American Journal of Plant Biology 2016; 1(1): 30-34 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ajpb doi: 10.11648/j.ajpb.20160101.15 Review Article Phytochemistry and Medicinal Uses of Tamarindus indica and Persea Americana as Sources of Plant Nutrients Emmanuel Uchenna Uzukwu 1 , Amal Bakr Shori 2, * , Ahmad Salihin Baba 1 1 Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2 Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Email address: Shori_7506@hotmail.com (A. B. Shori) * Corresponding author To cite this article: Emmanuel Uchenna Uzukwu, Amal Bakr Shori, Ahmad Salihin Baba. Phytochemistry and Medicinal Uses of Tamarindus indica and Persea Americana as Sources of Plant Nutrients. American Journal of Plant Biology. Vol. 1, No. 1, 2016, pp. 30-34. doi: 10.11648/j.ajpb.20160101.15 Received: October 30, 2016; Accepted: November 18, 2016; Published: December 20, 2016 Abstract: Tamarindus indica (tamarind) and Persea Americana (avocado) are tropical fruits. They are very nutritious foods contain fatty acids, vitamins, phytosterols and other phytochemicals. The extracts from fruit pulp and seeds can be used as an alternativ dietary supplement. In addition, they have been extensively used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases. Thus, the present study review the phytochemicals and medicinal uses of tamarind and avocado as sources of plant nutrients. Keywords: Tamarind, Avocado, Phytochemistry, Medicinal Properties 1. Introduction Dietary manipulation through the consumption of specific plant materials containing phytochemicals have been proved to be effective treatment methods for the regulation of glucose and lipids in the blood [1]. Studies have shown that plants containing sterols such as the aloe-vera can be used to reduce visceral fat accumulation and improve hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia in rat [2]. In-vitro studies have also shown that phytosterols (PS) dissolved in diacylglycerol (DAG) oil (PS/DAG) was very effective at a relatively low dose to lower the blood cholesterol and lipoprotein concentrations for hypercholesterolemia patients with a low response to pravastatin [3]. Tamarind and avocado contain phytosterols such as beta-sitosterol, campesterol and stigmaterol [4]. Avocado also contains fatty acids with olefinic, acetylenic bonds, furanoic acids, dimers of flavanol [5] and oligomeric proanthocyanidins [6] which could account for other nutritional importance. To date, there are intensive bioactivity studies on the tamarind and avocado. The present study review the phytochemicals and medicinal uses of tamarind and avocado as sources of plant nutrients. 2. Tamarind Tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) is a plant in the family of Fabaaceae under the genus Tamarindus. Common names of tamarind are tamarind, tamarindo, tamarin and sampalok. Tamarind is native to tropical Africa but is extensively cultivated in India, North America and many tropical areas of the world [7]. 2.1. Cultivation Tamarind is well adapted to semi-arid tropical conditions, although it does well in many humid tropical areas of the world with seasonal high rainfall. Tamarinds can grow 80 feet high with a spread of 20 to 35 ft [8]. The leaves are normally evergreen but may be shed briefly in very dry areas during the hot season [9]. The five-petal tamarind flowers are borne in small racemes and are yellow with orange or red streaks. The flower buds are pink due to the outer colour of the 4 sepals which are shed when the flower opens [10]. Tamarind fruits are 3-8 inch long, brown, irregularly curved as pods and are borne in abundance along the new branches. As the pods mature, they fill out and the juicy acidulous pulp turns brown