Costus afer Ker Gawl (Costaceae): A Review on Its Medicinal uses with Focus on Potential Anti-Inflammatory Effect

Abstract

More than 80% of the population in Africa by the World Health Organization (WHO) leans on endogenous knowledge to solve their primary health care problems. In this study, we examined the relevance of Costus afer Ker Gawl, a plant called ginger lily, spiral ginger or bush cane. It is believed to be used in traditional medicine practice (TMP) to treat and manage many conditions including diabetes mellitus, stomach ailments, arthritis, inflammation. These alleged traditional incited large researchers to conduct studies on the plant to amass scientific evidence. However, these results are sparse, and thus, an inventory through the present search using online search engines such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Scopus and Chemical Abstracts for the period from 1990 to 2021; provides a bibliographic actualization on the plant, taking into account its traditional uses, phytochemical and nutritional constituents, pharmacological activities and toxicological effects. The online search included the use of the keywords, "Costus afer Ker-Gawl" or "Costus afer". It should be noted that the stem and leaves of the plant contain consistent amounts of micronutrients and macronutrients. The leaves, stem, rhizomes of C. afer contain several steroidal sapogenins, aferosides, dioscin and paryphyllin C and a flavonoid glycoside, kaempferol-3-O- \(\alpha\)-L-rhamnopyranoside. Experimental studies on various parts of the plant have shown biological activities such as anti-hyperglycemic, hepatocellular protection, cardioprotection, nephroprotection, CNS depressant, analgesic, antiarthritis, antibacterial and antioxidant. This wide range of biological properties of Costus afer Ker Gawl would be largely attributed to the essential oil compounds such as Sabinene, \(\beta\) -pinene and \(\beta\) -caryophyllene which are among the major compounds of this plant. Based on these obvious data, it is concluded that the plant could be used as an alternative and complementary therapy for many diseases related to oxidative stress so will guide us future research on the use of Costus afer Ker Gawl as an anti-inflammatory.