Aloe Marlothii Research Articles

Evaluation of the Potential Hypoglycaemic Properties of Mimusops zeyheri Sond. and Aloe marlothii A.Berger, Two Plants Used by Traditional Healers in South Africa

Mimusops zeyheri Sond. And Aloe marlothii A.Berger are used traditionally in South Africa to manage many diseases, including diabetes mellitus. The mechanism through which these extracts exert blood glucose lowering is not well understood or reported. This study was aimed at assessing M. zeyheri and A. marlothii plant extracts for their potential to exhibit antidiabetic activity and their associated mechanisms. We evaluated the action of both extracts on major genes involved in the insulin signalling pathways in skeletal muscle cells. The in vitro cytotoxic effects of M. zeyheri and A. marlothii extracts were evaluated using the MTT assay and glucose uptake was evaluated using a glucose oxidase assay. The amount of translocated GLUT-4 was determined using the flow cytometry. Conventional PCR was used to determine the expression of GLUT-1 and GLUT-4 and RT-qPCR. IRS-1 total protein and Phospho-Akt were determined using ELISA. Plant extracts stimulated glucose absorption by skeletal muscle cells. M. zeyheri extract increased glucose absorption in muscle cells after 1 and 3 h of incubation. A 2-fold increase in translocated GLUT-4 was noted with M. zeyheri. The mRNA levels of GLUT-4 and GLUT-1 remained uniform in all treatments, while IRS-1, PI3K, Akt1, Akt2, and PPAR-γ were downregulated by both extracts. The expression of GLUT-4 was significantly increased by the action of insulin and M. zeyheri extract at 500 μg/mL. This study validates the traditional use of aqueous extracts of A. marlothii and M. zeyheri as hypoglycaemic plants and raises the assertion that the selected plant extracts utilise the IRS-1/PI3K/Akt pathway.

The allelopathic effect of Aloe ferox, Aloe marlothii, Anthocleista grandiflora and Pollichia campestris extracts on the germination of selected plants

Many unpopular species are useful for medicinal and food security use. However, their extracts can be used to improve seed germination and can remove unwanted vegetation by acting as herbicides. Often, such use is based on a history of traditional practices. For example, Vhavenda villages in the Limpopo province (South Africa) use Anthocleista grandiflora leaves to cover maize and millet grains during malting to stimulate germination, but few studies have tested their efficacy or even formulated extracts out of them. This study tested the allelopathic effect of aqueous leaf extracts of Aloe ferox, Aloe marlothii, Anthocleista grandiflora and shoot extracts of Pollichia campestris. The extracts were applied at a 100 or 50 % concentration through irrigating or soaking seeds of Strychnos spinosa and common vegetable seeds of Pisum sativum, Vigna unguiculata and Zea mays were used as benchmark species. The results showed that the extracts had a significant effect (P < 0.001, P < 0.002 and P < 0.010) on the germination of three species and suppressed germination instead of enhancing it. The exception was Vigna unguiculata, where extracts had a non-significant effect (P = 0.784). The highest inhibition was observed in the crude extract of Anthocleista grandiflora (100 %), which inhibited Pisum sativum germination with a percentage inhibition of 76 %. All extracts inhibited the seed germination of Zea mays and the highest germination of 52 % was achieved compared to 87 % germination in the control (no extracts applied). None of the different extract concentrations (100 or 50 %) or application methods (irrigation and soaking) improved the seed germination of species. These results suggest the tested extracts could be useful as growth suppressors (especially Anthocleista grandiflora) of Strychnos spinosa but more research is required.

Are South African Wild Foods the Answer to Rising Rates of Cardiovascular Disease?

