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Au Niger, lors des crises alimentaires, les graines de Boscia senegalensis, appele anza en langue local, constituent un des principaux aliments de cueillette de subsistance pour les menages ruraux. L’objectif de la presente etude etait de determiner la composition en acides amines des graines de Boscia issues de differentes methodes de desamerisation. La teneur en proteinestotaux et en 16 acides amines, dont les 8 acides amines essentiels, des graines non cuites et cuites ont ete determinees. Le resultat obtenu montre que la teneur en proteines varie de 16,11 a 22,82%. Les acides amines majeurs sont l’acide glutamique (2,32-3,33 %), acide aspartique (1,71-2,36 %) et la phenylalanine (1,34-2,19 %) tandis que la methionine, l’histidine, la threonine et la tyrosine sont les acides amines limitant dans toutes les graines. Des faibles teneurs sont aussi trouvees pour la lysine (0-1,31 %). L’acide amine essentiel majeur est la phenylalanine. Les essentiels mineurs sont la methionine et la threonine. De facon generale, les methodes de traitements traditionnelles influencent positivement la teneur en proteines et en certains acides amines essentiels des graines de Boscia senegalensis. In Niger, during food crises, Boscia senegalensis seeds, called Anza in the local language, are one of the main subsistence food crops for rural households. The objective of this study was to determine the amino acid composition of Boscia seeds from different deamerization methods. The protein and 16 amino acid content, including all 8 essential amino acids, of uncooked and cooked seeds were determined according to standard methods. The result obtained shows that the protein content varies from 16.11 to 22.82%. The major amino acids are glutamic acid (2.32-3.33%), aspartic acid (1.71-2.36%) and phenylalanine (1.34-2.19%) while methionine, histidine, threonine and tyrosine are the limiting amino acids in all seeds. Low levels are also found for lysine (0-1.31%). The major essential amino acid is phenylalanine and the minor essential amino acids are methionine and threonine (1.34-2.19%). In general, traditional processing methods positively influence the content of proteins and certain essential amino acids in Boscia senegalensis seeds.

Twenty one compounds (twelve flavonoids, four benzoylglucarate isomers, two phenolic acids, two glucosinolates, and one saccharide) were identified from the B. senegalensis aqueous methanolic extract using LC-ESI-MS technique. Among the identified compounds, quercetin-O-sinapoylglucoside-O-glucoside (13) and quercetin-di-O-benzoyl glucoside (16) are newly identified natural products.B. senegalensis aqueous methanolic extract showed strong inhibitory effect against H5N1 viruses and moderate antitumor activity against three carcinoma cell lines.

Detailed chemical investigation of Boscia senegalensis (Per) Lam. ex Poir. led to the isolation of one new flavonol glycoside, rhamnocitrin-3-O-β-D-(6''-O-E-feruloyl)-glucopyranoside named bosenegaloside A (1), with seven known compounds, rhamnocitrin-3-O-β-D-(6''-O-E-p-coumaroyl)-glucopyranoside (2), rhamnocitrin3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenol-β-D-glucopyrinoside (4), lasianthionoside A (5), 3,7dimethyl-1-octene-3,6,7-triol-6-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (6), syringin (7), and austroside B (8). The chemical structures of these compounds were elucidated from spectroscopic data and by comparison of these data with previously published results. The inhibitory activity of the isolated compounds on soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) was assessed. Compounds 1-3 potently inhibited sEH activity with IC50 values of 12.8 ± 0.5, 18.4 ± 0.2, and 11.3 ± 0.9 µM, respectively.

This study describes a glucocapparin determination method. Based on rapeseed determination of glucosinolate (GSL), the equation of the average straight regression line is Y = 100.42X – 0.03 (R2 = 0.9998). Enzymatic hydrolysis of glucocapparin extracted from leaves and fruits of B. senegalensis, analyzed by SPME-GC-MS confirmed the presence of methylisothiocyanate as the main hydrolysis glucocapparin product. Monitoring glucocapparin contents in B. senegalensis leaves and fruits collected in 4 localities in Senegal showed differences between organs according localities and periods of harvest. Glucocapparin content was very high in dry season particularly in January and the lowest rates were recorded during the rainy period between August and November.

