Phytochemical and bioactive potentials of African Annonaceae species.

ABSTRACT

This review aims to gather available information on the medicinal, nutritional, and bioactive profiles of Annonaceae species in the African continent, sponsoring their use worldwide and mainly in African communities, where access to food and medicines for basic health care is scarce. >60 medicinal taxa were compiled, belonging to 22 genera, namely Annickia, Annona, Anonidium, Artabotrys, Cleistochlamys, Cleistopholis, Dennettia, Duguetia, Greenwayodendron, Hexalobus, Isolona, Lettowianthus, Monanthotaxis, Monodora, Neostenanthera, Polyceratocarpus, Sphaerocoryne, Uvaria, Uvariastrum, Uvariodendron, Uvariopsis and Xylopia; the most diverse and economically important genera were the genera Annona, Uvaria and Xylopia with 7 species each. Annonaceae species hold a valuable nutritional profile, rich in proteins, fibers, and minerals, being also good sources of a wide range of bioactive compounds of high biological relevance. These compounds are especially important in developing countries, where most of these species are available for direct use as food and/or medicines by the most deprived populations.