The rising burden of cardiovascular disease in South Africa gives impetus to managerial changes, particularly to the available foods in the market. Since there are many economically disadvantaged groups in urban societies who are at the forefront of the CVD burden, initiatives to make healthier foods available should focus on affordability in conjunction with improved phytochemical diversity to incentivize change. The modern obesogenic diet is deficient in phytochemicals that are protective against the metabolic products of sugar metabolism, i.e., inflammation, reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial fatigue, whereas traditional southern African food species have high phytochemical diversity and are also higher in soluble dietary fibres that modulate the release of sugars from starches, nurture the microbiome and produce digestive artefacts that are prophylactic against cardiovascular disease. The examples of indigenous southern African food species with high horticultural potential that can be harvested sustainably to feed a large market of consumers include: Aloe marlothii, Acanthosicyos horridus, Adansonia digitata, Aloe ferox, Amaranthus hybridus, Annesorhiza nuda, Aponogeton distachyos, Bulbine frutescens, Carpobrotus edulis, Citrullus lanatus, Dioscorea bulbifera, Dovyalis caffra, Eleusine coracana, Lagenaria siceraria, Mentha longifolia, Momordica balsamina, Pelargonium crispum, Pelargonium sidoides, Pennisetum glaucum, Plectranthus esculentus, Schinziophyton rautanenii, Sclerocarya birrea, Solenostemon rotundifolius, Talinum caffrum, Tylosema esculentum, Vigna unguiculata and Vigna subterranea. The current review explains the importance of phytochemical diversity in the human diet, it gives a lucid explanation of phytochemical groups and links the phytochemical profiles of these indigenous southern African foods to their protective effects against cardiovascular disease.

In vitro dual activity of Aloe marlothii roots and its chemical constituents against Plasmodium falciparum asexual and sexual stage parasites

Ethnopharmacological relevanceAloe marlothii A.Berger (Xanthorrhoeaceae) is indigenous to southern African countries where its aqueous preparations are used in traditional medicine to treat several ailments including hypertension, respiratory infections, venereal diseases, chest pain, sore throat and malaria. Aim of the studyThe aims of this study were as follows: (i) isolate and identify the antiplasmodial active compounds in A. marlothii roots. As the water extract was previously inactive, the dichloromethane:methanol (DCM:MeOH) (1:1) was used, (ii) examine the activity of the isolated compounds against Plasmodium falciparum asexual blood stage (ABS) parasites as well as for transmission-blocking activity against gametocytes and gametes, and (iii) to use in silico tools to predict the target(s) of the active molecules. Materials and methodsThe crude DCM:MeOH (1:1) extract of A. marlothii roots was fractionated on a reverse phase C8 column, using a positive pressure solid-phase extraction (ppSPE) workstation to produce seven fractions. The resulting fractions and the crude DCM:MeOH extract were tested in vitro against P. falciparum (NF54) ABS parasites using the malaria SYBR Green I based-fluorescence assay. Flash silica chromatography and mass-directed preparative high-performance liquid chromatography were utilised to isolate the active compounds. The isolated compounds were evaluated in vitro against P. falciparum asexual (NF54 and K1 strains) and sexual (gametocytes and gametes) stage parasites. Molecular docking was then used for the in silico prediction of targets for the isolated active compounds in P. falciparum. ResultsThe crude extract and two SPE fractions displayed good antiplasmodial activity with >97% and 100% inhibition of ABS parasites proliferation at 10 and 20 μg/mL, respectively. Following UPLC-MS analysis of these active fractions, a targeted purification resulted in the isolation of six compounds identified as aloesaponol I (1), aloesaponarin I (2), aloesaponol IV (3), β-sorigenin-1-O-methylether (4), emodin (5), and chrysophanol (6). Aloesaponarin I (2) was the most bioactive, compared to other isolated constituents, against P. falciparum ABS parasites exhibiting equipotency against the drug-sensitive (NF54) (IC50 = 1.54 μg/mL (5 μM)) and multidrug-resistant (K1) (IC50 = 1.58 μg/mL (5 μM)) strains. Aloesaponol IV (3) showed pronounced activity against late-stage (>90% stage IV/V) gametocytes (IC50 = 6.53 μg/mL (22.6 μM)) demonstrating a 3-fold selective potency towards these sexual stages compared to asexual forms of the parasite (IC50 = 19.77 ± 6.835 μg/mL (68 μM)). Transmission-blocking potential of aloesaponol IV (3) was validated by in vitro inhibition of exflagellation of male gametes (94% inhibition at 20 μg/mL). In silico studies identified β-hematin and DNA topoisomerase II as potential biological targets of compounds 2 and 3, respectively. ConclusionThe findings from our study substantiate the traditional use of A. marlothii to treat malaria. To our knowledge, this study has provided the first report on the isolation and identification of antiplasmodial compounds from A. marlothii roots. Furthermore, our study has provided the first report on the transmission-blocking potential of one of the compounds from the genus Aloe, motivating for the investigation of other species within this genus for their potential P. falciparum transmission-blocking activity.

