A study evaluated cadmium and chromium contents and associated cancer risk in extracts of medicinal plants, including Adansonia digitata, collected in Nigeria.
Njinga 2022
Scientific Name:
Adansonia digitata
Family Name:
Malvaceae
Common Name:
baobab
Evidence for Efficacy (Human Data)
Evidence of Activity
Other Information
Safety Data
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Evidence of Activity
Analytical Chemistry
A study identified nutritional and functional differences in baobab (Adansonia digitata) fruits collected from different locations in the Namibe province in Angola, including the content of total phenolic compounds, fiber, potassium (K), calcium (Ca), vitamin C, carbohydrates, protein, and antioxidant activity.
Monteiro 2022
A study presents a high-performance thin-layer chromatography with multi-imaging (UV/Vis/FLD) method for detection of adulteration of baobab fruit pulp powder (Adansonia digitata) with cereal (rice, maize, and wheat) flours.
Chepngeno 2022
UHPLC-HRMS/MS and HS-SPME/GC-MS revealed the presence of multiple compounds in Adansonia digitata fruit for the first time, while NMR-based quantitation permitted future standardization. The fruits administered twice a week (150 mg/kg) lowered fasting blood glucose, with hepatoprotective and renoprotective effects, in diabetic rats.
Baky 2021
A study characterized the structural and rheological properties of the polysaccharides from Adansonia digitata fruit and leaves. Notably, the fruit polysaccharide, mainly consisting of xylogalacturonan, showed unique rheological characteristics.
Dimopoulou 2021
A study reports on the discovery and characterization of a series of N-acylserotonins, substances with antioxidant activity similar δ-tocopherol that have not been previously reported from either plants or animals, in Adansonia digitata seed oil.
Trela-Makowej 2021
A study used a combination of locally sourced food ingredients, including Adansonia digitata fruit pulp, as a complementary food supplement to assist reaching estimated average requirements for iron by children 6-59 months old in Benin.
Affonfere 2021
Isolated and characterized a low methyl-esterified and acetylated xylogalacturonan carbohydrate via water extraction from the pulp of Adansonia digitata fruit. This carbohydrate exhibited an antidepressant-like effect in mouse models.
Patova 2021
A. digitata crude seed oil collected from semiarid areas in Tanzania was found to contain mainly twelve essential fatty acids and two different cyclopropenoid fatty acids (CPFAs), which are carcinogenic ingredients present in the oil. The major breakdown of CPFAs occurs at 200°C, and that would be the optimal temperature recommended for the refining process of the baobab crude oil.
Msalilwa 2020
Purification and enrichment of flavonoids from baobab (Adansonia digitata) fruit pulp by ultrasound-assisted adsorption/desorption procedure using macroporous resins.
Ismail 2020
Among fenugreek, moringa and baobab, the highest amount of bioaccessible iron was obtained from moringa leaves but the highest percentage bioavailability was from baobab fruit pulp. All the plant products, except for baobab, significantly inhibited iron uptake from FeSO4 and FAC.
Khoja 2020
Identified phenolic constituents of baobab (Adansonia digitata) fruit shells (BFS) by LC-MS/QTOF analysis. BFS had higher TPC, TFC, and antioxidant capacity than the baobab seeds and pulp and and inhibited a-amylase and a-glucosidase enzymes activities with much higher potency than acarbose.
Ismail 2019
Screened Zambian wild fruits found in markets, including Adansonia digitata, for aflatoxin using lateral-flow immunochromatography from 2016 to 2017.
Kachapulula 2019
The leaves of 5 edible wild plants, including A. digitata, traditionally consumed by the Guinea-Bissau population of sub-Saharan Africa contain a significant amount of protein, high values of macronutrients and micronutrients, as well as of phenolic compounds and a considerable antioxidant capacity.
Catarino 2019
Identification of phytochemicals in baobab fruit pulp using LC-MS/QTOF. Proanthocyanidins, phenolic acids, flavonols, and saponins were the most common compounds.
Ismail 2019
Determined the mineral and phytochemical composition of baobab (Adansonia digitata) root grown from seed collected from selected natural populations of Malawi.
Kamanula 2018
Characterization of the chemical profiles of Malian commercial Adansonia digitata fruits and leaves. Fruit pulps were rich in procyanidins and flavonol glycosides, with tiliroside as the major constituent. Leaves were similar but with more phenolics.
Braca 2018
Use of RP-HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS and NMR spectroscopy for metabolite profiling of extracts from Adansonia digitata fruit pulp and identification and quantification of both water-soluble and non-polar metabolites.
Tsetegho Sokeng 2018
Oils of all baobab species contain three major fatty acids: palmitic, oleic and linoleic acid. Adansonia species cannot be characterized based on fatty acid composition, which is not significantly influenced by the geographical, soil and climate conditions of the collection sites.
Razafimamonjison 2017
Characterized the structure of four hydroxycinnamic acid glycosides, six iridoid glycosides, and three phenylethanoid glycosides isolated from the dried baobab fruit pulp.
