Scientific name: Vernonia
amygdalina
Common names: Ewuro (Ibdan, Nigeria),
Etidot (Cross River State of Nigeria), Bitter leaf
Origin: Nigeria
Vernonia amygdalina (VA) is a shrub that
grows predominantly in the tropical Africa. Leaves from this plant serve as
food vegetable and culinary herb in soup. Bitter Leaf is a shrub or small tree
that grows up to 23 feet tall with gray or brown bark that is rough and flaked.
Vernonia amygdalina is a perennial herb
belonging to the Asteraceae family. Extracts of the plant have been used in
various folk medicines as remedies against helminthic, protozoal and bacterial
infections with scientific support for these claims. Phytochemicals such as
saponins and alkaloids, terpenes, steroids, coumarins, flavonoids, phenolic
acids, lignans, xanthones, anthraquinones, edotides and sesquiterpenes have
been extracted and isolated from Vernonia amygdalina. These compounds elicit
various biological effects including cancer chemoprevention. Garcinia kola
(Guttiferae) seed, known as “bitter kola”, plays an important role in African
ethnomedicine and traditional hospitality.
Vernonia amygdalina, commonly known as bitter
leaf, is a shrub that grows up to 3 meters high in the African tropics and
other parts of Africa, particularly, Nigeria, Cameroon and Zimbabawe. It is
reputed to have several health benefits. In many parts of Africa, Bitter Leaf
is prepared and eaten like spinach. The root and twigs are chewed as
appetizers. This herb is believed to have tonic, anti-parasitic, anti-tumor,
and anti-bacterial properties.
Major uses and functions
The leaves are used for human
consumption and washed before eating to get rid of the bitter taste. They are
used as vegetable and stimulate the digestive system, as well as they reduce
fever. Furthermore, are they used as local medicine against leech, which are
transmitting bilharziose. Free living chimpanzees eat the leaves, if they have
attacked by parasites. Vernonia amygdalina is also used,
instead of hops to make beer in Nigeria.
During the dry periode Dairy farmers
from Southern Ethiopia feed boiled Vernonia, since the boiling decreases the
content of secondary plant compounds and makes the feed more palatable.
Medicinal Importance of Bitter Leaf (locally
called ewuro)
Today, the plant is widely known throughout
the continent and nearly 85% of Nigerians cultivates the plant due to its
nutritional and medicinal values. It is locally called 'ewuro' in yorubaland.
The leaves of the plant may be consumed either as a vegetable (macerated leaves
in soups) or aqueous extracts as tonics for the treatment of various
illnesses.
In the wild, chimpanzees have been observed
to ingest the leaves when suffering from parasitic infections. Many herbalists
and naturopathic doctors recommend aqueous extracts for their patients as
treatment for Emesis, nausea, diabetes, loss of appetite-induced abasia ,
dysentery and other gastro intestinal tract problems.
Nutrient composition of Bitter leaf which have been reported by several researchers include proteins, fibre, carbohyrate, Ascorbic acid, carotenoid, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, sodium, manganese, copper, zinc, magnesium and selenium. Active principles also reported include stigmastane-type saponins (Vernoniosides), steroidal saponins, sesquiterpene lactones (Vernolide, vernodalol, vernolepin, vernodalin, vernomygdin, hydroxyvernolide), flavonoids (luteolin), terpenese, coumarins, phenolic acids, lignans, xanthones, anthraquinones and peptides (Edoties).
V.amygdalina roots are useful in the treatments of tooth ache and as well prevent gum decay due to its bactericidal and anti-microbial activities. Take a leaf decoction that is widely used medically around Africa for treatment of various ailments for Emesis, nausea, diabetes, appetite, dysentery and Gastrointestinal tract problems. It is used in treatment of constipation, hepatitis, malaria fever, intestinal parasites and as purgative and as soup vegetable. In Tanzania it’s used for stomachache, Dysentery, trypernasomiasis and intestinal parasites.
It has been reported to significantly reduce
glucose by using leaves in diabetic’s patient and stomachache. The treatment of
gingivitis and toothache provides Aniti-oxidant benefits enhance the immune
system.
In Nigeria of West Africa the bitter leaf is
used to cure Ring Worm, Rashes, and Eczema just by applying the pure undiluted
extract of the bitter leaf to the affected part.
The bitter leaf also reduces the sugar level
of the body drastically and repairs the pancreas, a wonder cure for diabetes,
squeeze ten handful of the leaves in ten liters of water and take 2glasses
3times daily (6glasses daily) for one month. In Nigerian herbal homes, extracts
of the plant are used as tonic, in the control of tick and treatment of cough,
feverish condition, constipation and hypertension. It is used locally to treat
illnesses like colds, bronchitis, bacterial and viral infections and liver diseases.
