Medicinal and Economic Value of Nauclea Latifolia (African Peach Tree)

Nauclea latifolia Smith (family: Rubiaceae) is a valuable medicinal plant that is widespread in the humid tropical rainforest or in savannah woodland zone of West and Central Africa. Different parts of the plant possess remarkable therapeutic actions that can support the traditional usage of this plant in the treatment of several ailments. The plant was described with the origin, distribution, and its local uses. This review was focused on its ethno medicinal and economic uses, as well as its phytochemical and pharmacologic activities. The scientific resources including ScopeMed, PubMed, Scopus, Hinari and Google scholar were searched using key words such as: Nauclea latifolia, ethno medicinal uses, non-medicinal uses, economic value, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities N. latifolia and its phytochemical constituents, showed positive effects in prevention or curing many ailments through various mechanisms such as antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, antisecretory, and antiulcerogenic effects. This review has scientifically justified some traditional uses of N. latifolia in the management of human diseases.