Sexually transmitted infections and their diagnoses: Bapedi experience

Background: The global burden of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is a major concern to the World Health Organization (WHO).Objective: To document STIs treated by Bapedi traditional healers and their methods of diagnoses in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions was used to collect data from 34 traditional healers, during a face-to-face interview.Results: Five seemingly dissimilar STIs; gonorrhoea, chlamydia, HIV/AIDS, nta (Bapedi-terminology) and syphilis were identified as being treated by Bapedi traditional healers. With the exclusion of HIV/AIDS, all STIs are known by healers via their vernacular names. Not all of the recorded STIs are treated by all the questioned traditional healers. Generally, diagnosis of these infections was based primarily on the presentation of symptoms and certain behavioural traits; mostly unprotected sexual intercourse with multiple partners.Conclusion: The current study concludes that Bapedi traditional healers play an important role in the treatment STIs in the Limpopo Province. Of concern is their diagnosis which is based primarily on the presentation of symptoms and behavioural traits, which are not always accurate indicators. Thus, to make their contribution to the treatment and management of STIs beneficial, they have to receive elementary training in diagnostic methods particularly for HIV/AIDS.Keywords: Bapedi, diagnoses, Limpopo Province, sexually transmitted infections, traditional healers.African Health Sciences 2013; 13(4): 1047 - 105

Exotic and indigenous problem plants species used, by the Bapedi, to treat sexually transmitted infections in Limpopo Province, South Africa

Background: The ethnic usage of exotics and indigenous problem plants is a highly debated topic, as legislative requirements over-shadow their potential medicinal value, particularly to treat sexually transmitted  infections (STIs). Limited information exists regarding their medicinal value among the Bapedi.Objective: To ascertain the importance of exotics and indigenous problem plants in the treatment of STIs, a major global primary health care challenge.Methods: A field observation and semi-structured questionnaire focussing on species diversity, types of STIs treated and medicinal preparation as well as application was used to collect data from 34 traditional healers.Results: Seven exotics and three indigenous problem species were  identified. These species were used to treat four STIs; with Catharanthus roseus illustrating its dominance in the treatment of gonorrhoea. Some medicinal species used by Bapedi traditional healers have been validated through scientific research or through their extensive use by various  cultures in South Africa and other parts of Africa. To the best of our  knowledge Alternanthera pungens, Caesalpinia decapetala, Cinnamomumverum, and Citrullus lanatus are reported for the first time in the treatment of the investigated STIs.Conclusion: Exotic and indigenous problem species constitute an important component of the STIs treatment protocol. Their utilization by Bapedi cautions against the narrow-minded approach of indiscriminate eradication, as these species can play a significant role in the primary health care needs of socio-economic vulnerable people.Keywords: Bapedi, exotics, indigenous problem plants, sexually transmitted infections

Use, conservation and present availability status of ethnomedicinal plants of Matebele-Village in the Limpopo Province, South Africa

Ethnobotanical surveys were carried out between January 2011 and April 2012 to compile an inventory of plants used medicinally by people of the Matebele village. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on the species used by the villagers. The results show that 65 species (86.1% indigenous and 13.8% exotics) from 36 families, mostly the Asteraceae (13.8%) and Fabaceae (10.7%), are being used to treat 28 ailments or conditions. To the best of our knowledge, 24.4% of the species were recorded for the first time as medicinal. The most widely used species were Terminalia sericea (43.3%), followed by Acacia senegal, Eucomis pallidiflora (36.6% each), Drimia elata (26.6%), Warburgia salutaris (19.9%) and Artemisia afra (16.6%). Roots (39.1%), leaves (21.6%) and stem bark (10.8%) were the most frequently used parts. The heavy dependence on wild medicinal plants and utilization of threatened (E. pallidiflora, D. elata and W. salutaris) and protected (Sclerocarya birrea) species by inhabitants of Matebele village calls for urgent conservation intrusion.Keywords: Ethnomedicinal plants, Limpopo Province, Matebele Village, conservation, present availability status, South Africa, useAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(18), pp. 2392-240

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

Exotic and indigenous problem plants species used, by the Bapedi, to treat sexually transmitted infections in Limpopo Province, South Africa

