PHCOG REV.

REVIEW ARTICLE

A review on Balanites aegyptiaca Del (desert date):

phytochemical constituents, traditional uses, and
pharmacological activity
Daya L. Chothani, H. U. Vaghasiya1
Department of Pharmacognosy, Pioneer Degree Pharmacy College, Vadodara, Gujarat, 1Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company (SPARC Ltd.)
Baroda, Gujarat, India

Submitted: 20-08-2010 Revised: ????? Published: ???????

ABSTRACT
Balanites aegyptiaca Del. (Zygophyllaceae), known as ‘desert date,’ is spiny shrub or tree up to l0 m tall, widely distributed
in dry land areas of Africa and South Asia. It is traditionally used in treatment of various ailments i.e. jaundice, intestinal
worm infection, wounds, malaria, syphilis, epilepsy, dysentery, constipation, diarrhea, hemorrhoid, stomach aches, asthma,
and fever. It contains protein, lipid, carbohydrate, alkaloid, saponin, flavonoid, and organic acid. Present review summarizes
the traditional claims, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of B. aegyptiaca Del reported in scientific literature.
Key words: Balanites aegyptiaca, Balanitin, desert date

INTRODUCTION Family : Zygophyllaceae

Genus : Balanites Delile
Balanites aegyptiaca Del., also known as ‘Desert date’ in English, Species : Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile
a member of the family Zygophyllaceae, is one of the most
common but neglected wild plant species of the dry land areas Synonyms: Ximenia aegyptiaca L. (excl. Balanites roxburghii Planch),
of Africa and South Asia.[1,2] This tree is native to much of Africa Agialida senegalensis van Tiegh., Agialida barteri van Tiegh., Agialida
and parts of the Middle East. In India, it is particularly found tombuctensis van Tiegh., Balanites ziziphoides Milbr. Et Schlechter,
in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Deccan.[3] This is Balanites latifolia (van Tiegh.) Chiov.
one of the most common trees in Senegal.[4-7] It can be found
in many kinds of habitat, tolerating a wide variety of soil types, Vernacular name:
from sand to heavy clay, and climatic moisture levels [Figure 1]. Ayurvedic : Ingudi, Angaar Vrksha, Taapasadrum,
Taapasa vrksha, Dirghkantaka.
Taxonomical profile[8]
Unani : Hingan, Hanguul.
Kingdom : Plantae
Siddha : Nanjunda.
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Magnoliopsida Folk : Hingol, Hingota, Hingothaa.
Order : Sapindales English : Desert date, Soapberry tree, Thorn tree,
Egyptian balsam
Address for correspondence:
Ms. Daya. L. Chothani
Pioneer degree pharmacy college, Baroda-Vadodara-India
E-mail: dayachothani@yahoo.co.in/daya.herb@gmail.com

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DOI:
10.4103/0973-7847.79100
Figure 1: Balanites aegyptiaca Del

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 Chothani, et al.: Review on Balanites aegyptiaca Del