Vernonia
amygdalina
Major
uses and functions
The leaves are used for human consumption and
washed before eating to get rid of the bitter taste. They are used as vegetable
and stimulate the digestive system, as well as they reduce fever. Furthermore,
are they used as local medicine against leech, which are transmitting
bilharziose. Free living chimpanzees eat the leaves, if they have attacked by
parasites. Vernonia amygdalina is also used, instead of hops to make beer in
Nigeria (Anonymous, 2000). Furthermore, is Vernonina amygdalina found in homes
in villages as fence post and pot-herb (Anonymous, 1999).
Feeding value
Vernonia amygdalina has been observed to be
eaten by goats in Central Zone of Delta State, Nigeria. However, in general has
there been found, that Vernonia amygdalina have an astringent taste, which
affects its intake (Bonsi et al., 1995a). The bitter taste is due to
anti-nutritional factors such as alkaloids, saponins, tannins and glycosides
(Buttler and Bailey, 1973; Ologunde et al., 1992 cited by Bonsi et al. 1995a;
Anonymous, 1999). It has been tried to mix Vernonia with molasses to make it
more palatable, but 6.6 % of DM intake had to be added to improve the intake of
Vernonia. During the dry periode Dairy farmers from Southern Ethiopia feed
boiled Vernonia, since the boiling decreases the content of secondary plant
compounds and makes the feed more palatable.
Vernonia amygdalina has also been fed to
broilers, where it was able to replace 300 g kg-1 of maize-based diet without
affecting feed intake, body weight gain and feed efficiency (Teguia et al.,
1993 cited by Bonsi et al., 1995a).
Fresh green Vernonia amygdalina leaves were
anaysed for protein content, moisture, ash, minerals and antimicrobial
activity. Leaves had a moisture content of 83.0% (dry matter, 17.02%), a
protein content of 1.30% and ash content of 0.50%. Mineral content was as
follows: phosphorus, 61.55 µg g-1; selenium, 8.2x10-3µg g-1 ; iron, 4.71µg g-1
and zinc, 1.13µg g-1, based on fresh weight of leaves. The aqueous extract of
the leaves inhibited the growth of the gram +ve bacterium Staphylococcus aureus
and the gram –ve bacterium Escherichia coli. The nutritional and food
processing implications of the results are discussed.
Nutritional and Antimicrobial
Properties of Vernonia amygdalina Leaves.
Vernonia amygdalina, variously known as
bitter leaf (English), oriwo (Edo), ewuro (Yoruba), shikawa (Hausa), and olubu
(Igbo), is a tropical shrub, 1-3m in height with petiole leaf of about 6mm in
diameter, and elliptic in shape (Igile et al, 1995). The leaves are dark green
coloured with a characteristic odour and a bitter taste. The species is indigenous to tropical
Africa and is found wild or cultivated all over sub- Saharan Africa (Bosch et
al, 2005). The leaves are eaten, after crushing and washing thoroughly to
remove the bitterness (Mayhew and Penny, 1998). All parts of the plant are
pharmacologically useful. Both the roots and leaves are used in phyto-medicine
to treat fever, hiccups, kidney disease and stomach discomfort, among others
(Gill, 1992,Hamoiona and Saffaf, 1994). Antihelmitic and antimalarial
properties (Abosi and Raserika, 2003) as well as antitumourigenic properties
(Izevbigie et al, 2004), have also been reported for extracts from the plant.
Other studies have demonstrated hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effects
of the leaf extract in experimental animals (Akah and Okafor, 1992;
Nwanjo, 2005). This paper reports the moisture, protein, ash and
mineral content of Vernonia amygdalina leaves as well
as the effect of their cold water extract on
the bacteria Stapylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.
HEALTH
AND NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF BITTERLEAF (VERNONIA AMYGDALINA DEL.)
Department of Botany, Faculty of Science,
Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria
An attempt has been made here to review the
health and nutritional benefits of bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina), a homely
plant that grows almost everywhere especially in the tropical areas of
Africa. It is a multipurpose plant that has a number of potential uses.
It is regarded as a wonderful gift from God to mankind because of its numerous
medicinal values including cure for stomach ache, skin infections,
diabetes, insomnia, tooth ache, acne, pneumonia, stoke, arthritis, fatigue,
cough and bleeding. It is also established that the plant has anti-parasitic,
anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-helminthic properties. Bitter leaf
detoxifies the whole system and it is useful in toning vital organs of the body
especially liver and kidney. Nutritionally, bitter leaf is one of the leafy
vegetables that have been used to alleviate the problems of micronutrients
malnutrition as it is exceptionally rich in proteins, vitamins and mineral
elements including iron,
phosphorus, calcium, potassium, zinc, copper,
folic acids and ascorbic acid. It is further maintained that bitter leaf can be
put into use in soap making, ornaments, substituted for hop in beer brewing,
restoration of stamina as well as contribution to carbon sequestration thereby
reducing environmental degradation. The authors recommend this plant species to
growing children, breast feeding mothers and other population groups because of
its richness in nutrients and numerous medicinal benefits.
