A narrative review of nutritional, medicinal, and ethnopharmacological properties of Grewia occidentalis L.

Abstract

Fruits of Grewia occidentalis L. are edible, and various organs of the species are used in traditional medicine. This study explores the traditional medicinal knowledge and assesses the nutritional and ethnopharmacological properties of G. occidentalis. This study is based on literature obtained from scientific databases such as SpringerLink, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and SciELO, as well as literature obtained from pre-electronic sources such as books, book chapters, and other scientific publications obtained from the university library. This research showed that the fruit flesh and skin of G. occidentalis are a good source of energy, classic nutrients, and minerals. The crude extracts of G. occidentalis are used as ethnoveterinary medicine and as traditional medicine against bladder ailments, to induce labour, impotence, infertility, respiratory infections, sexually transmitted infections, sores and wounds. The species is characterized by saponins, flavonoids, tannins, phenols, cardenolides, terpenoids, and phlobatannins. The crude extracts of G. occidentalis leaves, roots, shoots, and twigs, and phytochemical compounds isolated from the species demonstrated antibacterial, antigonococcal, antifungal, anti-HIV, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, mutagenicity, and uterotonic activities. There is a need to undertake detailed nutritional, phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological evaluations of G. occidentalis aimed at correlating its traditional uses as food and herbal medicine with its nutritional and ethnopharmacological properties.