Arabic : Heglig 10 days.[16] Tablets are prepared from roots mixed with ‘Hing’
French : Dattier du desert, Hagueleg, Balanite powder (Ferula asafoetida); by adding Piper betle leaf, juices are
Spanish : corona di Jesus taken once with water for 9 days, soon after the menstruation
to avoid unwanted pregnancy.[17] In Egyptian folk medicine, the
fruits are used as an oral hypoglycemic[18] and an antidiabetic;
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION an aqueous extract of the fruit mesocarp is used in Sudanese
It is multibranched, spiny shrub or tree up to l0 m tall. Crown folk medicine in the treatment of jaundice.[19] Used in food
spherical, in one or several distinct masses. Trunk short and often preparations and herbal medicine, especially in Africa and some
branching from near the base. Bark dark brown to grey, deeply developing Countries.[20] The fresh leaf of the plant Acalypha is
fissured. Branches armed with stout yellow or green thorns up pounded with small amount of root of B. aegyptiaca and Cissus
to 8 cm long. Leaves with two separate leaflets; leaflets obovate, quadrangularis, and then soaked in water for an hour or two. It
asymmetric, 2.5 to 6 cm long, bright green, leathery, with fine is decanted and administered intranasally and orally. Latex of
hairs when young. Flowers in fascicles in the leaf axils, and are the plant is used in epilepsy, administered through intranasal
fragrant, yellowish-green. route.[21] Used as tooth brush.[22] Fruits are used to treat dysentery
and constipation. The seed oil is used to treat tumors and
Fruit and seed description wounds. [23] Used as laxative, also used in treatment of
Fruit is a rather long, narrow drupe, 2.5 to 7 cm long, 1.5 to hemorrhoid, stomach aches, jaundice, yellow fever, syphilis, and
4 cm in diameter. Young fruits are green and tormentose, turning epilepsy.[24] A fruit is used to treat liver disease and as a purgative,
yellow and glabrous when mature. Pulp is bitter-sweet and edible. and sucked by school children as a confectionary in some
Seed is the pyrene (stone), 1.5 to 3 cm long, light brown, fibrous, countries.[25,26] The bark is used in the treatment of syphilis, round
and extremely hard. It makes up 50 to 60% of the fruit. There worm infections, and as a fish poison. The aqueous leaf extract
are 500 to 1 500 dry, clean seeds per kg. and saponins isolated from its kernel cakes have antibacterial
activity.[27,28] Seeds are used as anthelmintic and purgative. Ground
Flowering and fruiting habit seeds are given to camels to cure impaction and colic.[29]
Flowers are small, inconspicuous, hermaphroditic, and pollinated
by insects. Seeds are dispersed by ingestion by birds and animals. In Chifra District, the root of plant is used for the treatment
The tree begins to flower and fruit at 5 to 7 years of age and of render pest and anthrax. In East Africa, it is widely used as
maximum seed production is when the trees are 15 to 25 years old. anthelmintic. Root is used in various folk medicines for the
treatment of abdominal pain and as purgative, while the bark is
Distribution and habitat
employed as a fish poison and also as a remedy for malaria and
Natural distribution is obscured by cultivation and naturalization.
syphilis. The root, bark, kernel, and fruit have been shown to
It is believed indigenous to all dry lands south of the Sahara,
be lethal to mollusks.[30] In Sudanese folk medicine, it is used to
extending southward to Malawi in the Rift Valley, and to the
treat jaundice.[31] Its antimalarial and molluscidal activity is well
Arabian Peninsula, introduced into cultivation in Latin America
studied.[32-35] In vitro antiplasmodial test of the dichloromethane
and India. It has wide ecological distribution, but is mainly found
and methanol (ME) extract of stem bark of the plant showed
on level alluvial sites with deep sandy loam and free access to
antimalarial activity.
water. After the seedling stage, it is intolerant to shade and
prefers open woodland or savannah for natural regeneration.
In Senegal, Nigeria, Morocco, and Ethiopia, B. aegyptiaca is taken
It is a lowland species, growing up to 1000 m altitude in areas
a purgative for colic and stomach ache. In Chad, fresh twigs are
with mean annual temperature of 20 to 30°C and mean annual
put on the fire in order to keep insects away. For intestinal worm,
rainfall of 250 to 400 mm.[9,10]
the fruits are dried and mashed in millet porridge and eaten.[36]
Traditional Uses In Libya and Eritrea, the leaves are used for cleaning infected
Aqueous extract of fruits showed spermicidal activity without wounds. In Sudan and chadthe bar, B. aegyptiaca is component of
local vaginal irritation in human being, up to 4% sperms soap.[37] The use of the kernel oil for treatment of wounds has
becoming sluggish on contact with the plant extract and then been reported from Nigeria.[38] For contraception, in Nigeria,
immobile within 30 s; the effect was concentration-related. a mixture of dried leaves powder of B. aegyptiaca and Ricinus
Protracted administration of the fruit pulp extract produced communis in water and in Somalia, the bark of root is crushed
hyperglycemia-induced testicular dysfunction in dogs. Seed is and mixed with two glasses of water, which is then filtered. This
used as expectorant, antibacterial, and antifungal. Fruit is used preparation is repeated for three days and one glass is drunk three
in whooping cough, also in leucoderma and other skin diseases. times daily for three days. [39]
Bark is used as spasmolytic.[11]
PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS
The seed is used as a febrifuge.[12] Root extracts have proved
‘slightly effective’ against experimental malaria.[13,14] In Kenya, Leaves
a root infusion is used as an emetic.[15] In asthma, about 10 gm It contains saponin, furanocoumarin, and flavonoid namely
of seed powder is taken with glass of water in the morning for quercetin 3-glucoside, quercetin-3-rutinoside; 3-glucoside,