BACKGROUND: The ethnic usage of exotics and indigenous problem plants is a highly debated topic, as legislative requirements over-shadow their potential medicinal value, particularly to treat sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Limited information exists regarding their medicinal value among the Bapedi. OBJECTIVES: To ascertain the importance of exotics and indigenous problem plants in the treatment of STIs, a major global primary health care challenge. METHODS: A field observation and semi-structured questionnaire focussing on species diversity, types of STIs treated and medicinal preparation as well as application was used to collect data from 34 traditional healers. RESULTS: Seven exotics and three indigenous problem species were identified. These species were used to treat four STIs; with Catharanthus roseus illustrating its dominance in the treatment of gonorrhoea. Some medicinal species used by Bapedi traditional healers have been validated through scientific research or through their extensive use by various cultures in South Africa and other parts of Africa. To the best of our knowledge Alternanthera pungens, Caesalpinia decapetala, Cinnamomum verum, and Citrullus lanatus are reported for the first time in the treatment of the investigated STIs. CONCLUSIONS: Exotic and indigenous problem species constitute an important component of the STIs treatment protocol. Their utilization by Bapedi cautions against the narrow-minded approach of indiscriminate eradication, as these species can play a significant role in the primary health care needs of socio-economic vulnerable people

The Role of Exotic Species in Traditional Pharmacopeias of the Cerrado: a Case Study in Southeast Brazil

The ?diversification hypothesis? proposes that exotic species are incorporated into plant pharmacopeias to broaden the range of treatments and meet therapeutic demands unattended by native species. The ?versatility hypothesis? suggests that the wider range of uses of exotic species explains their selection in traditional pharmacopeias. This study was conducted with experts in medicinal plants in the Cerrado (Brazilian savanna), selected through the ?snowball? technique, to test if the versatility and diversity hypotheses explain the incorporation of exotic species in the popular pharmacopeia. Relative importance (RI) index was calculated for each species, as a measure of versatility. A variance analysis was performed to compare RI of native and exotic species. An analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) was used to test the differences among the types of therapeutic indication and the ICD-10 body systems, by native and exotic species. The local pharmacopeia has 108 native and 32 exotic species for the treatment of 52 health issues. The results do not support the versatility hypothesis, since native and exotic species have similar RI. However, the repertoire of native species tends to be more versatile, being suitable for treating a wider range of disorders. In spite of the overlap of native and exotic species in therapeutic indications, some exotic species are unique to the treatment of certain diseases, effectively strengthening the local pharmacopeia and thus supporting the diversification hypothesis.A ?hip?tese de diversifica??o? prop?e que esp?cies ex?ticas sejam incorporadas nas farmacopeias a fim de ampliar o repert?rio de tratamentos e atender demandas terap?uticas n?o encontradas nas esp?cies nativas. A ?hip?tese da versatilidade? sugere que a diversidade de usos de esp?cies ex?ticas explicaria sua sele??o nas farmacopeias tradicionais. Este estudo foi realizado com especialistas em plantas medicinais do Cerrado, selecionados atrav?s da t?cnica bola de neve, para testar se as hip?teses de versatilidade e diversifica??o explicariam a incorpora??o de esp?cies ex?ticas na farmacopeia popular. O ?ndice de import?ncia relativa (RI) foi calculado para cada esp?cie como medida de versatilidade. O RI de esp?cies nativas e ex?ticas foi comparado por an?lise de vari?ncia. Para testar as diferen?as entre os tipos de indica??es terap?uticas e sistemas corporais (CID-10) tratados por esp?cies nativas e ex?ticas utilizou-se a an?lise de similaridade (ANOSIM). A farmacopeia estudada possui 108 esp?cies nativas e 32 ex?ticas para o tratamento de 52 enfermidades. Os resultados n?o suportam a hip?tese de versatilidade, uma vez que esp?cies nativas e ex?ticas possuem RI similar. No entanto, o repert?rio de esp?cies nativas tende a ser mais vers?til, sendo adequado para tratar uma maior variedade de doen?as. Apesar da sobreposi??o de esp?cies nativas e ex?ticas nas indica??es terap?uticas, algumas esp?cies ex?ticas s?o exclusivas para o tratamento de certas doen?as, efetivamente fortalecendo a farmacopeia local e, assim, apoiando a hip?tese de diversifica??o