African Medicinal Plants Acting on the Reproductive, Cardiovascular, and Central Nervous Systems

Traditional medicines are practiced worldwide for regulation of fertility since ancient times. This chapter provides a comprehensive summary of African medicinal flora regarding their medicinal use, substances isolated, and pharmacological effects on the reproductive, cardiovascular, and central nervous systems. Bibliographic investigation was carried out by analyzing classic textbooks and peer-reviewed papers. Ninety-four traditionally used plant species with documented pharmacological activity have been recorded, of which 70 have been mentioned as having potential activity on the reproductive system, 12 on the cardiovascular system, and 12 on the central nervous system. This review clearly indicates that it is time to increase the number of experimental studies to find novel potential chemical entities from such a vast array of unexploited African plants having a traditional role in the reproductive, cardiovascular, and central nervous systems.