Characterisation of the indigenous knowledge used for gastrointestinal nematode control in smallholder farming areas of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

BackgroundThe use of indigenous knowledge (IK) to control gastrointestinal nematodes has been known since ancient times. The objective of the study was to characterise the use of indigenous knowledge to control gastrointestinal nematodes in goats.MethodsA structured questionnaire was used to collect data from farmers. Chi-square was used to compute associations; the generalized linear model was used for mean rank scores.ResultsRoundworms were the most common gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) affecting goats reared in the bushland vegetation type than grasslands. Twelve plant species were commonly used to control GIN in goats, with Cissus quadrangularis Linn. singled out as the most widely used plant with a use-value of 0.97, followed by Albizia anthelminthica Brongn. (0.66), Cissus rotundifolia (Forssk.) Vahl (0.63), Vachellia xanthophloea (Benth.) P.J.H. Hurter (0.59), Aloe marlothii A. Berger (0.58), Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich.) Hochst (0.54), Gomphocarpus physocarpus E. Mey (0.53), Aloe maculata All. (0.50), Trichilia emetica Vahl (0.47), Aloe ferox Mill. (0.43), Vernonia neocorymbosa Hilliard (0.25) and Schkuhria pinnata (Lam) Kuntze ex Thell (0.16). C. rotundifolia, V. xanthophloea, S. birrea and T. emetica were dominant plant species used to control GIN in goats reared in the grassland vegetation. A. maculata, A. ferox and V. neocorymbosa were dominant in the bushland vegetation type.ConclusionThe study revealed that ethnoveterinary plants are widely used in grassland and bushland vegetation types to control GIN in goats. Scientific validation of their efficacy and safety should be carried out to provide a cheaper alternative, thus improving the community livelihoods and development.

In Vitro Dual Activity of Aloe Marlothii and its Chemical Constituents Against Plasmodium Falciparum Asexual and Sexual Stage Parasites

In Vitro Dual Activity of Aloe Marlothii and its Chemical Constituents Against Plasmodium Falciparum Asexual and Sexual Stage Parasites

In vitro efficacy of plant extracts against gastrointestinal nematodes in goats.

Farmers use plant extracts as a potential source of anthelmintic compounds against gastrointestinal nematodes in goats. The objective of the study was to investigate the in vitro anthelmintic activity of aqueous (cold and boiled) and methanolic extracts of Cissus quadrangularis Linn., Aloe marlothii A. Berger, Albizia anthelmintica Brongn., Cissus rotundifolia (Forssk.) Vahl., Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich.) Hochst, and Vachellia xanthophloea (Benth.) P.J.H. Hurter plants against gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN). Plants were used in two forms: dry and fresh. Decoction (boiled water), infusion (cold water), and methanolic extracts at concentrations of 8, 16, 24, 32, and 40% v/v were tested in vitro on mortality of L3 nematodes. Linear relationships were observed between larvae mortality and extract concentration of the boiled fresh form of C. rotundifolia (P < 0.01), fresh form of cold-water of A. marlothii (P < 0.05), fresh form of cold-water and methanolic C. quadrangularis (P < 0.01), dry form of cold-water and methanolic S. birrea (P < 0.0001), and dry form of cold-water and fresh form of methanolic V. xanthophloea (P < 0.05). Quadratic relationships were observed between larvae mortality and extract concentration of the fresh form of methanolic C. rotundifolia (P < 0.05), fresh form of methanolic A. anthelmintica (P < 0.01), the fresh form of methanol and the dry form of boiled A. marlothii (P < 0.001), fresh form of methanolic (P < 0.05) and dry form of boiled S. birrea (P < 0.01), fresh form of cold and boiled water of V. xanthophloea (P < 0.0001), and dry form of boiled water and methanolic V. xanthophloea (P < 0.05). The crude plant extracts of C. quadrangularis, A. marlothii, A. anthelmintica, C. rotundifolia, S. birrea, and V. xanthophloea could be considered as an integrated approach to achieve sustainable nematode control in goats.

