Annickia affinis and A. chlorantha (Enantia chlorantha)--A review of two closely related medicinal plants from tropical Africa.
BACKGROUND
Annickia affinis (Exell) Versteegh & Sosef, closely related to A. chlorantha Setten & P.J.Maas (both species also referred to as Enantia chlorantha Oliv.), from the Annonaceae family, are multi-purpose medicinal plants used widely across tropical Africa. The two Annickia species are morphologically distinct from each other and have different distribution patterns, but are frequently confused. Furthermore, the name Enantia chlorantha is an illegitimate name, but is still used today.


METHODS
A review of the literature was undertaken and an in-depth analysis of previous research and future prospectives are considered. While a myriad of publications cite the species "Enantia chlorantha", this is not the case for A. affinis and A. chlorantha, and no reviews are available for any of the species to date. Consequently, a summary of their ethnobotany, phytochemistry and biological properties is presented here (for the period 1933 - November 2014) in order to substantiate their traditional importance as medicines for rural people in Africa.


RESULTS
To this effect, these species seem to be the preferred traditional treatments for malaria in tropical Africa, an area suffering heavily under the malaria pandemic. Their chemical composition is dominated particularly by various isoquinoline alkaloids, as well as by acetogenins and sesquiterpenes, which have been isolated from the bark and leaves. All three of these classes of compounds have been reported to exhibit noteworthy biological activity.


CONCLUSIONS
Due to their widespread use, especially of the bark, these species have already been categorized as threatened with extinction. Consequently this study further aims to identify areas where more research needs to be conducted involving these important species, and also to suggest possible means of increasing the biological activities of their extracts as a way to conserve the species.
Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown 2193, South Africa.
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Olivier
Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown 2193, South Africa. Electronic address: Sandy.Vanvuuren@wits.ac.za.
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Van Vuuren
Department of Botany and Plant Biotechnology, University of Johannesburg, Cnr Kingsway and University Road, Auckland Park 2006, Johannesburg, South Africa.
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Moteetee
D000349:Africa; D000818:Animals; D029061:Annonaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D064209:Phytochemicals / Q000032:analysis; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry
D064209:Phytochemicals; D028321:Plant Preparations
Biological properties; Chemical composition; Conservation; Medicinal plant; Structure–activity relationship; Taxonomy; Toxicity