Boscia senegalensis is a drought resistant shrub whose seeds are used in West Africa as food. However, the seeds, or hanza, taste bitter which can be cured by soaking them in water for 4-7 days. The waste water resulting from the processing takes up the bitter taste, which makes it unsuitable for consumption. When used for irrigation, allelopathic effects were observed. Glucosinolates and their breakdown products are the potential causes for both the bitter taste and the allelopathic effects. The objectives of this study are to identify and quantify the glucosinolates present in processed and unprocessed hanza as well as different organs of B. senegalensis, to analyze the chemical composition of the processing water, and to pinpoint the causal agent for the allelopathic properties of the waste water. Hanza (seeds without testa), leaves, branches, unripe and ripe fruits were collected in three populations and subjected to glucosinolate analyses. Methylglucosinolates were identified in all plant parts and populations, with the highest concentrations being found in the hanza. The levels of methylglucosinolates in the hanza reduced significantly during the soaking process. Waste water was collected for 6 days and contained large amounts of macro- and micronutrients, methylglucosinolate as well as methylisothiocyanate, resulting from the conversion of glucosinolates. Waste water from days 1-3 (High) and 4-6 (Low) was pooled and used to water seeds from 11 different crops and weeds. The High treatment significantly delayed or reduced germination of all the plant species tested. Using similar levels of methylisothiocyanate as detected in the waste water, we found that germination of a subset of the plant species was inhibited equally to the waste water treatments. This confirmed that the levels of methylisiothiocyanate in the waste water were sufficient to cause the allelopathic effect. This leads to the possibility of using hanza waste water in weed control programs.

Aim: Plants used in the Far North Region of Cameroon by livestock farmers to manage Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in cattle and the phytochemical composition and antioxidant potentials of two of them (Boscia senegalensis and Tapinanthus dodoneifolius) were investigated in this study. Methods: Ethnoveterinary data were collected from 325 livestock farmers using semi-structured interviews from September 2011 to April 2012. The 2,2-diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content (TPC) were first performed with five different solvents to choose the best extract of each plant based on these two factors. To achieve our aim, the ferric iron reducing activity (FIRA), hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (HRSA), free radical scavenging activity (FRSA), Vitamin E and iron content were analyzed on extracts selected using current techniques. Results: The results showed that 12 plants of 08 different families are regularly used by farmers to manage FMD. It also demonstrated that acetone extract of T. dodoneifolius and methanolic extract of B. senegalensis are the extracts which showed the best total antioxidant activity and the best TPC. In general, T. dodoneifolius show the best antioxidant activity during the HRSA and FRSA analysis compared to B. senegalensis. Likewise, T. dodoneifolius content more phenolic compounds and tannins than B. senegalensis. Both plants contain proteins, saponins, tannins, phenols, alkaloid, and polyphenols which are known to have many biological activities. Conclusion: These results support the antioxidant activity of both plants and can justify their use by herders to treat FMD which is often followed by many secondary diseases. [J Intercult Ethnopharmacol 2015; 4(1.000): 40-46]

The leaves of Boscia senegalensis are traditionally used in West Africa in cereal protection against pathogens, pharmacologic applications, and food processing. Activities of alpha-amylase, beta-amylase, exo-(1--3, 1--4)-beta-D-glucanase, and endo-(1--3)-beta-D-glucanase were detected in these leaves. The endo-(1--3)-beta-D-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.39) was purified 203-fold with 57% yield. The purified enzyme is a nonglycosylated monomeric protein with a molecular mass of 36 kDa and pIor = 10.3. Its optimal activity occurred at pH 4.5 and 50 degrees C. Kinetic analysis gave Vmax, kcat, and Km values of 659 U/mg, 395 s(-1), and 0.42 mg/mL, respectively, for laminarin as substrate. The use of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography revealed that the enzyme hydrolyzes not only soluble but also insoluble (1--3)-beta-glucan chains in an endo fashion. This property is unusual for endo-acting (1--3)-beta-D-glucanase from plants. The involvement of the enzyme in plant defense against pathogenic microorganisms such as fungi is discussed.

