A Review on Adenocarpus mannii; a Main Species of the Genus Adenocarpus

The fabaceae are rooted in rosaceae pods known as "vegetables" by the early botanists. They are the third family of angiosperms which includes 642 genus divided into about 18,000 species. The fabaceae family is known as the most important family of the ecosystem as it is indispensable in medicine, agriculture, industry and livestock. The Adenocarpus genus has about 50 species that are frequently found in tropical regions of Northern Africa, the southern part of West Europe and in the central and southern Italy. They are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of several diseases: such as microbial infections, leprosy, scabies, acne, malaria and other plants species are used in agriculture as insecticidal properties. Mainly Adenocarpus mannii species is well represented in the tropical regions of North Africa. It occurs in Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Guinea, South Africa, Tanzania, and Burundi. In Cameroon, it is encountered in South West Region and West Region. Previous phytochemical studies led to the isolation of several classes of compounds such as flavonoids, alkaloids and triterpenes. Several studies report the phytochemical studies on genus Adenocarpus and chemotaxonomic markers of species of this genus. Herein, we outline all the botanical, pharmacological and phytochemical aspects of Adenocarpus mannii. A brief introduction about fabaceae and the genus Adenocarpus has also been included.