Trado-Medical uses, Chemical Constituents and Biological Activities of Newbouldia laevis (Bignoniaceae): A Review

Newbouldia laevis (P. Beauv.) Seem. (Family, Bignoniaceae), commonly known as tree of life, is a purple-flowering plant that is widely distributed in many parts of Africa. Different parts of the plant, including the leaves, flower, stems and roots are prevalently used in African traditional medicine for the management of many diseases and conditions like diabetes, hypertension, skin diseases, ulcer, tumors, pains, infectious diseases, inflammation, dysentery, sickle cell disease and impotency. This review discusses the trado-medical uses, chemical constituents, and biological activities of N. laevis. Based on information generated from scientific investigations deposited in PubMed and SCOPUS, the chemical constituents of the plant include glycosides, anthraquinolones, volatile oils, tannins, steroids, alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids and sterols. Extracts different parts of the plant and compounds isolated from them have been reported to have several health-promoting potentials such as antioxidant, antimalarial, trypanocidal, antimicrobial, anthelmintic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, anti-arthritic, anti-thrombotic, cytoprotective, anti-hypertensive, central nervous system modulatory, male reproduction enhancing and oxytocic properties. These scientific investigations have led credence to the ethnobotanical uses of the plant in folkloric practice. In addition, the presence of phytochemical constituents in the plant might be responsible for the wide biological potentials.