Comparative analysis of some bioactive compounds in leaves of different Aloe species

Although a vast number of Aloe species are known, only the Aloe vera and Aloe arborescens species are currently used by cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Therefore, the current study aims to complete the existent literature data with new information on the phytochemical composition of some lesser-known Aloe species, with the main focus on carotenoids and fatty acids. Among the analyzed species, Aloe aculeata and Aloe ferox had the highest content in carotenoids, the major pigments being lutein and β-carotene (according to HPLC analysis). The fatty acid profile of each Aloe species was analysed by GC–MS. Linolenic and linoleic acids were the major polyunsaturated fatty acids found in higher percent in Aloe ferox, Aloe spectabilis and Aloe marlothii. Instead, Aloe aculeata proved to have a distinct fatty acid profile, rich in monounsaturated fatty acids. Species such as Aloe arborescens and Aloe marlothii proved to have the highest antioxidant potential according to data of DPPH, ORAC, HPS assays, even if the richest one in vitamin C was found to be Aloe spectabilis. Though the scientific research is mainly focused on the common species Aloe barbadensis, the current data suggests that other Aloe species could receive more attention from industry part, being great sources of bioactive compounds.

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Aloe&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt; ×&lt;em&gt;retiefii&lt;/em&gt; (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae), a new nothospecies from northeastern South Africa, with &lt;em&gt;A. globuligemma&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;A. marlothii&lt;/em&gt; as parents&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Aloe marlothii Berger (1905: 87) (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae) (Fig. 1), a single-stemmed, tree-like aloe, occurs widespread in northeastern South Africa and adjacent parts of Botswana, for example near Lobatse in the southeast of the country from where it was originally described (Fig. 2), Zimbabwe, and Mozambique (see maps in Klopper &amp; Smith 2010: 92, Fig. 32 and Van Wyk &amp; Smith 2014: 68). Wherever A. marlothii co-occurs with other species of Aloe Linnaeus (1753: 319), hybrids are produced (Reynolds 1950, Smith &amp; Figueiredo 2015). Aloe globuligemma Pole-Evans (1915: 30, Plates X [Figs 1 and 2] and XI [Figs 1, 2, and 3]) (Fig. 3), a stemless, medium-sized aloe, is restricted to the more subtropical parts of northeastern South Africa, southern Zimbabwe, and Mozambique (see map in Van Wyk &amp; Smith 2014: 158). Where these two species, A. globuligemma and A. marlothii, co-occur, for example at Lebowakgomo, about 50 km southeast of Polokwane, the capital of South Africa’s Limpopo province, a bewildering range of striking hybrids with considerable horticultural potential are found (Reynolds 1950: 446, 484, Retief 2018). This hybrid also occurs a bit further south of the Lebowakgomo location, as well as elsewhere in the Limpopo province, in Sekhukhuneland in the vicinity of Steelpoort and Ohrigstad.

In vitro wound healing and cytotoxic activity of the gel and whole-leaf materials from selected aloe species

Ethnopharmacological relevanceAloe vera is one of the most important medicinal plants in the world with applications in the cosmetic industry and also in the tonic or health drink product market. Different parts of Aloe ferox and Aloe marlothii are used as traditional medicines for different applications. Although wound healing has been shown for certain aloe gel materials (e.g. A. vera ) previously, there are conflicting reports on this medicinal application of aloe leaf gel materials. Aim of the studyThe present study aimed at determining the wound healing properties of the gel and whole-leaf materials of Aloe vera, Aloe ferox and Aloe marlothii, as well as their cytotoxic effects on normal human keratinocyte cells (HaCaT). Materials and methodsNuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to chemically fingerprint the aloe gel and whole-leaf materials by identifying characteristic marker molecules of aloe gel and whole-leaf materials. An MTT assay was performed to determine the cytotoxicity of the various aloe whole-leaf and gel materials on HaCaT cells. Wound healing and in vitro cell migration were investigated with HaCaT cells by means of the CytoSelect™ assay kit. ResultsThe in vitro wound healing assay suggested that all the aloe gel and whole-leaf materials examined, exhibited faster wound healing activity than the untreated control group. After 48h, all the aloe gel and whole-leaf materials almost completely caused full wound closure, displaying 98.07% (A. marlothii whole-leaf), 98.00% (A. vera gel), 97.20% (A. marlothii gel), 96.00% (A. vera whole-leaf), 94.00% (A. ferox gel) and 81.30% (A. ferox whole-leaf) wound closure, respectively. It was noteworthy that the gel materials of all the three aloe species exhibited significantly faster (p<0.05) wound healing actions when compared to their respective whole-leaf materials at 32h. ConclusionThe gel and whole-leaf materials of A. vera, A. ferox and A. marlothii have shown the ability to heal wounds at a faster rate and to a larger extent than untreated keratinocytes. The MTT assay results suggested that the gel and whole-leaf materials of all the selected Aloe species showed negligible toxicity towards the HaCaT cells.

