Antioxidant Potentials of T. indica and its Environmental Application: A Mini Review

Abstract

Under-utilized and abundant plants found in Africa are endowed with a lot of potentials, which can be coupled and channeled to aid environmental, economic and social development. Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) is one of the most commonly under-utilized plant materials with some reported biological and environmental relevance. In this communication, we reported on antioxidant potentials and environmental role associated with T. indica, which might be due to its vast phytochemical constituents, to unravel the applicability of antioxidant properties of T. indica for environmental health and remediation. Numerous researchers revealed antioxidant capacity, phenolics and ascorbic acid content of different parts of Tamarind to be significantly appreciative. These properties show a strong association with the vast amount of phytochemicals confined in this plant. The presence of phytocompounds in Tamarind such as luteolin, catechin, apigenin, lupeol and terpenoids has been implicated in the treatment and management of different diseases such as diabetes, cancer, hypertension and cardiovascular disorders. These highlighted medicinal roles were associated with their antioxidant capacities. This property in T. indica might serve as a driving force in many of its displayed biological potentials. The plant also demonstrated robust abilities for environmental uses. Thus, T. indica could also serve reasonably, in the field of environmental science such as bioremediation, biosorption, coagulation and waste water treatment due to its abundance and limited utilization. This review, therefore, highlights the applicability of antioxidant properties of T. indica for environmental health and remediation.