Sebua Silas Semenya

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by Bapedi healers to treat diabetes mellitus in the Limpopo Province, South Africa

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Bapedi phytomedicine employ a range of plant species to treat diabetes mellitus (DM). Existing literature partially support the use of certain species for this purpose. AIM OF THE STUDY To report on Bapedi medicinal plants employed to treat DM. MATERIALS AND METHODS A semi-structured questionnaire was employed to conduct a survey on medicinal plants used by Bapedi traditional healers in their DM management protocol. Fifty-two traditional healers from 16 municipalities, covering three districts, were interviewed during the first half of 2011. RESULTS A total of 24 plant species belonging to 20 families, mostly from the Asteraceae (13%), Cucurbitaceae and Sapotaceae (8%), were used to treat diabetes mellitus. Plant parts mostly preferred were roots and leaves. A decoction of these is most commonly used to make extracts, which are then taken orally for a period of one week. Mimusops zeyheri (29%), Helichrysum caespititium (25%), Plumeria obtusa (21%), Aloe marlothii subsp. marlothii, Hypoxis iridifolia and Moringa oleifera (17% each), were repeatedly mentioned by the traditional healers as most used for the management of diabetes mellitus in the study area. Plumeria obtusa and Momordica balsamina are exclusively used to treat diabetes mellitus, and only in the Sekhukhune District. CONCLUSION It is concluded that Bapedi traditional healers do have a basic understanding of the causes and remedial action required in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Medicinal plants used by the Bapedi traditional healers to treat diarrhoea in the Limpopo Province, South Africa.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE This paper provides ethnobotanical information on medicinal plants used to treat diarrhoea in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Documentation of this nature usually provides the basis for selecting medicinal plants for future phytochemical and pharmaceutical studies aimed at developing new, effective and affordable plant-derived diarrhoea remedies. AIM OF THE STUDY To record and document medicinal plants used by the Bapedi traditional healers to treat diarrhoea in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. MATERIALS AND METHODS In order to record and document medicinal plants used by the Bapedi traditional healers to treat diarrhoea, 51 healers from 17 municipalities covering Capricorn, Sekhukhune and Waterberg districts in the Limpopo Province, South Africa were interviewed between January and July 2011. Data collected included the names of plants, plant part(s) used, methods of herbal preparation, administration, dosage and duration of treatments. Voucher specimens of the plants used by the Bapedi traditional healers to treat diarrhoea were collected, identified and deposited as future reference material at the Larry-Leach Herbarium (UNIN), University of Limpopo. RESULTS A total of 20 plant species representing 16 families and 20 genera were found to be commonly used by the Bapedi traditional healers to treat and manage diarrhoea in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. The largest proportion of the medicinal plants belonged to the families Anacardiaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Malvaceae (10% each). The most frequently used species were Punica granatum (39.2%), Grewia bicolor (33.3%), Dombeya rotundifolia (21.6%), Commiphora marlothii (19.6%) and Acacia senegal (13.7%). The roots were the most commonly used plant part (50%), followed by leaves (20%), bark (15%), fruits (10%), pericarp, seed, tuber and whole plants (5% each). Mono therapies based on preparations made from a single plant species were the most dominant (90%). All medicinal preparations were taken orally for 1 week or until diarrhoea subsided. The therapeutic claims of the medicinal plants documented in this study are well supported by literature, with 70% of the species having anti-diarrhoeal properties or are used as diarrhoea remedies both in South Africa and also in other countries. CONCLUSION This study reveals that local communities in the Limpopo Province, South Africa still depend on traditional medicines for basic healthcare; and the use of traditional medicines is still an integral part of their socio-cultural life.

Bapedi traditional healers in the Limpopo Province, South Africa: Their socio-cultural profile and traditional healing practice

BackgroundBapedi traditional healers play a vital role in the primary health care of rural inhabitants in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. However, literature profiling their social and demographic variables, as well as their traditional healing practices is lacking.MethodsConvenience sampling were used to identify and select two traditional healers from 17 municipalities (resulting in 34 healers being used in this pilot survey) of the Limpopo Province in South Africa. Information on the social and demographic variables, and traditional healing practices of these healers was gathered from January 2013 to July 2013, using a semi-structured questionnaire, supplemented by field surveys for plant identification and collection used in the preparation of remedies.ResultsMales constituted nearly two-thirds of the participants. Forty eight percent of them became healers through the mentoring of another healer, while 38% acquired their traditional healing knowledge from parents and 14% from grandparents. In contrast to this, 62% of the females obtained theirs from their parents, 30% from fellow traditional healers, and 8% from grandparents. A total of 154 plant species were indicated as used by healers in the treatment of 52 health-related problems. A vast majority (89%) of these practitioners reported that prepared herbal remedies do expire, which is a temperature-dependent process. Determinations of the efficacy of remedies by most healers (67%) were via consultation with ancestors (90%). This study also found that none of the interviewees had any knowledge of provincial or national environmental legislation.ConclusionsThe current study has shown that Bapedi traditional healers could play a leading role in both the preservation of indigenous knowledge and the primary health care sector. However, of concern is the traditional methods (via consulting ancestors) employed by most of these healers in determining efficacy of remedies, thus indicating a need for a scientific investigations to establish their safety and effectiveness. Equally, there is a need to educate traditional practitioners’ regarding the significance of various conservation legislations in their traditional healing. By addressing these, the national and provincial legislators, medical fraternity as well as environmental agencies will be able to better integrate them in primary health care systems and environmental management.