The use of indigenous medicine for the treatment of hypertension by a rural community in northern Maputaland, South Africa

Worldwide, the occurrence of hypertension is the highest in the African WHO Region where 46% of adults above the age of 24years suffer from hypertension. This study was undertaken to document the plants used by lay persons in a rural community for the treatment of hypertension, and to determine to what extent they use these plants concurrently with prescribed drugs for hypertension. A total of one hundred lay people with knowledge on antihypertension plants were interviewed using structured questionnaires. Information regarding vernacular plant names, plant parts used, preparation, and dosages was collected, as well as some health information with reference to hypertension. It was found that a total of 28 plant species were used singularly or in 17 different plant combinations in decoctions to treat hypertension. Twenty plant species have never been documented before for the treatment of hypertension. The species most used were: Momordica balsamina (by 44 interviewees), Aloe marlothii (32), Hypoxis hemerocallidea (17), Musa acuminata (10), Strychnos madagascariensis (10), and Senecio serratuloides (9). Thirty-one of the 50 people who had been diagnosed with hypertension were supplementing their prescribed hypertension drugs with medicinal plants. None of them had revealed to their healthcare practitioners that they were also using herbal medicines. Although none of the interviewees were aware of the possible consequences of drug interactions, they were mindful of some side effects caused by the medicinal plants they used for the treatment of hypertension. According to the majority of the interviewees, hypertension is caused by unhappiness and stress. Information from the community was cited as their main source of which plants to use to treat hypertension. It is clear from this survey that medicinal plant remedies play a vital role in the treatment of not just communicable diseases but also in the treatment of chronic ailments like hypertension by the lay persons in this deep rural area. The findings suggested that there is no awareness of the risks that may accompany the simultaneous use of conventional medication and medicinal plants. There is a definitive need to educate health practitioners and patients of the risks they are taking in using both prescribed hypertension drugs and medicinal plants.

Combining Chemical Permeation Enhancers for Synergistic Effects

Currently, macromolecular drugs such as proteins are mainly administered by means of injections due to their low intestinal epithelial permeability and poor stability in the gastrointestinal tract. This study investigated binary combinations of chemical drug absorption enhancers to determine if synergistic drug absorption enhancement effects exist. Aloe vera, Aloe ferox and Aloe marlothii leaf gel materials, as well as with N-trimethyl chitosan chloride (TMC), were combined in different ratios and their effects on the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), as well as the transport of FITC-dextran across Caco-2 cell monolayers, were measured. The isobole method was applied to determine the type of interaction that exists between the absorption enhancers combinations. The TEER results showed synergism existed for the combinations between A. vera and A. marlothii, A. marlothii and A. ferox as well as A. vera and TMC. Antagonism interactions also occurred and can probably be explained by chemical reactions between the chemical permeation enhancers, such as complex formation. In terms of FITC-dextran transport, synergism was found for combinations between A. vera and A. marlothii, A. marlothii and A. ferox, A. vera and TMC, A. ferox and TMC and A. marlothii and TMC, whereas antagonism was observed for A. vera and A. ferox. The combinations where synergism was obtained have the potential to be used as effective drug absorption enhancers at lower concentrations compared to the single components.

Skin permeation enhancement effects of the gel and whole-leaf materials of Aloe vera, Aloe marlothii and Aloe ferox.

The aim of this study was to investigate the in-vitro permeation enhancement effects of the gel and whole-leaf materials of Aloe vera, Aloe marlothii and Aloe ferox using ketoprofen as a marker compound. The permeation studies were conducted across excised female abdominal skin in Franz diffusion cells, and the delivery of ketoprofen into the stratum corneum-epidermis and epidermis-dermis layers of the skin was investigated using a tape-stripping technique. A. vera gel showed the highest permeation-enhancing effect on ketoprofen (enhancement ratio or ER = 2.551) when compared with the control group, followed by A. marlothii gel (ER = 1.590) and A. ferox whole-leaf material (ER = 1.520). Non-linear curve fitting calculations indicated that the drug permeation-enhancing effect of A. vera gel can be attributed to an increased partitioning of the drug into the skin, while A. ferox whole leaf modified the diffusion characteristics of the skin for ketoprofen. The tape stripping results indicated that A. marlothii whole leaf delivered the highest concentration of the ketoprofen into the different skin layers. Of the selected aloe species investigated, A. vera gel material showed the highest potential as transdermal drug penetration enhancer across human skin.

