A Review on Botanicals, Ethnomedicinal Uses, Phytochemicals, Therapeutic Potentials, and Toxicity Profiles of Olax subscorpioïdea

Olax subscorpioïdea Oliv. (Olacaceae) it is a medicinal shrub characterized by its woody properties and is used in various African regions to treat numerous health problems, including sickle cell anaemia, pain, sexually transmitted diseases, diabetes, inflammation, arthritis, cancer, and bacterial infections. In this study, the medicinal uses, phytochemical constituents, potential health benefits, and toxicity profiles of O. subscorpioïdea were comprehensively investigated. The data for this study were obtained from various online databases, such as PubMed, Google Scholar, MDPI, ScienceDirect, Springer, and Wiley. Phytochemical studies of O. subscorpioïdea have revealed a number of bioactive compounds, including phytol, hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester, rutin, quercetin, n-hexadecanoic acid, morin, caffeic acid, octadecanoic acid, squalene, hentriacontane, and ferulic acid. Scientific studies have shown that O. subscorpioïdea provides numerous health benefits, such as anthelmintic, antioxidant, antiarthritic, analgesic, antidepressant, antihyperglycemic, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, neurosedative, anti-Alzheimer's, antianaemic, anticancer, and antimicrobial effects. Our analysis revealed that various studies have highlighted the ethnopharmacological uses of O. subscorpioïdea. Nevertheless, chronic toxicity studies and human trial studies confirming safe and effective dosages for the treatment of these diseases are lacking. Therefore, further chronic toxicity assessments, clinical trials, and investigations into the mechanisms of pharmacological effects are crucial to thoroughly establish the therapeutic potential of O. subscorpioïdea.