Medicinal utilization of exotic plants by Bapedi traditional healers to treat human ailments in Limpopo Province, South Africa.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Most exotic plants are usually labelled as alien invasives and targeted for eradication. However, some of these exotic plants play an important role in the traditional primary healthcare sector of the Bapedi culture in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The medicinal uses of most of these species have neither been documented nor their biological activity evaluated. AIM OF THE STUDY To make an inventory of exotic species employed by Bapedi traditional healers to treat different human ailments in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. MATERIALS AND METHODS Semi-structured interviews, observation and guided field walks with 52 traditional healers were employed to obtain ethnobotanical data during first half of 2011 on the use of exotic plant species by Bapedi healers to treat human ailments. Based on ethnobotanical information provided by these healers, specimens were collected, numbered, pressed, and dried for identification. RESULTS A total of 35 exotics species belonging to 21 families and 34 genera, mostly from the Fabaceae and Solanaceae (11.4% for each), Apocynaceae and Asteraceae (8.5% for each) were used by Bapedi healers to treat 20 human ailments. Trees (45.7%) and herbs (37.1%) are the primary source of medicinal plants. Species most frequently reported were used for the treatment of hypertension (35%), diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction and gonorrhoea (25% for each). The highest consensus from individual accounts of the traditional healers on the use of exotic plant remedies in this study was noted for the three ailments. These were for Catharanthus roseus (gonorrhoea, 60%), Punica granatum (diarrhoea, 38.4%) and Ricinus communis (sores, 21.5%). Of the 35 exotic plant species recorded, 34.2% are regulated by the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act (1983) (CARA) No. 43 of 1983 either as worst weeds or invaders. CONCLUSION The present study demonstrated that exotic plant species play an important part as medicinal remedies employed by Bapedi healers to treat different human diseases in the Limpopo Province. The use of these species as alternative sources of medicinal remedies could alleviate harvesting pressure of wild indigenous plants, thereby enhance biodiversitys region. However, there is a need to formulate an appropriate policy to retain some of the useful medicinal exotics (listed under CARA No. 43 of 1983) within the environment before their medicinal value vanishes as they are eradicated through management strategies adopted by the South African government.

The utilization and management of plant resources in rural areas of the Limpopo Province, South Africa

BackgroundMost rural people in the Limpopo Province depend on plant resources to meet their livelihood needs. However, there is insufficient recorded information regarding their use and management. The current study therefore was carried out in selected villages of the Limpopo Province, to close this knowledge gap.MethodsInformation was collected from 60 people residing in two villages, using a semi-structured questionnaire, supplemented with field observations.ResultsA total of 47 wild plant species (95% indigenous and 5% exotics) from 27 families, mostly from the Fabaceae (17%), Anacardiaceae (9%), and Combretaceae (9%) were documented. These species were used primarily for firewood (40%), food (36%) and medicine (29%). Significantly used species included Sclerocarya birrea (85%), Combretum kraussii (35%) and Harpephyllum caffrum (35%). Local traditional rules and regulations including taboos, social beliefs and fines are in place to aid in the management of communal resources. However, a significant number (67%) of participants mentioned that they were not pleased with these rules and regulations.ConclusionThe current study concluded that plant resources still play an important role in the surveyed rural areas of the Limpopo Province. Furthermore, for sustainable utilization and long-term conservation of plants in these areas the government should assist communities in the management of their plant resources.

Data on medicinal plants used to treat respiratory infections and related symptoms in South Africa

We provide details of 306 plant species used to treat and manage respiratory infections and related symptoms in South Africa. About a third of the documented species belong to four plant families, namely the Asteraceae (15.7%), Fabaceae (6.1%), Lamiaceae (5.6%) and Amaryllidaceae (4.6%). An overwhelming majority of documented species are used as medicine to treat tuberculosis (40.2%), cough (36.6%), fever (29.1%), chest complaints (28.8%) and cold (23.2%). The potentially bioactive phytochemical compounds and associated pharmacological properties of the documented plant species are also provided. This data demonstrated strong correlation between phytochemistry, pharmacological properties and medicinal uses of more than three quarters (80.1%) of the documented species used against respiratory infections and related symptoms. Data of this nature can be used to identify research gaps on ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of plant species used as herbal medicines.