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Analytical & Pharmaceutical Research

Mini Review Volume 7 Issue 2

Mini review on two species of garden egg (S. aethiopicum L. and S. macrocarpon L.) found in Nigeria

Ayodele Olufunmilayo D

Correspondence: Ayodele Olufunmilayo D, Department of Chemical Sciences, College of Natural and Applied Sciences,Oduduwa University, Ile-ife, Osun-state, Nigeria

Received: January 03, 2018 | Published: April 27, 2018

Citation: Ayodele OD. Mini review on two species of garden egg ( S. aethiopicum L. and S. macrocarpon L.) found in Nigeria. J Anal Pharm Res. 2018;7(2):237?238. DOI: 10.15406/japlr.2018.07.00231

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Keywords

phytochemicals, peroxidation, oxidative, solanum macrocarpon L, S. aethiopicum L

Introduction

Edible fruits and vegetable plants contain natural products known as phytochemicals which are antioxidants derived from plants and other living organisms having the potential to inhibit the formation of free radicals, scavenge free radicals, interrupt free radical chain reaction, and prevent the lipid peroxidation process. They also have therapeutic potentials and the ability to decrease the deleterious effects of oxidative stress-induced pathological conditions.1

Garden egg also known as eggplant is one of such plan. It consists of over 100 species in Africa mainly used as vegetables of which 25 species are found in Nigeria.2,3 The two most widely spread being Solanum aethiopicum L. (the green-striped round shaped garden egg) and Solanum macrocarpon L.(the white-green striped oval garden egg) are eaten raw, boiled or fried to make vegetable sauce.4 Garden eggs are widely used in indigenous medicine for weight reduction, treatment of asthma, nasal catarrh, constipation, gastro-esophageal reflux, glaucoma and skin infection.

Several studies have been carried out to establish the basis for these uses. Researchers reported significant analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-asthmatic, anti-glaucoma, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and weight reduction effects of garden egg on animals and human.5,6 Moreover, these pharmacological properties have been attributed to the presence of certain chemical substances in the plants such as fiber, ascorbic acid, phenols, anthocyanin, glycoalkaloids and alpha-chaconine.7

Furthermore, studies have shown higher content of nutrients; fiber, protein, mineral (Calcium, Magnesium and Iron) in S. aethopicum than in S. macrocarpon with the later having a higher moisture cotent and carbohydrate level.8–10

Phytochemical screening of the two species of garden egg revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phytosetols, saponins, ascorbic acid, cardiac glycosides, tanins and terpenols, with S. aethopicum L. generally having higher levels of the phytochemicals than S. macrocarpon L. however, steroids were present in S. aethopicum but absent in S. macrocarpon.7,10,11

Investigation of vitamin content of the two species showed that both contain vitamins such as; retinol, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, ascorbic acid, calciferol and tocophenol with S. aethopicum recording the higher level of vitamins.12–15 The use of natural antioxidants for the prevention and cure of human diseases has been practiced for thousands of years prior to the development of modern medicine with synthetic drugs and antioxidants.16 Most of these natural antioxidants have been scientifically proven as potential therapeutic agents in preclinical studies. Nowadays, an increase in healthy lifestyle has resulted in the routine consumption of natural ingredients over synthetic agents.17 Hence, it is recommended that garden egg should be included as part of our daily diets since it has been proven to possess phytochemicals and vitamins with antioxidant and therapeutic potentials.

Acknowledgements

None.

Conflict of interest

The author declares that there is no conflict of interest.

References

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  2. Tindall HD. Fruit and vegetable in West Africa. Journal of Plant Production and Protection. 2011;5:34–45.
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  5. Bello SO, Muhammad BY, Gammaniel KS, et al. Preliminary Evaluation of the Toxicity and Some Pharmacological Properties of the Aqueous Crude Extract of Solanum melongena. Res J Agric Biol Sci. 2005;1(1):1–9.
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  7. Sanchez–Mata MC, Yokoyama WE, Hong YJ. Et al. α–Solasonine and α-Solamargine Contents of Gboma (Solanum macrocarpon L.) and Scarlet (Solanum aethiopicum L.) Eggplants. J Agric Food chem. 2010;58(9):5502–5508.
  8. Grubben GJH, Denton OA. Plant Resources of Tropical Africa II: Vegetables. Leiden, Wageningen: Backhuys Publishers; 2004:35–198.
  9. Edijala JK, Asagba SO, Eriyamremu GE, et al. Comparative Effect of Garden Egg Fruit, Oat and Apple on Serum Lipid Profile in Rats Fed a High Cholesterol Diet. Pak J Nutri. 2005;4(4):245–249.
  10. Shalom NC, Abayomi CO, Okwuchukwu KE, et al. Proximate and Phytochemical Analyses of Solanum aethiopicum L. and Solanum macrocarpon L. Fruits. Research Journal of Chemical Sciences. 2011;1(3):63–70.
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  13. Offor CE. Determination of vitamin composition of Dissotis rotundifolia leaves. International Journal of Current Microbiologyand Applied Sciences. 2015;4(1):211.
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  15. Achikanu CE, Eze PE, Ude CM, et al. Determination of vitamin and mineral composition of common leafy vegetables in southern Nigeria. International Journal of current Microbilogy and Applied Sciences. 2013;2(11):347–353.
  16. Kasote DM, Hegde MV, Katyare SS. Mitochondrial dysfunction in psychiatric and neurological diseases: cause(s), consequence(s), and implications of antioxidant therapy. Biofactors. 2013;39(4):392–306.
  17. Kota VR, Sharad SS, Aramati BR. Therapeutic Potential of Natural Pharmacological Agents in the Treatment of Human Diseases. Biomed Res Int. 2014.
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