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Grewia lasiocarpa E. Mey. Ex Harv., Malvaceae (forest raisin) is a tropical small tree or shrub valued for its ecological importance as well as its nutritional, antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-cancer properties as well as its ecological and ornamental importance. Glandular and non-glandular trichomes are present on the fruits, stem bark and leaves of G. lasiocarpa and these trichomes are the first line of defense. They are important structures that plants use to combat biotic and abiotic stress. The development of G. lasiocarpa trichomes and the biomechanics of the exudates present in the glandular (capitate) trichome were investigated for the first time using advanced microscopy techniques [Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Transmission electron microscope (TEM)]. The pressurized cuticular striations may play a role in the exudates' biomechanics, i.e., releasing secondary metabolites present in the capitate trichome, which was observed to be multidirectional. The presence of many glandular trichomes on a plant implies an increase in the amount of phytometabolites. A common precursor for the development of trichomes (non-glandular and glandular) was observed to be DNA synthesis associated with a periclinal cell division, thus the final fate of the cell is determined by cell cycle regulation, polarity, and expansion. The glandular trichomes of G. lasiocarpa are multicellular and polyglandular, while the non-glandular (glandless) trichomes are either single-celled or multicellular. Since, trichomes 'house' phytocompounds of medicinal, nutritional, and agronomical benefits; the molecular and genetic study of the glandular trichomes of Grewia lasiocarpa will be beneficial to humanity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annually, significant crop losses are reported due to diseases caused by phytopathogens. Most subsistence farmers cannot afford the high cost of chemical treatments thereby resulting in the increasing dependence on plant extracts to manage crop diseases. In this study, we documented plants used for the management of cabbage and spinach diseases in OR Tambo Municipality, Eastern Cape Province. An ethnobotanical survey using semi-structured questionnaires was used to document plants and plant parts used by the subsistence farmers in managing cabbage and spinach diseases. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to 41 consenting subsistence farmers from November to December in 2021, using snowball sampling. The collected data were subjected to descriptive statistical and ethnobotanical analyses. A total of 17 plants belonging to 10 families were identified by the participants as being used in mitigating cabbage and spinach diseases. Tulbaghia violacea, Aloe ferox, and Capsicum annuum had the highest use value of 0.32 each, whereas Tulbaghia violacea had the highest relative frequency of citation of 0.39. This current study revealed the importance of plants in managing crop diseases in local communities. It provides baseline data for future pharmacological evaluations in authenticating the efficacies of the identified plants in managing crop diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnoveterinary practices and ethnobotanical knowledge serve as potential therapeutic approaches used to manage and prevent cattle diseases within poor communities in developing nations. Most of the knowledge and practices remain inadequately documented and threatened with extinction in the future. This study aimed to explore the ethnoveterinary practices and knowledge on plants used to treat cattle diseases in two communities of the Ramotshere Moiloa local municipality, South Africa. A semi-structured interview guide, snowball, and purposive technique were used to collect data and recruit 90 participants. Three ethnobotanical indices (informant consensus factor (Fic), use-value (UV), and relative frequency of citation (RFC) were used for quantitative analysis. A total of 64 medicinal plants from 32 families (dominated by Compositae, Fabaceae, and Asparagaceae) were used to treat 27 cattle diseases. The plants with a high frequency of citation and RFC were Gomphocarpus fruticosus (75, 0.83), Opuntia ficus-indica (74, 0.82), Schkuhria pinnata and Portulaca oleracea (73, 0.81), Solanum lichtensteinii (70, 0.77), and Senna italica. In addition, Schkuhria pinnata and Aloe greatheadii (0.077) had the highest UV. About 28.13% of 64 identified plants were documented as ethnoveterinary medicine for treating cattle ailments, for the first time. The remedies were mainly either prepared as a decoction (52.04%), ground, or prepared as an infusion (16.33%). The plants were administered either orally (69.79%) or topically (30.2%). The ailments with a high frequency of citations were: wounds and constipation (76); arthralgia and retained placenta (69); and lumpy skin disease (68). The categories with the highest number of plants used were gastrointestinal problems (53), skin problems (33), respiratory problems (25), and fertility/reproduction disorders (21). The highest Fic score was cited for tick-borne diseases (1), followed by musculoskeletal systems (Fic = 0.89), and general system infection (Fic = 0.88). The current findings contribute to the documentation and preservation of valuable knowledge