This report describes in vitro micropropagation of Boscia senegalensis, so-called famine foods, that helped the people in Darfur and Kordofan, Sudan survive during the 1984–1985 famine. Four types of explants prepared from green mature zygotic embryos were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium augmented with 1–5 mg/L 6-benzyladenine (BA). The highest number of shoots per explant (14.3±0.9) was achieved on MS medium supplemented with 3 mg/L BA, while the highest shoot length [(3.5±0.4) cm] was obtained with 1 mg/L BA. The shoot cluster, when subcultured to its same medium, significantly increased the rate of shoot multiplication by the end of the third subculture. The maximum mean number of shoots per explant (86.5±3.6) was produced after three multiplication cycles on 3 mg/L BA-supplemented medium. In vitro induced shoots were excised and rooted on half strength MS medium fortified with 0.25 mg/L indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) to obtain complete plantlets. B. senegalensis-regenerated plantlets obtained in vitro for the first time, were hardened and 95% survived under greenhouse conditions.

Biological activity of leaves, fruits and extract of the African shrubBoscia senegalensis (PERS.) LAM. ex Poir. was evaluated against five stored-grain insects. When added to cowpeas at 2-4% (w/w), fresh ground fruits and leaves caused 80-100% mortality inCallosobruchus maculants (F.) adults and significantly reduced both emergence and damage of the F1 progeny. Acetone fruit extract exhibited a potent fumigant effect onProstephanus truncatus HORN, C.maculatus, andSitotroga cerealella OLIV.; with LT50 values of 3.8, 2.3, and below 1.5 hr, respectively. LC50 determination forB. senegalensis fruits and leaves as well as pure methylisothiocyanate (MITC) onTribolium castaneum HERBST,Sitophilus zeamais MOTSCH. andC. maculatus showed a differential response of the insects to plant parts or MITC. Quantitative dosage ofBoscia active components and LC50 values obtained for the plant tissues, compared to those of pure molecules, indicate that the biological activity ofB. senegalensis is due to the liberation of MITC from a glucosinolate precursor glucocapparin contained inBoscia fruits and leaves.

The percent study describes the in vitro responses of mature zygotic embryos of Boscia senegalensis to different concentrations (0.0–5.0 mg/L) of 6-benzyladnine (BA), Thidiazuron (TDZ), α-Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), and 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D) supplemented on Murashige and Skoog medium (MS). The plant growth regulators (PGRs) were considerably affected the morphogenetic responses. BA produced adventitious shoots through two ways: direct organogenesis and auxiliary shoot formation. Both 2, 4-D and TDZ tend to produce callus, whereas NAA improve the development of embryos to seedlings. Maximum number of shoots/explant (14.8 ± 0.6) was obtained on MS medium supplemented with 3.0 mg/L BA. 67.0% of excised shoots were rooted either on 1/2 MS medium augmented with or without 0.25 mg/L IBA. The highest number of roots (1.2 ± 0.4) and root length (0.5 ± 0.2 cm) was produced on 0.25 mg/L IBA-containing medium. Regenerated plants were successfully acclimatized and transferred to the green house with 70% survival rate. All the plants appeared morphologically uniform with normal growth pattern. A rapid (30 days), efficient and without subculturing protocol for in vitro regeneration of B. senegalensis was developed.

The nutritional value of seeds of mukheit (Boscia senegalensis (Pers) Lam ex Poir) and maikah (Dobera roxburghi Planch) widely used as food in times of famine in western Sudan have been investigated. The chemical composition of each food before and after the traditional debittering process is reported. Both foods compared favourably with the local staple cereals as regards the content of soluble carbohydrate and crude protein with values of 690 and 250 g kg−1 respectively for mukheit debittered by soaking in water at ambient temperature and 800 and 150 g kg−1 respectively for maikah debittered by boiling in water. The nutritional quality of protein in mukheit debittered by soaking in water at ambient temperature appeared similar to that of sorghum but was markedly enhanced if debittering was performed by boiling, although the crude protein content of the food fell substantially during the latter procedure. The protein of debittered maikah had a chemical score of 85 indicating a quality superior to that of the local cereals. Maikah also represented an exceptionally rich source of calcium and contained nutritionally useful quantities of zinc.