BITTER KOLA (GARCINIA KOLA) AND ITS USES

BITTER KOLA (GARCINIA KOLA) AND ITS USES.

Abstract

Bitter kola also known as Garcinia Kola and sometimes called African wonder nut has been shown to contain vitamins, minerals, proteins and carbohydrates in varying quantities and phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, cyanogenic glycosides, saponins among many others that give its characteristics nutritional and pharmaceutical properties. The use of bitter kola based on the fact that it’s a nutritional plant will depend on the nutritive value of the seed and other parts, its effects on both human health and animal performance as well as market forces affect its demand and supply. Its medicinal usefulness is based also on the medicinal value of the seed-fruit, nuts and bark of the plant e.g it is used as herbs for treating illness for healing throat infections, bronchitis, a liver disorder, etc. Bitter kola also possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties as well as antimicrobial properties. This paper reviews published data on the general nutritive, pharmaceutical and phytochemical values of bitter kola as it affects the health and performance of human beings and also animals as well as its uses in certain food processes.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgment iv
Abstract v
Table of contents vi

Introduction 1
Origin and distribution of Garcinia kola 4
General use of bitter kola as a plant 9
Nutritional composition of bitter kola 10
Chemical composition of bitter kola 12
Phytochemical constituents of Garcinia kola 16
Feed value of Garcinia kola for farm animals 18
Medicinal benefits of  kola 19
Uses of the various parts of kola 24
Anti microbial activities of kola 26
Conclusion 28
Recommendation 29
References 30

INTRODUCTION

Garcinia kola also known as African wonder nut, belongs to the family Guttiferae and grows in coastal rainforests in the South-Western and South-Eastern parts of Nigeria. Traditionally, the nuts of bitter kola are chewed as a masticatory substances to stimulate the flow of saliva (Leakey, 2011). The kernels of the nuts are widely traded and eaten as a stimulant (Leakey, 2001). kola is also highly valued because of its medicinal benefits (Hertog et al., 2007). The nuts are chewed for aphrodisiac effects or used to cure cough-dysentery or chest cold in herbal medicine (Uko et al 2001).

In this present day, new initiatives in pharmaceutical and also livestock industries are seeking to promote the use of alternative materials that combine the effects of nutritional and medicinal properties, simultaneously. This is expected among other benefits to reduce the high cost of production in the livestock industry as a result of the reduction in dual costs of feed and drugs (Leakey, 2011). Further research was made into indigenous fruits trees or plants that possesses both nutritional and medicinal properties. kola has been a plant that possesses both medicinal and nutritive value and every more emerged, and further investigations based on its current information in relation to its nutritional and medicinal properties have been aggregated (Uko et al, 2001).

The seminar highlight on the following
 Origin and distribution of garcinia
 Taxonomy of garcinia kola
 Botanic and agronomic characteristics of bitter kola
 Cultivation of garcinia kola
 General use of bitter kola as a plant
 Nutritional composition of bitter kola
 Chemical composition
 Vitamin composition of garcinia kola seed (dry weight basis)
 Phytochemical constituents
 The feed value of bitter kola for farm animals
 Medicinal benefits of bitter kola
 Uses of the various parts of garcinia kola
 Antimicrobial activities

This review seeks to aggregate current information on the characteristics of bitter kola based on its history and origin as an indigenous medicinal plant in the rain forest of central and western African. Its botanical and agronomical characteristics are also discussed further in this work; the bitter kola tree produces reddish yellowish or orange-colored fruit with each fruit containing two or four yellow seeds and a sour-tasting pulp. During the cultivation of kola, it is either cultivated by seeds or by cutting, by the preparation of a suitable seedbed for planting and germination or by cutting from very tender branches and stems with young healthy leaves (Ingenieurs, 2009).

The nutrient and chemical composition of kola as reported by ibekwe et al (2007), Esiegwu and Udedibie (2009) and Okwu (2005) were also illustrated based on their various constituents. The moisture content, protein, fiber, ash, and nitrogen-free extracts have various amounts of percentage dry matter and they are 14.60% 0.58%, 0.10%, 5.00%, 91.32%, and 57.54% respectively and the vitamins, as well as mineral composition, also have various dry weight basis. The phytochemicals constituents of  kola as described by Okwu, (2005) are phenols (0.11 mg/100g), Alkaloids (0.36mg/100g), tannins (0.26mg/100g) and flavonoids (1.98mg/100g).

kola basically performs various other functions like medicinal uses e.g helps in weight loss, treats arthritics, anti-poison, diabetes, malaria, etc.

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