Common plant foods in Northern Nigeria with immuno-stimulatory properties that could mitigate the effect of COVID-19: a review.

Abstract

Plants taken as food provide the body with nutrients that strengthen the immune system. The immune system recognizes, tolerates, and resists infections or toxins by activating specific antibodies or sensitized white blood cells. COVID-19 is a severe acute respiratory disorder that is caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2. It has been reported that innate immunity plays a role in mitigating the severity of the disease, thus strengthening the immune system is paramount to resisting the infection. This study aimed to identify and document foods commonly consumed in Northern Nigeria that are claimed to possess immune-stimulatory effects. Literature of plants that are commonly used as food was studied. Data was collected from literature searches of the PubMed, PubChem, and Google Scholar databases using keywords that include immunity, immune-stimulatory, phytochemicals, and micronutrients. Thirty commonly consumed plants belonging to eighteen families were selected based on how widely used they are in the region. They are reported to contain immune-boosting phytonutrients such as carotenoids, flavonoids, and micronutrients such as Vitamin C and Zinc, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The study showed that the plants that are commonly consumed in Northern Nigeria contained phytochemicals and micronutrients, which are necessary for boosting immunity and thus could be the reason for the low COVID-19morbidity experienced in the region.