The genus Warburgia: a review of its traditional uses and pharmacology.

BACKGROUND

Warburgia (Canellaceae) species have a long history of ethnomedicinal uses in east, central and southern Africa. Due to the popularity of Warburgia as a source of ethnomedicines; all the species are severely over-harvested throughout their distributional ranges.

OBJECTIVE

This review documents fragmented information on traditional uses and pharmacological evidence of the genus Warburgia.

METHODS

Information on Warburgia species was collected from scientific journals, books, theses and reports via library and electronic search using Medline, Pubmed, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect and Web of Science.

RESULTS

Ethnomedicinal uses of Warburgia species have been recorded from east, central and southern Africa for 30 human and 7 animal ailments. Warburgia species are used to treat gastro-intestinal disorders, cold, cough and sore throat; fever or malaria, respiratory and odontological ailments. Warburgia species are rich in drimane and colorotane sesquiterpenoides, and other compounds. The extracts of Warburgia, particularly those from stem bark and leaves, exhibited a wide range of pharmacological effects, including antibacterial, antifungal, antimycobacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antifeedant, antiplasmodial, antileishmanial, anthelmintic, cytotoxic and molluscicidal activities.

CONCLUSIONS

Pharmacological results have validated the use of this genus in traditional medicine. Further investigations are needed to explore the bioactive compounds responsible for the in vitro and in vivo pharmacological effects and their mode of action.