Vernonia amygdalina Delile
Uses
Bitterleaf is a highly appreciated vegetable in West and Central Africa and can be consumed in various dishes. In Nigeria, where the Yoruba name for this crop is ‘ewuro’ and the Igbo call it ‘onugbu’, leaves are boiled in soups. Leaves are sometimes sold in the market after being shredded, parboiled and made into fist-sized balls. In Cameroon the processed leaves are cooked with meat and/or prawns mixed with ground peanuts to make a famous dish called ‘ndole’. Alternatively, whole leaves are cooked together with cassava or yam tubers, whereas the leaves are also dried and ground to powder for use in soups. In Cameroon the leaves are sometimes eaten unprocessed and raw mixed with palm oil and salt. The leaves are browsed by goats.
Dry stems and branches provide fuel. Young twigs are used as
toothpicks or chewing sticks. The plant is sometimes grown as a hedge. The
branches are used as stakes to line fields.
Vernonia amygdalina is commonly used in traditional medicine.
Leaf decoctions are used to treat fever, malaria, diarrhoea, dysentery,
hepatitis and cough, as a laxative and as a fertility inducer. They are also
used as a medicine for scabies, headache and stomach-ache. Root extracts are
also used as treatment against malaria and gastrointestinal disorders. In Nigeria
leaves are placed on a wound as a substitute for iodine. One of the most common
medicinal uses of Vernonia
amygdalina is as a treatment
against intestinal worms including nematodes. Not only humans but also
chimpanzees ingest the bitter pith of Vernonia
amygdalina for the control of
intestinal nematode infections. In Zimbabwe a root infusion is used to treat
sexually transmitted diseases. Bark infusions are also taken to treat fever and
diarrhoea, dried flowers against stomach disorders. Vernonia amygdalina is also useful as a control agent
against diseases in plants. The ash from burnt branches is used to control
seed-borne fungi (Curvularia, Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium spp.) thus ameliorating seed viability
and germination capacity. It has also been used for brewing beer as a
substitute for hop. Vernonia
amygdalina is a well-known
bee plant.
Nutritional Components of Some
Non-Conventional Leafy Vegetables
Consumed in Cameroon
Abstract: The human population in tropical
Africa depends largely upon a large number of edible leaves to meet up with
shortages in minerals and vitamins. Data base on the nutritional value of these
diverse plant foods is incomplete. Herein we report the nutritional components
in four species of non conventional
vegetables. Vernonia calvoana var. bitter, V.
amygdalina, V. colorata and V. calvoana var. non bitter have high levels of
proteins [between 18.16 and 24.12 g/100g Dry Weight (DW)]. Their amino acid
composition compare favourably with that of WHO protein standard with the
exception of the s-amino acids being the
limiting amino acids. They also contain high
levels of carotenoids (between 30 and 41.5 mg/100g DW), vitamin C between 137.5
and 197.5 mg/100g DW and dietary fibre (24.9-30.1 g/100g DW). Comparatively,
the average nutritive value of the V calvoana non bitter is superior to those
the other species analyzed. High
levels of some anti-nutritional factors like
oxalic acids, polyphenols and saponins, were also found in all the species
analyzed thereby rendering some of the important nutrients in the leaves less
bio-available.
EFFECTS
OF VERNONIA AMYGDALINA AND CHLORPROPAMIDE ON BLOOD GLUCOSE
Chemicals and Nutritional Composition of Four
Botanicals with Fungitoxic Properties
D.A. Alabi, M.Z. Onibudo1 and N.A. Amusa 1 1
2
Department of Plant Science and Applied
Zoology, 1
Olabisi Onabanjo University, P.M.B. 2002,
Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria
Institute of Agricultural Research and
Training, Obafemi Awolowo University, 2
Moor Plantation, P.M.B. 5029, Ibadan, Nigeria
Evaluation of four botanicals Vernonia
amygdalina L., Bryophyllum pinnatum L., Eucalyptus globules Labill and Ocimum
gratissimum Kurz (Clocimum) for chemical and nutritional properties was
conducted at Ago Iwoye in South-western Nigeria. The results from the
investigation showed that V. amygdalina contained large quantity of Thiamine,
Pyridoxine, Ascorbic acid, Glycine, Cysteine and Casein hydrolysate
significantly more than other botanicals. Similarly, all the botanicals
contained carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. However, the acid contents of B.
pinnatum and E. globules were significantly higher than those of V. amygdalina
and O. gratissimum. Similarly, the hydrocyanic acid and oxalic acid contents of
B. pinnatum and E. globules were significantly (p = 0.05) higher than those of
O. gratissimum. Moreover, the four botanicals contained mineral nutrients and
sugars; hence, if the botanicals were used to treat cowpea
plants, all these would be supplied to cowpea
plants and so enhance their performances
Vernonia amygdalina
Delile
|
|
Bitterleaf is a highly appreciated
vegetable in West and Central Africa and can be consumed in various dishes.