In Vivo skin hydration and anti-erythema effects of Aloe vera, Aloe ferox and Aloe marlothii gel materials after single and multiple applications.

Objective:To investigate the skin hydrating and anti-erythema activity of gel materials from Aloe marlothii A. Berger and A. ferox Mill. in comparison to that of Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe vera) in healthy human volunteers.Materials and Methods:Aqueous solutions of the polisaccharidic fractions of the selected aloe leaf gel materials were applied to the volar forearm skin of female subjects. The hydration effect of the aloe gel materials were measured with a Corneometer® CM 825, Visioscan® VC 98 and Cutometer® dual MPA 580 after single and multiple applications. The Mexameter® MX 18 was used to determine the anti-erythema effects of the aloe material solutions on irritated skin areas.Results:The A. vera and A. marlothii gel materials hydrated the skin after a single application, whereas the A. ferox gel material showed dehydration effects compared to the placebo. After multiple applications all the aloe materials exhibited dehydration effects on the skin. Mexameter® readings showed that A. vera and A. ferox have anti-erythema activity similar to that of the positive control group (i.e. hydrocortisone gel) after 6 days of treatment.Conclusion:The polysaccharide component of the gel materials from selected aloe species has a dehydrating effect on the skin after multiple applications. Both A. vera and A. ferox gel materials showed potential to reduce erythema on the skin similar to that of hydrocortisone gel.

In vitro evaluation of the cytotoxic and apoptogenic properties of aloe whole leaf and gel materials

Aloe gel and whole-leaf materials have shown biological effects with potential therapeutic applications, and recently, their drug-absorption enhancement properties have been discovered. It is important to establish a safety profile for these materials before they can be used in pharmaceutical products. The aim of the study was to investigate the in vitro cytotoxicity of Aloe vera, Aloe marlothii, Aloe speciosa and Aloe ferox against human hepatocellular (HepG2), human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) and human adenocarcinoma epithelial cells (HeLa). Flow cytometry was used to measure cell viability, apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The aloe gel materials investigated only decreased cell viability at concentrations of >10 mg/mL and exhibited half-maximal cytotoxic concentration (CC50) values above 1000 mg/mL, except for A. vera gel in HepG2 cells (CC50 = 269.3 mg/mL). A. speciosa whole-leaf material showed a significant decrease in viability of Hela cells, whereas the other whole-leaf materials did not show a similar effect. The aloe gel materials in general showed low levels of apoptosis, whereas A. vera and A. speciosa whole-leaf materials caused a dose-dependent increase of apoptosis in HeLa cells. None of the aloe materials investigated exhibited a significant increase in ROS. It can be concluded that the selected aloe materials caused only limited reduction in cell viability with limited in vitro cytotoxicity effects. Further, neither significant apoptosis effects were observed nor induction of ROS.

A phytochemical profile of Aloe marlothii in the Nobody area of the Capricorn District, Limpopo Province

A phytochemical profile of Aloe marlothii in the Nobody area of the Capricorn District, Limpopo Province

