Background: Knowledge of medicinal plants used by the traditional healers are mostly confined among the locals and the adherents, hence, proper enquiry and documentation can help the ever dynamic scientific world to find permanent cure to the menace of such deadly diseases such as cancer. This study aimed at (1) specifically recording medicinal plants traditionally used for the treatment of cancer in Hammanskraal and Winterveld, South Africa, and (2) documenting the different methods of preparation and administration of those medicinal plants as recorded during the study.
Method: An open-ended semi-structured questionnaire was administered to 90 willing traditional healers in Hammanskraal and Winterveld area, Tshwane Municipality, South Africa to document plants used for cancer treatments. The study was conducted over a period of six months (July – December, 2018). Descriptive statistics was used to present the obtained data.
Results: The study recorded twenty-eight plant species belonging to 18 families for the treatment of different types of cancer. Plant species in the Fabaceae family particularly Lessertia frutescens (L.) Goldblatt and J.C. Manning, Senna italica Mill and Trifolium pratense L. were the most prominently mentioned (highest citation frequency) by the traditional healers for lung, and skin cancer treatment. Based on the citation frequency, the most treated cancer by the traditional healers is in the order: skin cancer > lung cancer > breast cancer > prostate cancer > cervical cancer. The method of preparation included decoction(32.3%), infusion (29%), paste (16.1%) and maceration (22.6%).
Conclusion: In addition to the documentation of indigenous knowledge related to the use of medicinal plants in the traditional management of cancer in South Africa, this study opens a vista for investigations into the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of the documented plants.
Keywords: Cancer; Indigenous plants; Medicinal plants; South Africa; Traditional practitioners.
The level of air pollution around the automobile mechanic workshops has been generally overlooked. This study, examined the level of trace metals in automobile mechanic workshops and the suitability of using transplanted lichen thalli of Lepraria incana for measuring air pollution in such areas. Samples of the lichen thalli were transplanted into seven different sites and were attached to the bark of trees at each site. The samples were harvested from the sites after 3-month exposure. Concentrations of Pb, Cu, Cd, Fe, Zn, and S content were determined using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results showed that there was a significant difference in the trace metals concentrations across the sites (p < 0.05). The analyzed lichen samples showed a range of 91.26-119.35 ppm for Fe, 30.23-61.32 ppm for Zn, 1.25-2.45 ppm for Cu, 0.017-0.043 ppm for Cd, 0.018-0.051 ppm, and 0.37-0.42 ppm for S. From the study, sites 6 and 7 presented higher concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn than other sites. The enrichment factor calculated showed that Zn, Cd, and Pb were greatly enriched from the workshops. The trend in the concentration of these heavy metals suggests that activities in these workshops might become a major source of certain heavy metals in the environment and if the pollution activities persist, it might become worrisome over time.
The surge in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has put the scientific community on overdrive to come up with a cure and/or possible vaccine to curtail the menace this virus has caused. Considering the morbidity rate from the Coronavirus and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for healthy living, this review examined and documented the possible options of plant-based immune boosters for attaining wellness and protect against infections caused by viruses. This review documented 106 plants consumed largely in Africa as food or medicine after assessing over 172 articles from notable search engines. These plants were reported for antiviral activities and immune boosters for attaining wellness and immunomodulation, a key protective feature against infections caused by viruses. The documented plants contain several immune-modulating compounds like vitamins, flavonoids, phenols, macro, and micronutrients, which might be the possible reason for the current leverage on the mortality rate associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in the African continent. The study, therefore, concluded that medicinal/food plants are able to enhance healthy living and medicinal plants are a significant source of phytomedicinal content for the management of viral-induced diseases such as COVID-19.
heights on the metals Tree bark samples were collected at 2 and 4 m heights from different automobile mechanic workshops around Ile-Ife metropolis and at control sites. The samples were transported to the laboratory, oven-dried at 60 ˚C to a constant weight; ground and the concentration of Fe, Cu and Pb at the mechanic sites were significantly (p < 0.001) higher at 2 m than 4 m height in all the species. The concentration of Zn was significantly (p < 0.001) higher at the 2 m height in all the sites except for Gliricidia sepium. The concentration of Cd was however, significantly (p < 0.05) higher at the control site at the two heights for the species except for Gliricidia sepium and Terminalia catappa, that showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) between the sites. The correlation value of 0.94 was observed between Zn and Cd; 0.76 between Pb and Cd, and 0.50 between Zn and Pb. This study showed that different species have different affinities for air pollutants and that soil particles also acted as a source of heavy metals in our environment.
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