from indigenous communities for extensive use. Additionally, ethnoveterinary uses of Portulaca oleracea, Securidaca longipedunculata, and Plumbago zeylanica were recorded for the first time. Further scientific evaluation of the most cited and indigenous/native plants is recommended to establish their therapeutic potential and possible integration into the conventional veterinary sector for the welfare of cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional medicine is typically the most accessible primary healthcare for a large proportion of the people in Nigeria. However, its potential remains under-explored, especially with regards to their documentation. This research investigated and documented the use of medicinal plants in the management of various health conditions/diseases among local populations in Lagos State. This study was conducted in five (5) locations of Lagos State i.e., Alimosho, Badagry, Eti-Osa, and Epe (including Ijebu and Imota). Ethnobotanical information from 100 participants was obtained using semi-structured questionnaires. Frequency of citation (FC), relative frequency of citation (RFC), fidelity level (FL), and informant consensus factor (ICF) were used to assess the importance of plants utilised for various health conditions/diseases. We identified 183 plants from 61 plant families with the highest number (24) of plants belonging to Fabaceae. Based on the high FC, the top-five popular plants used for managing health conditions/diseases in the study areas were Mangifera indica (95%), Waltheria indica (93%), Zingiber officinale (87%), Alchornea cordifolia (83%) and Ipomoea involucrata (81%). Furthermore, Rauvolfia vomitoria, Urena lobata and Waltheria indica were recognised as the most adaptable plants, as they were used to treat five different health conditions/diseases. The most commonly used life-forms were herbs (34%) and woody species (shrubs; 30%, and trees; 22%). The most regularly used plant parts were leaves. The calculated RFC values for all medicinal plant species ranged from 0.01 to 0.95, while FL values ranged from 7.14 to 100%. We found 14 health conditions/diseases, with ICF values ranging from 0.88 to 0.95. Insomnia, insanity, convulsion, nervousness, and muscle relaxants had the lowest (ICF = 0.88) agreement, while malaria/fevers, stomach, and respiratory-related diseases had the most (ICF = 0.95) agreement. The documented therapeutic uses of the plants provide basic data for further research aimed at pharmacological and conservation studies of the most important flora existing in the study areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of medicinal plants for contraception remains a common practice among South African ethnic groups. The present study assessed the phytochemical profile, cytotoxicity, acute oral toxicity and efficacy of a herbal mixture used for contraception by the Batswana of South Africa. An aqueous extract was prepared from equal quantities (in terms of weight) of Bulbine frutescens (roots), Helichrysum caespititium (leaves) and Teucrium trifidum (leaves) based on a recipe used by traditional health practitioners. The phytochemical profiles of the freeze-dried herbal mixture were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In addition, cytotoxicity was determined using an MTT assay on Vero cells and in vivo contraceptive efficacy was evaluated using seven Sprague Dawley rats per control and treatment groups. The control group received distilled water while test groups received 5, 50 and 300 mg/kg of the herbal mixture, which was administered orally once a day for three consecutive days. Subsequently, female rats were paired 1:1 with males for 3 days. Their weights were measured weekly and incidence of pregnancy was recorded. The GC-MS chromatogram revealed the presence of 12 identified and 9 unidentified compounds. In terms of safety, the herbal mixture had an IC50 value of 755.2 μg/mL and 2000 mg/kg, which was the highest tested dose that caused no mortality or morbidity in the rats. A contraceptive efficacy of 14.5% was exerted with 50 mg/kg herbal mixture extract while other doses had no effects given that all the rats were pregnant. Based on a chi-square test (p < 0.05), there was no correlation between the tested herbal mixture doses and contraception, nor on the weight of the rats. Overall, the herbal mixture extract was found to be safe but had limited contraceptive efficacy at the tested doses. In future studies, exploring increased dose range, solvent extract types and hormonal analysis will be pertinent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strychnos spinosa Lam. is among the top nutrient-dense indigenous fruit species that are predominant in Southern Africa. It is a highly ranked indigenous fruit based on the nutrition and sensorial properties, which make it an important food source for the marginalized rural people. On the basis of the high vitamin C, iron, and zinc content, it has the capacity to improve the food- nutrition and the socioeconomic status of individuals, especially those in the rural areas of the developing nations. The nutritional composition of Strychnos spinosa compare favorably with many of the popular fruits, such as strawberries and orange. Additionally, Strychnos spinosa has antioxidant activity similar to well-known antioxidant fruits, which keeps it in the class