Why African oil bean stops diarrhoea, malnutrition, microbes

Nigerian researchers have explained the
increasing demand for Ugba (African oil
bean seed) delicacies around the country.
Their verdict: African oil bean seed is a
very good food source; anti-microbial and
wound healing agent; and the leaf extracts
could be used to stop diarrhoea.
IT is a major food item among the Igbo of
Eastern Nigeria. It is fermented and used as
a food supplement and is consumed alone,
mixed with other food ingredients or as a
condiment in soups and salads.
The African oil bean seed (Pentaclethra
macrophylla) is fermented and consumed
especially in eastern states of Nigeria. The
fermented product Ugba (old Imo State) or
Ukpaka (old Anambra State) is eaten alone
or with other ingredients like stockfish,
garden egg, sliced tapioca or they can be
mixed with vegetable popularly known as
Africa salad in the Eastern part of Nigeria.
African oil bean is a tropical tree crop found
mostly in the Southern rain forest zone of
West Africa. It belongs to the leguminosae
family and sub-family mimosoideae. African
oil bean tree grows to about 21 metre in
height and to about six metres in girth. The
leaves have stout angular petiole. The
compound leaves are usually about 20
centimetres large and covered with rusty
hairs. The followers are creamy, yellowish
or pinkish-white and sweet smelling. The
main flowering season is between March-
April.
The seed is a source of edible oil used for
candle making and soaps. The seed shells
are decorative and often used as craft
beads, which are worn as necklaces and
sometimes as local dance apparels. It has
been reported that the seeds, when crushed
and eaten with red ants could induce
abortion.
Chemical evaluation of the nutritive value of
African oil bean seeds by I.J. Alinnor and R.
Oze of the Department of Pure and
Industrial Chemistry, Federal University of
Technology, Owerri, Imo State, showed that
the seeds have moisture content 11.87 per
cent, ash content 2.95 per cent, crude fat
content 46.95 per cent, crude protein
content 20.95 per cent, crude fibre content
2.50 per cent, carbohydrate content 14.79
per cent, available energy 2344.56 kJ.
According to the study published recently in
Pakistan Journal of Nutrition, the mineral
content of the analysed samples showed
that African oil bean seeds were rich in iron
of value 140.97 mg/100 g. The analysis
indicates that potassium is the most
abundant mineral. The high calcium/
potassium (Ca/P) ratio indicates that African
oil bean seed is a very good food source.
The researchers concluded: “The result of
the analysis shows that African oil bean
seed is rich in protein and it could be used
as alternative source of protein in diet/
protein supplement especially in under
developed countries such as Nigeria. This
study also revealed that African oil bean
seeds have high available energy and high
fat content. This study revealed that African
oil bean sample is rich in iron when
compared to Recommended Daily Allowance
(RDA) standard.
“Iron is required for blood formation in the
body and the normal functioning of central
nervous system. The presence of calcium,
magnesium and phosphorus would make
African oil bean seed suitable for bone
formation for children since the deficiencies
of these minerals could lead to abnormal
bone development. The high calcium/
phosphorous (Ca/P) value indicates that
African oil bean is a very good food
source. ”
African oil bean seed oil has shown great
promise as antimicrobial and wound
healing agent. Nigerian researchers have
demonstrated how African oil bean seed oil,
African star apple oil and avocado pear oil
inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus
aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis,
Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
The study titled “The antimicrobial effect of
oils from Pentaclethra macrophylla,
Chrysophyllum albidum and Persea
gratissima on some local clinical bacteria
isolates ” was published in African Journal of
Biotechnology.
The researchers include Ugbogu O. C. and
Akukwe A. R. of the Department of
Microbiology, Abia State University, Uturu,
Abia State.
The researchers write: “The in vitro
antimicrobial effect of the oils on most of
the local clinical isolates were high and no
complete resistance was observed in any of
the isolates. This observation suggests that
oils from these seeds can be used for
management and disinfection of wounds.
The people of Eastern Nigeria have been
using palm kernel oil as skin ointment since
prehistoric times although scientific
evidence for its antimicrobial effect is
lacking.
“These oils had higher inhibition than has
been reported for palm kernel oil. These oils
can serve as alternative sources of ointment
for maintenance of the skin and
management of wounds in addition to the
usual palm kernel oil. In addition, research
has shown that the use of this type of
inhibitory agent does not result to
development of resistance organisms. There
is need for further investigation of the oils
of under-utilised seeds in order to employ
them in the production of ointments for
wound disinfection and management. ”
African star apple (Chrysophyllum albidum)
belongs to the family sapotaceae and is
primarily a forest tree species. Its natural
occurrences have been reported in diverse
ecozones in Nigeria, Uganda, Niger Republic,
Cameroun and Cote D ’Ivoire. The fleshy
pulp of this fruit is as snack and relished by
both young and old. It is an excellent source
of vitamins, iron and flavours to diets. The
roots and leaves are used for medicinal
purposes. The seeds are used for local
games or discarded.
Avocado pear (Persea grattisima) contains
chemical constituents such as tannins,
flavonoids, steroids, saponins, glycosides,
phenolics, terpenes and alkaloids.
Undocumented ethnomedical sources have
ascribed that the seeds are used for
treatment of obesity, high blood pressure,
heart problems and hypertension. The
leaves and stem barks are used for
treatment of malaria and typhoid fever. The
seeds are usually thrown away except for
purposes of propagation. Except
Pentaclethra macrophylla seeds, the seeds
of Chrysophyllum albidum and Persea
gratissima are usually thrown away.
Nigerian researchers have also explained
the rationale for the use of African oil bean
leaf extracts in traditional medicine as a
popular anti-diarrhoeal recipe.
The study titled, “Studies on the
antidiarrhoeal properties of Pentaclethra
macrophylla leaf extracts ” was published in
Phytotherapy Research by P. A. Akah, C. N.
Aguwa, R. U. Agu.
The study reads: “The aqueous (WE) and
ethanol (EE) leaf extracts of African oil bean
were tested for anti-diarrhoeal activity
using experimental animal models …
Antidiarrhoeal potential of the extracts was
evidenced by a significant reduction in
faecal output and protection from castor oil-
induced diarrhoea in rats treated with the
extracts. In addition the extracts
significantly decreased propulsive
movement of gastrointestinal contents in
mice.
“On isolated tissue preparations, the
extracts significantly reduced in a non-
specific manner contractions evoked by
acetylcholine, nicotine and histamine. The
extracts inhibited the growth of common
pathogenic microorganisms. The
antispasmodic as well as the antimicrobial
effects of the extracts may explain the
rationale for the use of the plant in
traditional medicine as a popular anti-
diarrhoeal recipe. ”