Conclusions
    • Chapter 20: Lactuca sativa
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. History
      • 3. World and African distribution
      • 4. Chemistry
      • 5. Pharmacological activities
      • 6. Other pharmacological activities
      • 7. Clinical trials
      • 8. Conclusions
    • Chapter 21: Mangifera indica L. (Anacardiaceae)
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Botanical description
      • 3. Origin and distribution
      • 4. Classification and cultivars of Mangifera indica
      • 5. Phytochemistry of Mangifera indica
      • 6. Pharmacological activity of Mangifera indica
      • 7. Clinical trials
      • 8. Toxicity status of Mangifera indica
      • 9. Conclusions
    • Chapter 22: Moringa oleifera
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Cultivation and distribution of Moringa oleifera
      • 3. Chemistry of Moringa oleifera
      • 4. Pharmacology of Moringa oleifera
      • 5. Conclusions
    • Chapter 23: Myristica fragrans: A Review
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Botanical aspects and distribution of Myristica fragrans
      • 3. Chemistry of Myristica fragrans
      • 4. Pharmacology of Myristica fragrans
      • 5. Toxicity of Myristica fragrans
      • 6. Patents with Myristica fragrans
      • 7. Conclusions
    • Chapter 24: Passiflora edulis
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Botanical description
      • 3. Propagation
      • 4. Traditional or ethnomedicinal uses
      • 5. Phytochemistry
      • 6. In vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies
      • 7. Clinical trials
      • 8. Safety profile and pharmacovigilance data
      • 9. Conclusions
    • Chapter 25: Petroselinum crispum: a Review
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Plant description
      • 3. Geographical distribution
      • 4. Ethnomedicinal uses
      • 5. Pytochemical constituents
      • 6. Pharmacological properties
      • 7. Toxicity
      • 8. Clinical trials
      • 9. Patents
      • 10. Conclusions
    • Chapter 26: Sesamum indicum
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Origin of the crop
      • 3. Chemical properties of Sesamum indicum
      • 4. Phytochemical studies
      • 5. Pharmacological evaluation of plant extracts
      • 6. Production and cultivation of Sesamum indicum
      • 7. Conclusions
      • Acknowledgments
    • Chapter 27: African Medicinal Spices of Genus Piper
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Taxonomy of the genus Piper
      • 3. Diversity in the Piper species
      • 4. Distribution of the genus Piper
      • 5. Ethnobotanical and ethnosocial importance of the genus Piper
      • 6. Ethnomedicinal applications of the genus Piper
      • 7. Economic and commercial prospect of the genus Piper
      • 8. Bioprospecting and conservation status of the genus Piper
      • 9. Phytochemical constituents of the genus Piper
      • 10. Biological and pharmacological effects of the genus Piper
      • 11. Toxicity profile
      • 12. Conclusions
    • Chapter 28: Thymus vulgaris
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Cultivation and distribution of Thymus vulgaris
      • 3. Chemistry of Thymus vulgaris
      • 4. Pharmacology of Thymus vulgaris
      • 5. Patents with Thymus vulgaris
      • Conclusions
    • Chapter 29: Syzygium aromaticum
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Botanical aspect and distribution of Syzygium aromaticum
      • 3. Chemistry of Syzygium aromaticum
      • 4. Pharmacology of Syzygium aromaticum
      • 5. Patents with Syzygium aromaticum
      • 6. Toxicity of Syzygium aromaticum
      • 7. Conclusions
    • Chapter 30: Zingiber officinale
      • Abstract
      • 1. Introduction
      • 2. Botanical aspect, distribution, and production of Zingiber officinale
      • 3. Chemistry of Zingiber officinale
      • 4. Pharmacology of Zingiber officinale
      • 5. Patents with Zingiber officinale
      • 6. Conclusions
  • Index

Product details

  • Edition: 1
  • Latest edition
  • Published: January 14, 2017
  • Language: English

About the editor

VK

Victor Kuete

Professor Victor Kuete is a distinguished Cameroonian scientist and Full Professor of Pharmacognosy at the University of Dschang, where he also serves as Director of the Centre for Study, Research, and Development of Natural Resources and Technologies. His career spans over two decades of groundbreaking research in natural product pharmacology, with a particular focus on African medicinal plants as sources of antimicrobial, antiviral, and anticancer agents. Kuete’s research program emphasizes the mechanisms of action of bioactive compounds, especially against multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotypes, and has contributed significantly to the global understanding of ethnopharmacology. He has authored more than 500 scientific publications, over 120 book chapters, and several influential books, including Medicinal Plant Research in Africa (2013), Biodiversity, Natural Products and Cancer Treatment (2014), Toxicological Survey of African Medicinal Plants (2014), and African Medicinal Spices and Vegetables (2017). His more recent works, such as African Plants to Fight Bacterial Resistance (2023) and African Plant-Based Products as a Source of Potent Drugs to Overcome Cancers and Their Chemoresistance (2024–2025), further consolidate his reputation as a leading voice in pharmacognosy. Internationally, Kuete has been awarded numerous prestigious fellowships, including TWAS (2007), AUF (2008), DAAD (2009), Alexander von Humboldt (2012–2014, 2015–2018), and Tubitak (2016). These fellowships facilitated collaborations with leading scientists across Europe, Asia, and Africa, strengthening his global research network. His work has been widely cited, with over 26,000 citations and an h-index above 95, placing him among the top 100 African scientists according to the AD Scientific Index. Beyond research, Professor Kuete plays a vital role in mentorship and academic leadership, having supervised dozens of Master’s and PhD theses, many of whose graduates now hold senior academic positions across Africa. He also serves as Editor-in-Chief of Investigational Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology, alongside editorial roles in several international journals, reinforcing his influence in shaping the field of ethnopharmacology and drug discovery. Professor Kuete’s career exemplifies the integration of traditional African medicine with modern pharmacological science, positioning him as a global leader in the search for novel therapeutic agents to address pressing health challenges such as cancer, infectious diseases, and drug resistance.

Affiliations and expertise
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon

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