of the popular fruits, giving it added nutrition–health-promoting benefits. In order to improve the availability of Strychnos spinosa, more research on the domestication, processing, preservation, value chain, and economic potential need to be further explored. Therefore, we recommend more concerted efforts from relevant stakeholders with interest in Strychnos spinosa fruit production as a possible sustainable solution to food shortage, food-nutrition insecurity, malnutrition, and austerity, mainly in the rural communities of the developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of medicinal plants in the management of diverse ailments is entrenched in the culture of indigenous people in African communities. This review provides a critical appraisal of the ethnobotanical uses of medicinal plants for the management of headache in Africa. Research articles published from 2010 (Jan) to 2021 (July) with keywords such as Africa, ethnobotany, headache, medicinal plant and traditional medicine were assessed for eligibility based on sets of pre-defined criteria. A total of 117 plants, representing 56 families, were documented from the 87 eligible studies. Asteraceae (10%), Fabaceae (10%), Lamiaceae (9%) and Mimosaceae (5%) were the most represented plant families. The most popular plant species used in the management of headache were Ocimum gratissimum L. (n = 7), Allium sativum L. (n = 3), Ricinus communis L. (n = 3) and Artemisia afra Jack. ex. Wild (n = 2). The leaves (49%), roots (20%) and bark (12%) were the most common plant parts used. Decoction (40%) and infusion (16%) were the preferred methods of preparation, whereas the oral route (52%) was the most preferred route of administration. The data revealed that medicinal plants continue to play vital roles in the management of headache in African communities. In an attempt to fully explore the benefits from the therapeutic potential of indigenous flora for common ailments, further studies are essential to generate empirical evidence on their efficacies, using appropriate test systems/models. This approach may assist with the ongoing drive towards the integration of African traditional medicine within mainstream healthcare systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many African countries are endowed with rich biodiversity with enormous nutritional and economic prospects, but the majority of these resources are not fully harnessed. Exploring these neglected resources, for example, the Transvaal red milkwood tree [(Mimusops zeyheri) Sond. family: Sapotaceae] is of paramount importance for food and nutritional security as well as economic prosperity. This review provides a critical appraisal of the nutritional and health benefits as well as the economic potential of Mimusops zeyheri. The plant is known for its diverse uses among rural communities. In folk medicine, the decoction from the bark and leaves of Mimusops zeyheri are used for treating wounds and ulcers, while the root is used as an infusion taken to treat candidiasis and other health issues. The nutritional profile of the fruit tree is similar to popular exotic fruits and richer in vitamin C when compared to guava and orange. Mimusops zeyheri is a rich source of vitamins, protein, and fatty acids. Based on the rich chemical pool, especially in the fruit and seeds, it has the potential to provide an accessible, readily available, and affordable enriched functional food with valuable health benefits. However, the successful exploration of Mimusopszeyheri for food security and sustainability requires multidisciplinary research. This will help achieve the envisaged food-nutrition security and poverty alleviation potential of the plant, especially among local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, a substantial proportion of existing indigenous and naturalized foods are often neglected thereby narrowing the food-base available to humans. The current study explored the use and contribution of indigenous and naturalized plants to the households' food-pool among 12 communities in the North West Province of South Africa. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted among 133 rural households across the 12 selected communities from the four district municipalities in North West Province, South Africa. We analyzed the utilization patterns for 31 selected indigenous and naturalized plants (grains, fruits, and vegetables) among the 133 households using two ethnobotanical indices. In reference to the checklist of 31 plants, the sampled households utilize approximately 94% (29) as staple foods, beverages, fruits and fodder. Sorghum bicolor, Vigna unguiculata, Amaranthus sp., Sclerocarya birrea, Persea americana, and Mimusops zeyheri were among the top-six plants based on the Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC, 40–83%). In terms of the different crop-types, Sorghum bicolor (grain), Amaranthus sp. (vegetable), and Sclerocarya birrea (fruit) were the top-ranked plants based on the Species Popularity Index (SPI, 0.53–0.83) among the participants. Overall, there is a need for a renaissance of indigenous and naturalized plants, which has the potential to encourage rural farmers to further embrace the cultivation of these plants on a larger scale so as to enhance food security in the rural communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]