Knowledge’s state on Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. with a view to promoting and conserving the species

Résumé

The study summarizes current knowledge on the uses and conservation issues of Kigelia africana, an emblematic species of pharmacological, socio-economic and ecological importance in tropical Africa. The specific objectives of the study were to (i) assess the current state of knowledge on Kigelia africana by taking stock of existing researches, (ii) identify the constraints linked to the conservation of this species, and (iii) highlight research gaps that require attention. Thus, a documentary search in the Scopus, Dimensions and Google scholar databases was carried out based on terms linked to Kigelia africana in order to carry out bibliometric analyzes with the R and CiteSpace software. The results showed an increasing trend in research work on Kigelia africana between 1975 and 2023, with an annual rate of approximately 5.26%. In addition, the analysis of co-citation references carried out using the CiteSpace software revealed five most studied themes on Kigelia africana, namely the analysis of the antioxidant effect in the male Sprague-Dawley rat, the activity of antibacterial, biochemical applications, iridoids and antidiarrheal activity. However, the conservation of Kigelia africana faces several constraints, including deforestation, climate change, unsustainable collection, population pressure, inadequate management and habitat fragmentation. Additionally, many traditional medicinal uses of this plant have not yet been scientifically studied. These facts highlight the need to combine traditional and scientific knowledge to fully exploit the therapeutic potential of K. africana and promote sustainable management of this species.