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 Chothani, et al.: Review on Balanites aegyptiaca Del

3-rutinoside, 3-7-diglucoside and 3-rhamnogalactoside of the main fatty acids.[50-53] The oil exhibited anticancer activity
isorhamnetin.[40,41] against lung, liver, and brain human carcinoma cell lines. It
also had antimutagenic activity against Fasciola gigantica-induced
Fruit mutagenicity besides anthelmintic activity against hepatic
Mesocarp of fruit contains 1.2 to 1.5% protein and 35 to 37% worms (Schistosoma mansoni and Fasciola gigantica). Preliminary
sugars, 15% organic acids, other constituents like 3-rutinoside screening showed that the oil had antiviral activity against Herpes
and 3-rhamnogalactoside,[42] diosgenin;[43] it also contain a simplex virus. It also had antimicrobial activity against selected
mixture of 22R and 22S epimers of 26-(O-b-D-glucopyranosyl)- strains of Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and
3-b-[4-O-(b-D-glucopyranosyl)-2-O-(a-L-rhamnopyranosyl)- Candida.[54] Nine saponin have been reported from kernel cake
b-D-glucopyranosyloxy]-22,26-dihydroxyfurost-5-ene. of B. aegyptiaca, from the nine components, six saponins with
However, kernel contains a xylopyranosyl derivative of above molecular masses of 1196, 1064, 1210, 1224, 1078, and 1046
saponin present in mesocarp. [44] Balanitoside (furostanol Da were identified, with the compound of mass 1210 Da being
glycoside) and 6-methyldiosgenin,[45] balanitin-3 (spirostanol the main saponin (ca. 36%).[55] The leaves and fruit kernels of
glycoside) have been reported from fruits (mesocarp) of B. aegyptiaca L. were found to contain six diosgenin glucosides
B. aegyptiaca.[46] Balanitin-6 and -7: Diosgenyl saponins,[47,48] including di-, tri-, and tetraglucosides. Hydrolysis of the saponins
two pregnane glycosides namely pregn-5-ene-3β,16β,20(R)- gave 25D-spirosta-3, 5-diene and 3β-chloro-25D-spirost-
triol 3-O-(2,6-di-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl)-β-d-glucopyranoside 5-ene[56-59] balanitin-1, -2, and -3 [Figure 2].[60]
(balagyptin), and pregn-5-ene-3β,16β,20(R)-triol 3-O-β-d-
glucopyranoside, [49] long chain hydrocarbon. The kernels Root
contained 45.0 to 46.1% oil and protein (32.4%), oil contains It is reported to contain steroidal saponin about 1% glycosides
mainly palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids which were and major sapogenin is yamogenin [61,62] other glycosides;

Figure 2: Chemical constituents of Balanites aegyptiaca

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 Chothani, et al.: Review on Balanites aegyptiaca Del

