Cardiovascular Health Potential of Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea): A Focused Review of Current Evidence and Research Gaps

Cardiovascular diseases remain a major cause of premature mortality, and dietary control of blood pressure, atherogenic lipids, oxidative stress, inflammation and glycaemic dysregulation is important for prevention. Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) is an underutilized African legume whose cardiovascular relevance has been investigated, but the evidence is dispersed across experimental systems. This focused narrative review evaluated the cardiovascular health potential of Bambara groundnut, with emphasis on lipid regulation, blood-pressure pathways, oxidative stress, inflammation, glycaemic control and the gut-heart axis. A focused narrative literature search was conducted through 18 September 2026 using PubMed, African Journals Online, publisher-indexed records and reference lists of relevant studies and reviews. Studies were eligible when Bambara groundnut, or a fraction, extract or diet derived from it, had a cardiovascular-relevant endpoint or a mechanistically interpretable pathway. Evidence was classified by experimental level and by whether it was directly Bambara-specific or extrapolated from other legumes. Of the 15 Bambara-specific primary studies synthesized, 11 were in vitro or in silico studies (mainly of antioxidant activity, enzyme inhibition and starch digestion), four were rodent feeding studies and none was a human intervention study. Rodent findings on plasma lipids were inconsistent: an early study reported exaggerated hypercholesterolaemia with a Bambara diet, whereas three later studies of co-formulated or fermented preparations reported improved lipid profiles that cannot be attributed to Bambara groundnut alone. No eligible human randomized controlled trial was identified in the databases and sources searched. The evidence therefore supports a plausible multi-pathway hypothesis rather than an established clinical effect. Controlled human intervention studies using standardized preparations, adequately powered designs and validated cardiovascular endpoints are required before health claims can be supported.