Nutritional, therapeutic, and prophylactic properties of Vigna subterranea and Moringa oleifera

Abstract

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) [BGN] is an easy-to-cultivate legume seed classified under the family Fabaceae, sub-family Faboidea and genus Vigna [1]. Two botanical varieties exist, namely V. subterranea var. spontanea (wild varieties) and V. subterranea var. subterranea (cultivated varieties). BGN originated in West Africa from the Bambara district near Timbuktu and is now widely grown throughout tropical Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Central and South America and some parts of Northern Australia [2-4]. BGN is known by many common names such as Madagascar groundnut, baffin pea, voandzou, indhlubu, underground bean, nzama [Malawi], Epa-Roro [Nigeria], jugo beans [South Africa] and Nyimo beans [Zimbabwe] [1, 5]. Considered as one of the main attributes of BGN, is its tolerance of poor soils and drought, as well as its ability to yield in conditions in which groundnut fails completely. BGN also has an extremely tough seed coat, which makes it resistant to weevil attack and allows for storage of the seeds for long periods without loss [6]. Favourable characteristics making BGN an ideal crop includes its ability to be intercropped with other crops (i.e. maize, babala and sorghum), therefore not taking up areas designated to crops seen as more lucrative/important, its abundance in nitrogen which improves soil fertility and makes it useful in crop rotation, and the possibility to be grown without the use of expensive chemicals and fertilisers which are usually difficult to obtain in isolated areas