(3b,12 a,14b,16b)-12-hydroxycholest-5-ene-3,16-diyl bis(b-D- action against different stages of Trichinella spiralis in rats compared
glucopyranoside), (3b,20S,22R,25R)-, and (3b,20S,22R,25S)-26- with anthelmintic drug albendazole.[79] The aqueous extract of B.
(b-D-glucopyranosyloxy)-22-methoxyfurost-5-en-3-yl aegyptiaca also has molluscicidal agent to juvenile and adult Bulinus
b-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-b-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4) globosus and Bulinus truncatus.[80]
[a-L rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)]-b-D-glucopyranoside; and
(3b,20S,22R,25R)- and (3b,20S,22R,25S)-spirost-5-en-3- Antibacterial effects
yl b-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-b-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4) The aqueous and organic leaves extracts of B. aegyptiaca and
[a-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)]-b-D-glucopyranoside, [63] Moringa oleifera were reported to have antibacterial effect against
Balanitins 1 to 7 have been reported from root and bark of B. Salmonella typhi isolated from blood clot culture using the disc
aegyptiaca.[64,65] diffusion method. The extracts of B. aegyptiaca plants demonstrated
the highest activity than Moringa oleifera. The ethanolic extracts of
Bark both plants demonstrated the highest activity whereas the aqueous
It is reported to contain furanocoumarin bergapten and extracts of both plants showed the least activity at 100 mg/ml as
dihydrofuranocumarin D- marmesin,[66] two alkaloid namely, compared with ethanolic extracts. The activities of these plant
N-trans-feruloyltyramine and N-cis-feruloyltyramine, and three extracts were comparable with those of antibiotics, ciprofloxacin,
common metabolites, vanillic acid, syringic acid; and 3-hydroxy- cotrimoxazole, and chloramphenicol, commonly used for treating
1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1-propanone,[67] long-chain typhoid fever. The antibacterial activity appears to increase when
aliphatic compound, 10-methyl-n-heptacosane, and a new sugar, extracts of the two plants were used in combination at 100 mg/
diglucosyldirhamnoside, have also been reported from the stem- ml each. Preliminary phytochemical screening showed that plant
barks.[68-71] It also contains beta-sitosterol, bergapten, marmesin, extracts contain saponins, tannins, and phenols, and B. aegyptiaca
and beta-sitosterol glucoside,[72] balanitin-1,-2, and -3; balanitin-1 possesses anthraquinones. The antibacterial activities of the
for example possesses a yamogenin aglycone with a branched extracts on S. typhi were reasonably stable when treated at 4, 30,
glucose and rhamnose side chain.[73] 60, and 100°C for 1 hour. However, it reduces significantly when
the pH was altered toward alkalinity.[81]

PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITY The aqueous and ethanolic extracts of leaves of six plants viz., B.
aegyptiaca (L.) Del, Hyptis suaveolens Poit, Lawsonia inermis L., Leucas
Cardioprotective cum antioxidant activity aspera L., Lobelia nicotianifolia Roth, and Phyllanthus maderaspatana
The plant acts as antioxidant against adriamycin-induced L. were reported as antibacterial when tested individually and in
cardiotoxicity in experimental mice. Adriamycin when administered combinations against five different diarrheagenic bacteria, Bacillus
intraperitoneally, it cause elevation of serum lactate dehydrogenase, cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, and
creatine phosphokinase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, Listeria monocytogenes. Ciprofloxacin (20 µg) was used as antimicrobial
glutamate pyruvate transaminase, lipid peroxide, total nitric oxide, standard. The highest antimicrobial activity was in both crude
erythrocyte lysate superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione aqueous leaf extract and crude ethanolic leaf extract of Lobelia
peroxidase (GPx), and plasma catalase (CAT) in mice heart nicotianifolia, when all extracts were tested individually. However, in
tissue. Adriamycin drug reduced the activities of SOD, GPx, and combination, the highest activity was observed in crude ethanolic
CAT. Pretreatment with B. aegyptiaca extract significantly (P<0.05) leaf extract Lobelia nicotianifolia + B. aegyptiaca against S. aureus.[82,83]
prevented these alterations and restored the enzyme activities to
near normal levels.[74] Antivenin activity
The acetone and methanolic extracts of stem bark of plant has
Anthelmintic activity reported an antivenin activity against saw-scaled (Echis carinatus)
The crude aqueous extract of root bark of B. aegyptiaca was viper venom concentration at lethal dose (0.194 mg/ml), when
showed a dose-dependent inhibition of spontaneous motility administered intramuscularly to Wistar albino rats. Both extracts
(paralysis) in adult earthworms. And also possesses vermicidal were found to be effective at 75 and 100 mg/ml concentrations.[84]
activity.[75] It is reported that stem bark water extract (9 g/kg
body weight) of Albizia anthelmintica and fruit mesocarp water Anticancer activity
extract (9 g/kg body weight) of B. aegyptiaca shows significant A mixture of steroidal saponins: balanitin-6 (28%) and balanitin-7
anthelmintic activity compared with albendazole (20 mg/kg body (72%), isolated from B. aegyptiaca kernels, demonstrated appreciable
weight) against Fasciola gigantica adult worm.[76] And a single dose anticancer effects in human cancer cell lines in vitro by using
of 200 mg/kg body weight of B. aegyptiaca fruit mesocarp also against A549 non–small-cell lung cancer (IC50, 0.3 μM) and
showed activity against Schistosoma mansoni in infected mice when U373 glioblastoma (IC50, 0.5 μM) cell lines. Bal6/7 displayed
compared with praziquantel.[77] Balanitin-7 is isolated from aqueous higher antiproliferative activity than etoposide and oxaliplatin,
extract of B. aegyptiaca seed and reported as anthelmintic agent markedly less active than taxol. It indicated that balanitin 6/7
when tested by in vitro means of an original anthelmintic assay, mixture is more a cytotoxic compound than a cytostatic one. In
using Caenorhabditis elegans as a biological model.[78] The methanolic vitro anticancer activities are due to partly depletion of [ATP]i,
extract of B. aegyptiaca fruits is reported to have anthelmintic leading in turn to major disorganization of actin and it does not

