Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Central Africa region, it occurs in Cameroon, Gabon, and DR Congo; in East Africa, it is found in
Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda; and in southern Africa, it occurs in South Africa, Malawi, Angola,
Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.
Ethnomedicinal Uses —
Mondia
roots have a slightly bitter taste at first but a sweet aftertaste
and a pleasant vanilla odor and are used to make a tonic beverage similar to ginger beer. The young
roots are sweet in taste and are less valued. It is used as an appetite stimulant and for indigestion,
anorexia, and stress. In West Africa, the roots are brewed in alcohol to make an energizing drink
for wedding parties.
Mondia
can be used as a tea. The plant is reputed to be an effective aphrodisiac
and is valued as a medicine for the treatment of chronic male sexual erectile dysfunction and impo-
tence. It has been used as a general anodyne and for the treatment of hypertension, stroke, anemia,
asthma, hangover, mastitis, and allergies; it is also taken to improve sleep, enhance urination, and
ease birth pains, and for use as a mouth freshener and toothbrush and for the treatment of fits in
children.
94
Constituents —
The plant has been shown to contain a potent tyrosinase inhibitor, 2-hydroxy-
4-methoxybenzaldehyde, (−)-loliolide, isovanillin, coumarins, and coumarinolignan, as well as
chlorinated coumarinolignan.
Mondia
elaborates a mixture of triperpenes, flavonoids, reducing
sugars, and tannins. Nutritional analysis indicated that
Mondia
is rich in minerals and vitamins.
The yields of the various nutrients, roots and leaves, respectively, are as follows (mg/g): potassium
(11.34, 32.05); sodium (5.61, 24); magnesium (1.40, 2.83); calcium (3.08, 8.25); iron (0.20, 0.43); zinc
(0.03, 0.07); copper (0.003, 0.06); manganese (0.64, 0.05); cadmium and lead (trace, trace); crude
protein (4.35, 21.8); beta-carotene (0.004, 0.022); thiamine (0.78, 3.70); niacin (0.52, 8.15); riboflavin
(0.62, 2.45); fructose (0.008, 0.015); xylose (9.17, 18.70); and glucose (2.40, 9.0).
Pharmacological Studies —
Some of the biological activities associated with
Mondia
have
been evaluated in a number of scientific studies to validate some of the traditional uses. The studies
include biological assays on the aphrodisiac, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antityrosinase, and
antioxidant activities. The aphrodisiac efficacy of
M. whitei
roots has been established in various
animal studies.
771,772
The extracts displayed significant inhibition of tyrosinase, and this property
could account for its observed cytotoxicity against certain types of cancer
in vitro
. The methanol
extract has also been shown to possess
in vitro
antioxidant activity
773
and an anti-inflammatory
property, as evidenced by the remarkable inhibition (>80%) of COX-1 enzyme.
774
The ethanol leaf
extract showed moderate antidepressant activity
in vitro
in the serotonin reuptake transport (SERT)
a ssay.
775
Bioguided isolation identified the presence of (−)-loliolide in the active fraction with an IC
50
of 977 µ
M
. The extract had significant
in vivo
activity in both the tail suspension test (TST) and
forced swim test (FST), and locomotor activity tests.
776
Commerce —
Mondia
is widely traded in most parts of the continent for its aphrodisiac proper-
ties and the treatment of male erectile dysfunction. Because it is not usually traded across borders,
not much information is available on the volume of trade or harvest of the species. The fresh roots
are sold for US$7-12/kg. In East Africa, the wholesale price for the whole plant is US$0.20-0.30/
kg, and it retails for more than US$2/kg. In Nigeria, small pieces (0.01-0.02 m in diameter and up
to 0.4 m in length) of the roots are sold by street vendors for US$0.20 each.
Agriculture —
This species is easily cultivated from seed. Seeds are collected as the fruit
starts to split open, with the seeds picked off from their parachute-like tuft of hairs before it
opens. The seeds are best sown fresh, but they can be stored for about a year under normal room
conditions. Wood ash from a fire is mixed with the seed to prevent attack by insects. The plant,
however, is largely harvested from the wild. The root is the plant part used most in traditional
medicine, and studies of
M. whitei
have also focused on the root/root bark extracts, which is an
indication of the high stress on the underground plant part. The plant is seriously threatened by
overharvesting. There have been proposals on the possibility of sustainable harvesting of the spe-
cies from the wild.