Li 2017
Blanching of Adansonia digitata leaves militated against the levels of its functional attributes, namely its flavonoids and phenolic acids content, antioxidant properties, and inhibitory potency on the activities of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and aldose reductase.
Irondi 2016
Baobab exhibited the highest amount of fatty acids in a comprehensive and comparative GC-MS metabolomics study of non-volatiles in Tanzanian grown mango, pineapple, jackfruit, baobab and tamarind fruits.
Khakimov 2016
A new terpenoid aldehyde with an unusual skeleton from Adansonia digitada was elucidated using a computer-assisted structure elucidation program.
Li 2016
The study conducted in East and West Africa demonstrated that vitamins B1 and B2 and mineral contents in baobab leaves vary with the country and the age of the tree. Adult baobab leaves of Nankoun in Burkina Faso provided the highest calcium (Ca) content of 3373 mg/100 g.
Hyacinthe 2015
The contents of dry matter, fat, protein, ash, sugars, pH, and titrable acidity were determined in the fruit pulps of five wild species including Adansonia digitata from different districts in Mozambique which showed that kernels of A. digitata contained, on average, 39.2% protein and 38.0% fat.
Magaia 2013
The fiber content, minerals & selected organic acids in the pulps & kernels of the wild fruits consumed in southern Mozambique, including Adansonia digitata, were studied & the content of fibers reported. Citric acid was found in all fruits & kernels were rich in calcium, iron, magnesium & zinc.
Magia 2013
Reviewed several bioactive compounds, including several new substances, including baobab (Adansonia digitata), isolated using classical phytochemical chromatographic methods and various spectroscopic procedures. Many of them had chemopreventive activity.
Kinghorn 2011
Among 14 species of wild edible fruits from Burkina Faso analyzed for their phenolic and flavonoid contents, and their antioxidant activities using the DPPH, FRAP and ABTS methods, Detarium microcarpum fruit had the highest phenolic & the highest flavonoid content, followed by Adansonia digitata.
Lamien-Meda 2008
The macroscopic characters of the whole plant, physical constant & extractive values, preliminary phyto-chemical tests, fluorescence characters under UV light after treatment with different reagents of the powdered leaves from the tree of Adansonia digitata were studied.
Vijayakirubha 2004
The baobab seed and pulp were analyzed for proximate composition, mineral content, and amino acid composition. Both the kernel & pulp contain substantial quantities of calcium, potassium, and magnesium. The protein was more soluble at alkaline than acidic pH. with the lowest solubility at pH 4.0.
Osman 2004
Analysis of 8 plant foods of the Republic of Niger for fatty acid, vitamin E, carotenoid, selected mineral & amino acid contents shows Adansonia digitata leaves were superior to the fruit of the tree & the fruit did contain useful quantities of potassium, phosphorus, zinc & alpha-linolenic acid.
Sena 1998
Six non-conventional leafy vegetables consumed largely by the rural populace of Nigeria were analyzed for mineral composition. Amaranthus spinosus & Adansonia digitata leaves had the highest level of iron (38.4 mg/100 g & 30.6 mg/100 g dw, respectively). Zn content of A. digitata was 22.4 mg/100 g.
Barminas 1998
The food samples of green leaves (Adansonia digitata, Amaranthus viridis, Tamarindus indica, Allium cepa), seeds & flour & fruits were analysed for water, energy, fat, protein, minerals, amino acids & carotenoids. It was found that A.digitata was more commonly used as the dominating green leaves.
Nordeide 1996
Five species of plant foods common to southern Burkina Faso and to Niamey, Niger, west Africa exhibited consistently high mineral values, specifically, Adansonia digitata, Boerhavia diffusa, Cerathoteca sesamoides, Sclerocarya birrea and Xylopia sp.
Smith 1996
Nutritive value of baobab milk (gubdi) and mixtures of baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) and hungry rice, acha (Digitaria exilis) flours were compared which showed that the baobab milk contained more protein (1.5%) and minerals (Fe, 17.8 mg; Ca 134.2 mg)than those of human milk and cow's milk.
Obizoba 1994
High levels of ascorbic acid were found in fruits of Sclerocarya birrea (403.3 mg/100 g) and Adansonia digitata (337 mg/100 g). In nine of the fruits examined, the mineral contents (Ca, P) were comparable with average values found in common fruits.
Eromosele 1991
A new flavanonol glycoside isolated from the roots of Adansonia digitata has been characterised as 3,7-dihydroxy flavan-4-one-5-O-beta- D-galactopyranosyl (1 --> 4)-beta- D-glucopyranoside on the basis of degradation, spectral and chemical studies.
Chauhan 1984
Amino acid composition of the leaves and fruit pulp of baobab (Adansonia digitata Linn.) [Article in French] [No abstract]
BUSSON 1958
Leaves of baobab (Adansonia digitata L.); chemical composition and physiological action. [Article in Undetermined Language] [No abstract]
Paris 1951
History of Record
ORIGINAL RESEARCH BY: Dr J Mohanasundaram, MD, PhD
March 2016
MAJOR REVISION BY: Eli Scheinman, MES
January 2018
LATEST UPDATES BY: Antonia Kaz
February 2023