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induce an increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species. In vivo, than Culex quinquefasciatus and A. aegypti to its larvicidal effects.
bal6/7 increased the survival time of mice bearing murine L1210 The saponin was more active than the water extract.[90]
leukemia grafts to the same extent reported for vincristine.[85,86]
Mesocarp of fruit extracts against A. aegypti
Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity The various extract mesocarps of fruits viz. chloroform, ME, BE,
The ethanol and petroleum ether extracts of aerial parts ethyl acetate, and five fractions of ME extract showed larvicidal
of B. aegyptiaca have been reported to have significant anti- activity against A. aegypti mosquito larvae. The highest larval
inflammatory action an on carrageenan-induced hind paw edema mortality was found in ME extract. The amount of saponin is
in rats, the paw volume was measured plethysmometrically at correlated with larval mortality.[91] Mesocarp of fruit extracts has
0 and 3 hours after injection and analgesic activity by using also reported mosquito larvicidal activity against A. aegypti and
Eddy's hot plate method and tail-flick method in albino rats. Culex pipiens[92] and saponins from B. aegyptiaca callus against A.
The ethanol and petroleum ether extracts showed a greater anti- aegypti mosquito have been reported.[93]
inflammatory and analgesic effects comparative with the standard
drugs, indomethacin and diclofenac sodium, respectively. It also Hepatoprotective activity[94-96]
indicated that the ethanolic extract of B. aegyptiaca exhibited more Administration of the aqueous extract to biliary duct-ligated
significant activity than petroleum ether in the treatment of pain rats showed a dose-dependent significant decrease in serum
and inflammation.[87] bilirubin level. For three days, the animals were given different
concentration of the extract intraperitoneally. The bilirubin
I n v itro antiox ida nt, x a nthine ox idas e and concentration was reduced by 22.2% in the animal that received
acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities 1.2 g bark extract each day, by 31.6% in those given 2.4 g, and
It is reported that the galls and leaf extracts and fractions of by 45.9% in those given 4.8 g.
B. aegyptiaca showed a significant antioxidant, xanthine oxidase,
and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities. The total phenolics Antidiabetic activity[97,98]
and flavonoids were measured using Folin-Ciocalteu and AlCl3 The pure saponin, extracted from the balamite fruit mesocarp,
reagents, respectively. Two methods, that is, FRAP (Iron (III) and water extract have been reported as hypoglycemic agent
to Iron (II) reduction activity ) and ABTS (2,2-azinobis-3- when tested on albino rats in different concentrations dose
ethylbnzothiazoline-6-sulphonate) assay were used to estimate the and Daonil (as a standard medication). It also reported that it
total antioxidant capacity of the plant materials. Dichloromethane inhibit Escherichia coli growth in rats.[99] The aqueous extract of
fraction of the Gall and ethyl acetate fractions of the leaves were the mesocarp of fruits of B. aegyptiaca was reported to have
reported to have highest antioxidant activity. The antioxidant antidiabetic effect in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.[100]
activities were correlated significantly with the total phenolic
and flavonoid contents. The study also showed that B. aegyptiaca Antiviral activity
galls and leaves fractions exhibited a moderate xanthine oxidase It is reported that bark aqueous extract of B. aegyptiaca used in
inhibitory activity compared with the acetylcholinesterase which treatment of both AIDS and Leukemia. An oral administration
was weakly inhibited by the tested extracts and fractions.[88] of the aqueous extract (30% w/v given at 100 ml every 8 hours
for 30 days) for the treatment of HIV patients have shown
Anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and antioxidant excellent results. The same was given to patients with leukemia
activities and a good increase in platelets and a normal blood differential
Methanolic and butanol (BE) extracts and of two new saponins reading after one month was noted.[101]
isolated from B. aegyptiaca showed significant anti-inflammatory,
antinociceptive activity in the carrageenin-induced edema in the Wound healing activity
rat, and acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice and antioxidant It is reported that B. aegyptiaca have potent wound-healing activity,
action by using in vitro, using a method based on the Briggs– as evident from the wound contraction. The results also indicated
Rauscher oscillating reaction. The samples, extracts and pure that plant possess potent antioxidant activity by inhibiting lipid
substances, were intragastrically administered to animals.[89] peroxidation, bleaching DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl)
radical, and protecting against oxidant injury to fibroblast cells.[102]
Mosquito larvicidal activity
Fruit kernel extracts against anopheles arabiensis, Hypocholesterolemic activity
Culex quinquefasciatus, and aedes aegypti It is reported that whole and extracted pulp of B. aegyptiaca fruits
A saponin extract and water extract from fruit kernel of B. reported a hypocholesterolemic effect when tested on adult
aegyptiaca was investigated as a mosquito larvicide. Both extracts albino rats.[103]
were tested against second and fourth instar larvae of the three
mosquito species namely Anopheles arabiensis, Culex quinquefasciatus, Diuretic activity
and A. aegypti, and LC50 and LC90 values were determined. Second The ethanol and methanolic extract of leaves of B. aegyptiaca
instar larvae were more susceptible than fourth instar larvae in reported diuretic effect when tested on Wistar albino rats with
all cases. The larvae of Anopheles arabiensis were more susceptible (150 and 300 mg/kg) oral doses. Frusemide was used as standard.

