Solanum aethiopicum Shum, an Example of the Richness of the Food and Therapeutic Heritage of a Continent in a Country, Cameroon, Africa in Miniature Edition 1

Valentin Desire Guiama
Laboratory of Food Biochemistry and Technology, University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon and Laboratory of Motricity and Health, University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
Juliette Koube
Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Douala, Cameroon.
Robert Germain Beka
Laboratory of Food Biochemistry and Technology, University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
Hildegarde Danagaï Tekwem
Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
Rolande Mbainaissem
Laboratory of Food Biochemistry and Technology, University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
Willy Stéphane Nkemmo Touo’yem
Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
NGATIPPE
Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
Neteydji Sidiki
Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
Elisabeth Ngo Bum
Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Maroua, P.O. Box 814, Maroua, Cameroon.
Esther Ngah
Laboratory of Food Biochemistry and Technology, University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon and Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition, National Advanced School of Agro-Industrial Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundere, Cameroon.

Book Details

Author(s)

Valentin Desire Guiama
Juliette Koube
Robert Germain Beka
Hildegarde Danagaï Tekwem
Rolande Mbainaissem
Willy Stéphane Nkemmo Touo’yem
NGATIPPE
Neteydji Sidiki
Elisabeth Ngo Bum
Esther Ngah

Pages

111

Publisher

BP International

Language

English

ISBN-13 (15)

978-93-48859-15-0 (Print)
978-93-48859-89-1 (eBook)

Published

January 04, 2025

About The Author / Editor

Elisabeth Ngo Bum

Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Maroua, P.O. Box 814, Maroua, Cameroon.

Esther Ngah

Laboratory of Food Biochemistry and Technology, University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon and Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition, National Advanced School of Agro-Industrial Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundere, Cameroon.

Hildegarde Danagaï Tekwem

Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundere, Cameroon.

Juliette Koube

Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Douala, Cameroon.

Neteydji Sidiki

Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundere, Cameroon.

NGATIPPE

Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundere, Cameroon.

Robert Germain Beka

Laboratory of Food Biochemistry and Technology, University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon.

Rolande Mbainaissem

Laboratory of Food Biochemistry and Technology, University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon.

Valentin Desire Guiama

Laboratory of Food Biochemistry and Technology, University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon and Laboratory of Motricity and Health, University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon.

Willy Stéphane Nkemmo Touo’yem

Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundere, Cameroon.

Cameroon is a microcosm of the African continent or Africa in miniature, not because of the density of its population or the size of its surface area, but because of the richness of its flora and fauna resources, based on its five (05) agro-ecological zones. This wealth is associated with food and medicinal potential like no other. By adding this to the cultural diversity, some agree to call Cameroon a “continent” in reference to Africa. The ecological diversity dominated by the highlands; bimodal rainfall forest; monomodal rainfall forest; Guinean high savannah and Sudan-Sahelian Zones, seems to concentrate the food and medicinal heritage of an entire continent in a single country. One of the elements of this heritage with proven nutritional and therapeutic value is a plant belonging to the Solanaceae family, genus Solanum and species Solanum aethiopicum, variety Shum. It grows in all the agroecological zones mentioned above. The fruits and leaves of this plant are consumed raw or cooked for both therapeutic and nutritional reasons, in a variety of preparations, the best known of which is a tea made from the fruits of S. aethiopicum Shum, known as “Mendim me zon”.

This book attempts to highlight a number of useful elements for promoting the nutritional and medicinal heritage of both the fruit and leaves of this plant and the aforementioned beverage.  The five (05) chapters of this book deal on the one hand with nutritional aspects, in particular technological, biochemical, microbiological and toxicological analysis, and on the other hand with therapeutic quality, specifically the components of metabolic and inflammatory syndromes, mental illness and neurodegenerative diseases.

The first chapter therefore focused on determining the proximal composition of S. aethiopicum Shum fruits according to the agro-ecological zone of harvest. Despite their bitter taste, carbohydrates are more abundant. We therefore characterised the carbohydrate fraction of these fruits using gas chromatography. This analysis provided additional information on the therapeutic potential of these fruits. On the other hand, some potentially toxic molecules were revealed. The second chapter looked at the safety of S. aethiopicum Shum fruits. Single-dose and repeated-dose tests were carried out on rats, in accordance with the protocols prescribed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

At a time when consumers are becoming increasingly vigilant about what they eat, it is still important to offer foods which, as well as providing nutrients, can act as a barrier to disease. These are functional foods or nutraceuticals. The third chapter looks at the use of S. aethiopicum Shum fruit to treat components of metabolic and inflammatory syndromes, in particular obesity, diabetes, cancer and high blood pressure. This therapeutic potential has encouraged the development of Mendim me zon, a functional food eaten by the Fans-Bétis people. This ancestral know-how is used as both food and medicine and has been passed down from generation to generation. The fourth chapter focuses on determining the optimum conditions for preparing this beverage on the basis of its biochemical and sensory properties.

An ageing population and oxidative stress affect the nervous system, leading to the development of neurodegenerative diseases. The leaves of S. aethiopicum Shum are eaten as a vegetable, usually cooked, for their neuroprotective effects. The last chapter emphazised that these leaves, when infused or decocted, can limit anxiety, thus protecting the body from mental illnesses and even neurodegenerative diseases.

We would be delighted to receive feedback from readers. They will add to the body of knowledge that may be the subject of other publications and will help us to respond to the need to promote and safeguard our dietary and therapeutic heritage in a constantly changing environment.