Heliyon (Jan 2024)
Trema orientale (L.) Blume: A review of its taxonomy, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities and domestication potential
Abstract
Trema orientale (L.) Blume is an important medicinal plant with multiple applications for treating several disease conditions. This study compiled published data on botanical, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and antimicrobials, coupled with discussing the conservation and domestication potential of T. orientale. Data were sourced from databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Elsevier Plants of the World Online (Kew Science), Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), and World Flora Online (WFO), using key search terms: Trema orientale or orientalis, phytochemistry pharmacology, taxonomy, and domestication with Boolean operators to include and exclude articles for the review. The review indicated that molecular studies have shown that T. orientale is closely related to a sister group of Cannabis through plastome phylogenetic evidence which accounts for its transfer from Ulmaceae to the Cannabaceae family. T. orientale is distributed across several African countries and has recently been assessed as the Least Concern by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Nevertheless, deforestation continues to pose an extinction risk to their population. Currently, 31 compounds have been isolated from different parts of T. orientale justifying many traditional uses accredited to it. T. orientale is considered a dose-dependent safe remedy for the treatment of infectious diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and other disease conditions ascribed to it except for its continuous application. This review underscores the domestication potential of T. orientale including evidence of molecular markers, soil seed banks, and promising outcomes of germination experimentations. This, therefore, presents significant gains toward sustainable utilization of Trema orientale.