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 Chothani, et al.: Review on Balanites aegyptiaca Del

The results indicate that ethanol and methanol extracts shows a S. Livingstone; 1962. p. 1064-5.
significant (P<0.05) increase in the urine volume and electrolyte 15. Beentje HJ. Kenya trees, shrubs, and lianas. Nairobi: National
excretion (P<0.001) when compared with control.[104] Museums of Kenya; 1994. p. 378.
16. Jagtap SD, Deokule SS, Pawar PK, Harsulkar AM. Traditional
Ethnomedicinal Knowledge Confined to the Pawra Tribe of
CONCLUSIONS Satpura Hills, Maharashtra, India. Ethnobotanical Leaflets
2009;13:98-115.
17. Vijigiri D, Sharma PP. Traditional uses of plants in indigenous
Extensive literature survey revealed that ‘desert date’ has a long
folklore of Nizamabad District, Andhra Pradesh, India.
history of traditional uses for wide ranges of disease. It has been Ethnobotanical Leaflets 2010;14:29-45.
experimentally proved that B. aegyptiaca Del possess antioxidant, 18. Kamel MS. A furostanol saponin from fruits of Balanites
antimicrobial, anticancer, diuretic, hypocholesterolemic, aegyptiaca. Phytochemistry 1998;48:755-7.
wound-healing, antiviral, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, 19. Sarker SD, Bartholomew B, Nash RJ. Alkaloids from Balanites
mosquito larvicidal, anti-inflammatory and analgesic, antivenin, aegyptiaca. Fitoterapia 2000;71:328-30.
anthelmintic, cardioprotective cum antioxidant activity, and 20. Obidah W, Nadro MS, Tiyafo GO, Wurochekke AU. Toxicity
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5:13-6.
of this plant are widely used in folk medicine. In recent years,
21. Seifu T. Ethnobotanical and ethnopharmaceutical studies on
emphasis of research has been on utilizing traditional medicines medicinal plants Of Chifra District, Afar Region, North Eastern
that have long and proven history of treating various ailments. Ethiopia, M. pharm, thesis, School of Graduate Studies of the
So, further studies need to be carried out to explore B. aegyptiaca Addis Ababa University, January-2004.
Del for its potential in curing and treating disease. 22. Araya YN. Contribution of trees for oral hygiene in East Africa.
Ethnobotanical Leaflets 2007;11:38-44.
23. Khalid HS, Elkamali HH, Atta Elmanan AM. Trade of sudanese
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