English

Thirty four traditional healers from 17 municipalities, covering three districts of the Limpopo Province, were interviewed during the first half of 2011. Fourty seven plant species belonging to 32 families, mostly from the Asteraceae (9%), Asphodelaceae, Fabaceae and Hyacinthaceae (6% for each) were used to treat sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as gonorrhoea, HIV/AIDS, nta (unspecified verneral disease - Bapedi terminology)&nbsp;and syphilis. Eighty seven percent of the species were used to treat a single STI, with the remainder being used to treat two STIs. Double-used species include:&nbsp;Aloe marlothii(gonorrhoea and chlamydia),&nbsp;Callilepis&nbsp;salicifolia&nbsp;(gonorrhoea and HIV/AIDS),&nbsp;Cucumis myriocarpus&nbsp;(gonorrhoea and syphilis),&nbsp;Drimia elata&nbsp;(gonorrhoea and HIV/AIDS),&nbsp;Hypoxis hemerocallidea&nbsp;(gonorrhoea and HIV/AIDS) and&nbsp;Ziziphus mucronata&nbsp;(gonorrhoea and&nbsp;nta). Diagnosis of STIs by Bapedi traditional healers is based primarily on the presentation of symptoms and certain behavioural traits, which are not always accurate indicators. The present study concludes that Bapedi traditional healers&rsquo; knowledge can lead to useful medicinal plants to manage and treat STIs. Furthermore, given the necessary health information and support, these healers could play an important role in the management and treatment of STIs in the Limpopo Province. &nbsp; Key words:&nbsp;Traditional healers, ethnobotany, medicinal plants, sexually transmitted infections.

Modulation of drug efflux by aloe materials: An In Vitro investigation across rat intestinal tissue.

Background:Clinically, significant herb-drug interactions have been previously documented and can be pharmacodynamic and/or pharmacokinetic in nature. Pharmacokinetic interactions have been attributed to induction or inhibition of either metabolic enzymes or efflux transporters.Objective:The effect of gel and whole leaf materials from 3 different aloe species namely Aloe ferox, Aloe marlothii, and Aloe vera as well as polysaccharides precipitated from the A. vera materials on the bi-directional transport of cimetidine across rat intestinal tissue was investigated.Materials and Methods:Cimetidine transport studies were performed across excised rat intestinal tissue mounted in Sweetana-Grass diffusion chambers in both the apical-to-basolateral and basolateral-to-apical directions.Results:While A. vera gel and whole leaf materials did not inhibit the efflux of cimetidine, the polysaccharides precipitated from them did show a reduction of cimetidine efflux. On the other hand, both A. ferox and A. marlothii gel and whole leaf materials exhibited an inhibition effect on cimetidine efflux.Conclusions:This study identified a modulation effect of efflux transporters by certain aloe materials. This may cause herb-drug pharmacokinetic interactions when drugs that are substrates for these efflux transporters are taken simultaneously with aloe materials. On the other hand, these aloe materials may be used for drug absorption enhancement for drugs with low bioavailability due to extensive efflux.

English

Aloe marlothii&nbsp;A. Berger (Asphodelaceae) (ALMA), an arborescent CAM succulent, were measured in two populations of historical significance near Molepolole, Botswana with the objective of determining size class distribution and therefore assess future population viability. It was found that plant height and a variety of other plant attributes were strongly correlated, including being reproductive and number of capsules. The most common size class was seedlings for one population, and 11 to 50 cm size class for the other population. There were more individuals in the 101 to 200 cm size class than in some of the small size classes indicating a potential population decline. Seedlings were very patchy in distribution and the majority of ALMA, both seedlings and smaller mature individuals, were found under nurse plants. Seed production was high and seed viability averaged 62%. In a third population in the Mokolodi Nature Preserve, individuals were all &gt;4.5 m in height and were sparsely distributed. It was concluded that the Molepolole populations appear to be stable but that steps should be taken to establish long-term monitoring and protect the Molepolole populations. The Mokolodi population appears to be at risk. &nbsp; Key words:&nbsp;Aloe, Botswana, succulent, conservation, demography, seedlings.

Phytomedicine versus Gonorrhoea: The Bapedi Experience

Records regarding the phytomedicine employed by the Bapedi are almost non-existent. This is the first study of herbal remedies used by Bapedi traditional healers to treat gonorrhoea, of concern as it is a danger to reproductive health. A semi-structured questionnaire, centred on sexual health, was administered to 30 traditional healers in 15 local municipalities across the three districts of Limpopo Province during 2009/10. The questionnaire focussed on the use of plants for medicine as well their application in reproductive health management. This investigation found that the Bapedi employed no less than 18 different plant species, sometimes as multiple-plant extracts, but more often as single-plant extracts. The single most used species was Catharanthus roseus, which accounted for 60% of all reported cases, followed by Aloe marlothii subsp. marlothii (13.3%). Both these species occur abundantly throughout the province and are currently not threatened. This is the first record for the use of Callilepis salicifolia, Jatropha zeyheri and Cotyledon orbiculata to treat gonorrhoea by people of any culture.