Abstract
The use of medicinal plants in the treatment and prevention of diseases is attracting the attention of scientists worldwide. Approximately 3000 plant species are currently used by an estimated 200,000 indigenous traditional healers in South Africa. The specific part of the plant used for medicinal applications varies from species to species, and from one traditional healer to another. This study was carried out to explore and record those plants and plant parts used for treating various human ailments by the traditional healers of the Lwamondo area in the Limpopo province, South Africa for medicinal purposes. Ethnobotanical data were collected from 30 traditional healers (24 females and 6 males) in the Lwamondo area of Venda, by means of a data capture questionnaire focusing on the local names of the medicinal plants, their medicinal uses, the plant parts used, and methods of preparation and of administering treatments to patients. The survey identified 16 medicinal plants from 7 families, with 14 genera, used to treat a range of ailments in the Lwamondo area. The Fabaceae family was the most commonly used plant family representing 43.8% of all the medicinal plants species recorded by this study, followed by the Varbenaceae family at 18.8%. The plant parts most frequently used were the roots (44.5%), followed by the leaves (25.9%), bark (14.8%), the whole plant (11%), and flowers (3.7%). Most of the traditional healers obtained their extracts by boiling the medicinal plants. The most often recurring ailment treated by healers was stomach problems, using 31.3% of all the medicinal plants reported in this study for preparing such treatments. The following medicinal plants were covered by this study: Annona senegalensis, Schkuhria pinnata, Diospyros mespiliformis, Piliostigma thonningii, Senna obtusifolia, Bauhinia galpinii. The rural communities of the Lwamondo area possess a wealth of information on medicinal plants and their applications. This ethnobotanical survey can help scientists identify for further research those plants whose medicinal properties may be useful in the development of new drugs.
Highlights
According to the World Health Organization (2008), the term “traditional medicine” is to be understood as the sum total of the knowledge, skills and practices based on theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to different cultures that are used to maintain and improve health, as well as to prevent, diagnose, and treat physical and mental illnesses
According to Cheikhyoussef et al (2011), there are several advantages for people in rural areas in opting for traditional medicine: traditional healers are usually to be found within relative close proximity to their homes, they are familiar with the patient's culture and environment, and the costs associated with such treatments are generally negligible
Researchers started their interaction with each prospective respondent by first explaining the aims and objectives of the project in order to solicit their consent and co-operation before any ethnobotanical data were gathered. During these discussions the researchers emphasised the immense value which each traditional healer's contribution could make to the compilation of a record of traditional knowledge of medicinal plants in the Lwamondo area
Summary
According to the World Health Organization (2008), the term “traditional medicine” is to be understood as the sum total of the knowledge, skills and practices based on theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to different cultures that are used to maintain and improve health, as well as to prevent, diagnose, and treat physical and mental illnesses. The World Health Organization has a keen interest in documenting the use of medicinal plants by native peoples from different parts of the world (Buragohain, 2011). The use of herbal remedies as an adjunct or alternative to conventional medicine is becoming increasingly popular all over the world. It is estimated that 80% of the South African population will use a traditional remedy at some stage during their lifetime (Lewu and Afolayan, 2009). According to Cheikhyoussef et al (2011), there are several advantages for people in rural areas in opting for traditional medicine: traditional healers are usually to be found within relative close proximity to their homes, they are familiar with the patient's culture and environment, and the costs associated with such treatments are generally negligible
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