A review of Pteronia species used in traditional medicine in South Africa

Hulley, I.M.; Wyk, B.-E. Van; Tilney, P.M.; Kamatou, Guy; Viljoen, Alvaro; Vuuren, S.F. Van

doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2010.02.023

Cited by 1 publication

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“…Dried leaf material of P. camphorata var. armata was rehydrated and placed in formaldehyde-acetic acid-alcohol (formaldehyde [40%] : glacial acetic acid : ethanol [96%] : distilled water, 2:1:10:7) together with fresh leaf material from the remaining three varieties, for 24 h. Thereafter the material was treated according to the methods described previously [4][5][6] (dehydration, infiltration with and embedding in glycol methacrylate, sectioning, staining and data capturing). Unstained slides were viewed under a polarising microscope to observe whether any crystals were present.…”

Section: Anatomical Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The oils (20% diluted in hexane) were analysed by a gas chromatographymass spectrometry system using standardised settings, as described previously 4 . Compounds were identified by their mass spectral data and retention indices, as well as library searches of the NIST ® , Mass Finder ® and Flavour ® libraries.…”

Section: Distillation and Analysis Of Essential Oilmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Various extracts (Table 4) and the oil samples listed in Table 3 were inves ti gated for antimicrobial activities, using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) microtitre plate method as previously described 4 The preparation of bacterial cultures and the methodology followed, including the preparation of extracts, were exactly the same as described previously. [4][5][6] MIC assays were undertaken in duplicate or triplicate on separate occasions, and the mean results are presented.…”

Section: Antimicrobial Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The use of buchu (powdered aromatic bushes, usually stored in tortoise shells) as a topical treatment of the skin is of San origin, and is well described in the literature. 4,8 Buchu, sab or P/nkaou (Laidler used P/ to denote the palatal or palato-alveolar click, ǂ) is said to have two varieties. The first is D/nhora (|nhora), D/khonsa (|khonsa) or haas buchu, and the other is P/kabourie ( ǂkabourie).…”

Section: Ethnobotanymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2 Only ten elderly persons, two of whom are now deceased, had traditional knowledge about P. camphorata and its use in San and Nama medicine. Pteronia L. is a genus of roughly 70 small shrubs subendemic to southern Africa 3 and has been the focus of recent ethnobotanical studies [4][5][6] . Although these aromatic plants are of considerable local importance as sources of traditional medicine, their ethnobotany, leaf anatomy, essential oil chemistry and antimicrobial activity had previously not been studied systematically.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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San and Nama indigenous knowledge: The case of |nhora (Pteronia camphorata) and its medicinal use

Hulley¹,

Tilney²,

Vuuren³

et al. 2016

S. Afr. J. Sci.

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A hitherto unidentified medicinal plant is here identified for the first time as Pteronia camphorata (L.) L., an aromatic shrub of the Asteraceae family endemic to the western and southern coastal region of South Africa. The plant was described in this journal by Laidler1 in 1928 as ‘D/nhora buchu’, and is one of the important types of buchu used by the Nama people. We report the traditional medicinal uses among San and Nama people, based on our interviews with rural participants. These include the treatment of colds, influenza, chest ailments and tuberculosis, as well as convulsions, haemorrhoids and inflammation of the neck. The major and minor chemical compounds of the essential oil that is produced by the plant are identified, together with the site of accumulation of this volatile oil within the leaf. We also investigated the plant’s antimicrobial activity against a selection of a yeast and two Gram-negative and one Gram-positive bacteria, all of which are associated with respiratory infections. P. camphorata is scientifically poorly known but is an important San and Nama traditional remedy. Our study not only prevents the potential loss of historically important indigenous knowledge, but also provides the first scientific evidence to validate the traditional use of ǀnhora against upper and lower respiratory tract infections, including tuberculosis. This detailed study has wider application in demonstrating the fragility of the oral–traditional knowledge of a scientifically neglected indigenous group. It also highlights the scientific and practical importance of preserving traditional plant-use knowledge within a botanically diverse region.

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Section: Anatomical Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Distillation and Analysis Of Essential Oilmentioning

confidence: 99%