This is the only comprehensive account of all eight species in the genus Adansonia. It describes the historical background from the late Roman period to the present. It covers the extraordinary variety of economic uses of baobabs. There are also appendices on vernacular names, gazetteer, economics, nutrition and forest mensuration. This book fills a gap in the botanical literature. It deals with a genus that has fascinated and intrigued scientists and lay persons for centuries.

This report is the second in a series of three evaluating underexploited African plant resources that could help broaden and secure Africa's food supply. The volume describes the characteristics of 18 little-known indigenous African vegetables (including tubers and legumes) that have potential as food- and cash-crops but are typically overlooked by scientists and policymakers and in the world at large. The book assesses the potential of each vegetable to help overcome malnutrition, boost food security, foster rural development, and create sustainable landcare in Africa. Each species is described in a separate chapter, based on information gathered from and verified by a pool of experts throughout the world. Volume I describes African grains and Volume III African fruits.

Unconventional Oilseeds and New Oil Sources: Chemistry and Analysis is presented in three parts, with each section dedicated to different types of oil sources. Part One deals with plants (vegetable, herbs, shrubs), such as Hibiscus, Mexican Poppy, Cucumber, Squashes, Sesame, etc. Part Two presents unconventional oils found in trees (like Balanites aegyptiaca, Annona squamosal and Catunaregam nilotica), and Part Three deals with new oils found in insects, as in the water melon bug and sorghum bug. This book will be of interest to researchers in oilseed production, research and development personnel, food scientists, plant breeders, product development personnel, and government agency personnel involved in the production, transportation, distribution, and processing of oilseeds. - Compiles information on unconventional oilseeds and new sources of oil found worldwide, including those from plants (vegetables, herbs, shrubs), trees, and insects - Presents the physico-chemical properties of the seed oils, in addition to their mineral compositions and chemical analyses - Thoroughly explores the chemistry of new oils, their composition, bioactive compounds, such as fatty acids, tocopherols, and sterols - Introduces the composition of new oil sources, their content of minor and bioactive components, and the most used official methods for analysis

Healthcare professionals, including doctors, pharmacists and nurses, are often confronted with patients who use over-the-counter (OTC) herbal medicinal products and food supplements. While taking responsibility for one’s own health and treatment options is encouraged, many patients use these products based on limited (and sometimes inaccurate) information from non-scientific sources, such as the popular press and internet. There is a clear need to offer balanced, well-informed advice to patients, yet a number of studies have shown that, generally, conventionally trained health practitioners consider their knowledge about herbal medicinal products and supplements to be weak. Phytopharmacy fills this knowledge gap, and is intended for use by the busy pharmacist, nurse, or doctor, as well as the ‘expert patient’ and students of pharmacy and herbal medicine. It presents clear, practical and concise monographs on over a hundred popular herbal medicines and plant-based food supplements. Information provided in each monograph includes: • Indications • Summary and appraisal of clinical and pre-clinical evidence • Potential interactions • Contraindications • Possible adverse effects An overview of the current regulatory framework is also outlined, notably the EU Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive. This stipulates that only licensed products or registered traditional herbal medicinal products (THRs), which have assured quality and safety, can now legally be sold OTC. Monographs are included of most of the major herbal ingredients found in THRs, and also some plant-based food supplements, which while not strictly medicines, may also have the potential to exert a physiological effect.

Phytochemical Profiling of Commercially Important South African Plants comprises a carefully selected group of plant species that are of interest to researchers and industry partners who would like to investigate the commercialization of plant species. The book presents 25 botanicals selected based on commercial relevance. For each of the species, the following topics are covered: botanical description and distribution, phytochemistry (including chemical structures), HPTLC fingerprint analysis, UPLC analysis, and GC analysis (the latter only in the case of essential oil-bearing species). Using standard methodology, high-level chromatographic fingerprints have been developed for better understanding. Different methods are succinctly summarized allowing for the rapid identification of botanical raw materials and formulated consumer products. This book will be extremely valuable to researchers in the field who wish to rapidly identify the constituents and for those who want to prepare formulations of plant material for commercial applications. This work will also be a valuable resource in the field of pharmacognosy. - Comprehensive chemical profiling of each species - Fingerprints developed for non-volatile and volatile constituents - Methods succinctly summarized to ensure reproducibility

Since its inception, paleoanthropology has been closely wedded to the idea that big-game hunting by our hominin ancestors arose, first and foremost, as a means for acquiring energy and vital nutrients. This assumption has rarely been questioned, and seems intuitively obvious—meat is a nutrient-rich food with the ideal array of amino acids, and big animals provide meat in large, convenient packages. Through new research, the author of this volume provides a strong argument that the primary goals of big-game hunting were actually social and political—increasing hunter’s prestige and standing—and that the nutritional component was just an added bonus. Through a comprehensive, interdisciplinary research approach, the author examines the historical and current perceptions of protein as an important nutrient source, the biological impact of a high-protein diet and the evidence of this in the archaeological record, and provides a compelling reexamination of this long-held conclusion. This volume will be of interest to researchers in Archaeology, Evolutionary Biology, and Paleoanthropology, particularly those studying diet and nutrition.

The baobab is surely the botanical symbol of Africa, instantly recognizable from afar and a compelling icon of the African landscape. This age-old ‘upside-down tree’ invariably inspires wonder, awe and mystery, and has intrigued travellers for hundreds of years. In this absorbing and inspired account of The African Baobab, author Rupert Watson explores the life and times of this fascinating tree, from its early Madagascan beginnings to its present status on the continent and its future in a changing Africa. He effortlessly mixes natural science, history and personal experience, drawing on extracts from the journals of early explorers who, on encountering these extraordinary trees, measured and sketched them for a sceptical audience back home; and he presents intriguing, detailed accounts of the baobab’s eccentric growth and reproductive habits, its present-day distribution, and its wide impact on everyday African life. The author takes a close look at the myriad uses of baobabs over the ages: their hollow centres have served as prisons, toilets, wells and bars, and some specimens have even been used as a refuge in battle or as burial sites. Their fibre, seeds and fruit are credited with hundreds of applications, both practical and medicinal. Many locals feel a spiritual connection to these trees – believing them to possess mystical powers – and use them in rituals to promote healing or luck. Other relationships between humans and the baobab are explored too, often illustrated by delightful anecdotes. The rich and enthusiastic text is complemented by evocative, colourful images that show the curious baobab in all its many stages, moods and guises – and sometimes in the most unlikely places. This book cannot fail to inspire.

This book is the third in a series evaluating underexploited African plant resources that could help broaden and secure Africa's food supply. The volume describes 24 little-known indigenous African cultivated and wild fruits that have potential as food- and cash-crops but are typically overlooked by scientists, policymakers, and the world at large. The book assesses the potential of each fruit to help overcome malnutrition, boost food security, foster rural development, and create sustainable landcare in Africa. Each fruit is also described in a separate chapter, based on information provided and assessed by experts throughout the world. Volume I describes African grains and Volume II African vegetables.