African medicinal flora in the limelight
Date
2011-10
Authors
Makunga, Nokwanda P.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AOSIS OpenJournals
Abstract
In the past few years, African medicinal plants have received considerable attention, and it has
been lamented that the documentation of the continent’s species that are used in traditional
medicine lags behind China and India in terms of ‘internationally recognised phytochemical
standards’. This book not only redresses this issue, but is the first to include plants from the south,
north, east and west of Africa. In South Africa alone, there are over 3000 species that are used for
medicinal purposes, with over 70% of the Black African population relying on medicinal flora as
part of their primary health care and 84% of clinic patients confirming their preference for wildcrafted
raw herbal medicines in spite of having access to western health care.1 Both traditional
and Western healing systems are used – many educated Black people retain traditional practices
as they are regarded as an important cultural link to their predecessors. Throughout Africa, plants
are viewed as contributors to health; they are also used in religious and cultural ceremonies. The
African continent has a rich biodiversity and this is matched by a commensurate proliferation of
medicinal plant use. So the trade of medicinal plants in Africa is substantial, but largely informal,
and consists of plant collectors as well as traders at herbal markets.
Description
The original publication is available at http://www.sajs.co.za/
Keywords
Medicinal plants -- Africa, Medicinal flora, Phytochemistry and pharmacology of plants
Citation
Makunga, N. P. 2011. African medicinal flora in the limelight. South African Journal of Science, 107(9/10), 1, doi:10.4102/sajs.v107i9/10.890.