Terminalia prunioides M.A. Lawson (Combretaceae family): A comprehensive review of its medicinal uses, phytochemical and pharmacological properties

AbstractTerminalia prunioides M.A. Lawson is a shrub or medium-sized tree widely used in traditional medicine in tropical Africa. The aim of this study was to review information on the medicinal uses, phytochemical and pharmacological properties of T. prunioides. A search for available information on the botany, medicinal uses, chemical constituents and pharmacological properties of T. prunioides was discussed. The published literature findings highlighted the potential of T. prunioides as a good source of proteins, energy, minerals such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc. T. prunioides is used as a source of traditional medicines in Angola, South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Somalia and Zimbabwe, that is, 63.6% of the countries where the species is indigenous. Ethnopharmacological researches showed that the crude extracts of T. pruinoides fruits, leaves or twigs exhibited antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliferative, anti-tyrosinase, cytoprotective, cytotoxic and oxidative stress activities. The ethnopharmacological properties of T. prunioides documented in this review suggested the therapeutic relevance and potential of the species in the discovery of novel plant-based health products required to manage both animal and human health-related ailments.