In Nigeria, where the Yoruba name for this crop is ‘ewuro’ and the Igbo call
it ‘onugbu’, leaves are boiled in soups. Leaves are sometimes sold in the
market after being shredded, parboiled and made into fist-sized balls. In
Cameroon the processed leaves are cooked with meat and/or prawns mixed with
ground peanuts to make a famous dish called ‘ndole’. Alternatively, whole
leaves are cooked together with cassava or yam tubers, whereas the leaves are
also dried and ground to powder for use in soups. In Cameroon the leaves are
sometimes eaten unprocessed and raw mixed with palm oil and salt. The leaves
are browsed by goats. Dry stems and branches provide fuel. Young twigs are
used as toothpicks or chewing sticks. The plant is sometimes grown as a
hedge. The branches are used as stakes to line fields.
Vernonia amygdalina is commonly used in traditional medicine. Leaf decoctions are used to treat fever, malaria, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis and cough, as a laxative and as a fertility inducer. They are also used as a medicine for scabies, headache and stomach-ache. Root extracts are also used as treatment against malaria and gastrointestinal disorders. In Nigeria leaves are placed on a wound as a substitute for iodine. One of the most common medicinal uses of Vernonia amygdalina is as a treatment against intestinal worms including nematodes. Not only humans but also chimpanzees ingest the bitter pith of Vernonia amygdalina for the control of intestinal nematode infections. In Zimbabwe a root infusion is used to treat sexually transmitted diseases. Bark infusions are also taken to treat fever and diarrhoea, dried flowers against stomach disorders. Vernonia amygdalina is also useful as a control agent against diseases in plants. The ash from burnt branches is used to control seed-borne fungi (Curvularia, Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium spp.) thus ameliorating seed viability and germination capacity. It has also been used for brewing beer as a substitute for hop. Vernonia amygdalina is a well-known bee plant. |
|
|
Phytochemical Evaluation of some
Anti-malarial Medicinal Plants used in the Dangbe West District of
Ghana.
Assessment of calcium, phosphorus and enzymes
of broiler finisher chickens’fed with bitter leaf
(Vernonia amygdalina Delile) meal diets
Nutritional and chemical value
of Amaranthus hybridus L. leaves from Afikpo, Nigeria, IE Akubugwo,
NA Obasi, GC Chinyere, AE Ugbogu
The nutritional and chemical value of Amaranthus hybridus were
investigated using standard analytical methods in order to assess the numerous
potential of the plant leaves. The Proximate analysis showed the percentage
moisture content, ash content, crude protein, crude lipid, crude fibre and
carbohydrate of the leaves as 84.48, 13.80, 17.92, 4.62, 8.61 and 52.18%,
respectively while its calorific value is 268.92 Kcal/100 g. Elemental analysis
in mg/100 g (DW) indicated that the leaves contained sodium (7.43), potassium
(54.20), calcium (44.15), Magnesium (231.22), Iron (13.58), Zinc (3.80) and
phosphorus (34.91). The vitamin composition of the leaves in mg/100 g (DW) was
-carotene (3.29), thiamine (2.75), riboflavin (4.24), niacin (1.54), pyridoxine
(2.33), ascorbic acids (25.40) and -tocopherol (0.50). Seventeen amino acids
(isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, cysteine, phenylalmine, tyrosine,
threonine, valine, alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine,
proline and serine) were detected. The chemical composition in mg/100 g (DW)
for alkaloid, flavonoid, saponin, tannins, phenols, hydrocyanic acid and phytic
acid were 3.54, 0.83, 1.68, 0.49, 0.35, 16.99 and 1.32, respectively. Comparing
the nutrient and chemical constituents with recommended dietary allowance (RDA)
values, the results reveal that the leaves contain an appreciable amount of
nutrients, minerals, vitamins, amino
acids and phytochemicals and low levels of toxicants.
acids and phytochemicals and low levels of toxicants.
OMUBIRIZI,Runyankole,
EKIBIRIZI Rutooro, OMUBIRIRI Rukonzo, MULULUZA Luganda, VERNONIA AMYGDALINA,
BITTER LEAF.
Please please tell me how I can get a cutting in Australia. I want to put this in my garden and diet :-)
ReplyDeleteMany thanks,
Michelle