DETERMINATINATION OF NUTRITIONAL AND PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS OF SHEA LEAVES (VITELLARIA PARADOXA)

Plants have long been recognized as valuable sources of medicinal compounds, with many modern drugs originating from plant-based substances. These therapeutic compounds are primarily secondary metabolites present in various parts of the plant (Adeleke et al., 2018). Plants act as natural reservoirs of bioactive compounds that are synthesized as defense mechanisms against microorganisms and herbivores. Owing to their cost-effectiveness and eco-friendly characteristics, the potential of these bioactive substances can be effectively harnessed. Because herbal medicines are biodegradable, relatively safe, and associated with minimal side effects, the search for bioactive compounds in plants has gained increasing global attention (Fbalana et al., 2016). One of the most common traditional methods of administering herbs is through liquid preparations or herbal teas (Fbalana et al., 2016). The shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa) is one of the most widely distributed indigenous tree species in Africa and is known for its antimicrobial properties (Falana et al., 2015). It is native to the savanna belt of West and East Africa, naturally occurring from Senegal in the west to Kenya and Uganda in the east (Maanikuu and Peke, 2017; Iddrisu et al., 2019). As a long-lived tree native to the Sahel region, it serves as an important source of edible oil and shea butter (Choungo-Nguekeng et al., 2021). Various parts of the shea tree, including the leaves, bark, and roots, are traditionally used for medicinal purposes such as healing burns, treating diarrhea and mouth sores, managing boils, and serving as a dewormer (Adeola, 2015). In northern Ghana, for instance, the leaves are used to relieve abdominal pain in adolescents and are also combined with other herbs in vapor baths to treat fever and headaches (Ozioma and Chinwe, 2019). As a medicinal plant, Vitellaria paradoxa has a long-standing history of use in traditional medicine across sub-Saharan Africa, where it has been employed for decades to prevent and treat various diseases and infections (Soro et al., 2011; Tella, 2019). Different parts of the plant including its leaves, stems, roots, bark, fruits, oils, and seeds are utilized for their diverse therapeutic properties. Beyond its medicinal applications, V. paradoxa also holds significant commercial importance as a key ingredient in confectionery, cosmetics, soaps, pharmaceuticals, and environmentally friendly chemical products (Eneh, 2010; Maranz et al., 2004; Moldovan et al., 2021). Notably, many of the biological activities reported for V. paradoxa align with its traditional medicinal uses in African ethnomedicine (Karou et al., 2011; Ogbole and Ajaiyeoba, 2010; Segun et al., 2018). Due to its remarkable pharmacological and nutritional properties, numerous studies have been conducted to investigate and isolate the active constituents present in its kernel, stem bark, roots, leaves, and nutshells. However, despite these extensive research efforts, there remains a lack of comprehensive systematic reviews synthesizing the existing knowledge on V. paradoxa. Apart from a few studies focusing on its nutritional composition (Honfo et al., 2014; Maanikuu and Peker, 2017) no extensive review has yet explored the phytochemical and pharmacological potential of this species on a global scale. The shea tree, Vitellaria paradoxa Gaertn. C. F., known as Karité in Francophone countries, is a multi-purpose tree species (deliberately grown and managed for more than one output) indigenous to the semi-arid and sub-humid savannas of sub-Saharan Africa. It occurs along a 500 km-wide zone ranging from Senegal to Uganda (Bonkoungou, 2017, Hall et al., 2016) across 21 countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Chad, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. V. paradoxa (formaly Butryspermum paradoxum), (Sapotaceae) is an immensely popular tree with many applications in folkloric medicine. V. paradoxa which is commonly called Shea butter tree in English, is locally known as ‘‘Ori” (Yoruba, Nigeria), ‘‘Kadanya” (Hausa, Nigeria), ‘‘Lulu” (Arabic), ‘‘Taa˜nga” (Burkina Faso), ‘‘Kare´” (Pular, Guinea), ‘‘karate” (French), ‘‘Tango” (Honduras) and ‘‘Somou/Yokuti” (Togo). Vitellaria are monospecific genus with two subspecies: paradoxa and nilotica. The subspecies paradoxa occurs from Senegal to the Adamawa Highlands, along the border of Cameroon and Nigeria, while nilotica is found in The Central African Republic, Sudan (known locally as ‘Lulu’ tree) and Uganda, with small populations in Ethiopia and DR Congo (Allal et al., 2011, Bonkoungou, 2017, Hall et al., 2016, Lovett and Haq, 2020). Both subspecies are found in areas with temperatures ranging from 24 to 40 oC and annual rainfall of between 500-1400mm. In traditional medicine, both the roots and bark of the shea tree are used to treat conditions such as jaundice, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. The root bark, when pounded and boiled, is specifically applied to heal chronic wounds in animals like horses (Builders and Builders, 2016). In some communities, the bark is boiled into a beverage believed to possess antidiabetic properties, while infusions prepared from the bark have been used to treat dysentery, diarrhea, gastrointestinal ailments, and leprosy (Omara et al., 2020). Breastfeeding mothers consume bark infusions to enhance milk flow, and the concoction is also believed to neutralize snake venom particularly from the spitting cobra when used as an eye wash (Adeola, 2015). Additionally, in certain Ghanaian communities, a foot bath made from shea tree bark is used to remove jiggers (Maanikuu and Peke, 2017). Historically, plants have been fundamental to the treatment of infectious diseases, with herbal medicine serving as a cornerstone of traditional healthcare systems across many cultures (Inusa et al., 2018). However, the modern rise in antibiotic resistance among clinically significant pathogens has intensified interest in medicinal plants as promising alternatives for discovering new antimicrobial agents capable of combating drug-resistant infections.