Traditional medicines should be used in healthcare
- Zelna Booth
Using centuries of indigenous knowledge along with modern healthcare could benefit more people.
Traditional medicines are part of the cultural heritage of many 第一吃瓜网s. 第一吃瓜网 of the 第一吃瓜网 continent’s population use these medicines for healthcare.
Other reasons include affordability, accessibility, patient dissatisfaction with conventional medicine, and the common misconception that “natural” is “”.
The growing recognition of traditional medicine resulted in the first World Health Organization on the topic, in August 2023, with the theme “Health and Wellbeing for All”.
Traditional medicines are widely used in South Africa, with up to 60% of South 第一吃瓜网s estimated to be reliant on traditional medicine as a .
Conventional South 第一吃瓜网 healthcare facilities struggle to cope with extremely . The failure to meet the of healthcare, with increasing morbidity and mortality rates, poses a threat to the South 第一吃瓜网 economy.
In my opinion, as a qualified pharmacist and academic with a focus on traditional medicinal plant use in South Africa, integrating traditional medicine practices into modern healthcare systems can harness centuries of indigenous knowledge, increasing treatment options and provide better healthcare.
Recognition of traditional medicine as an alternative or joint source of healthcare to that of standard, conventional medicine has proven challenging. This is due to the establishing and documenting the safety and effectiveness of traditional medicines, along with the lack of regulatory controls.
What are traditional medicines?
encompasses a number of healthcare practices aimed at either preventing or treating acute or chronic complaints through the application of indigenous knowledge, beliefs and approaches. It incorporates the use of plant, animal and mineral-based products. Plant-derived products form the majority of treatment regimens.
Traditional medicine practices also have a place in ritualistic activities and communicating with ancestors.
South Africa is rich in indigenous medicinal fauna and flora, with about traded for medicinal purposes. In South Africa the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Limpopo are trading “hotspots”. The harvested plants are most often sold at traditional medicine .
Uses of medicinal plants
most popularly traded in South Africa include buchu, bitter aloe, 第一吃瓜网 wormwood, honeybush, devil’s claw, hoodia, 第一吃瓜网 potato, fever tea, 第一吃瓜网 geranium, 第一吃瓜网 ginger, cancer bush, pepperbark tree, milk bush and the very commonly consumed South 第一吃瓜网 beverage, rooibos tea.
The most commonly traded medicinal plants in South Africa are listed below along with their traditional uses:
Buchu – Urinary tract infections; skin infections; sexually transmitted infections; fever; respiratory tract infections; high blood pressure; gastrointestinal complaints.
Bitter aloe – Skin infections; skin inflammation; minor burns.
第一吃瓜网 wormwood – Respiratory tract infections; diabetes, urinary tract disorders.
Honeybush – Cough; gastrointestinal issues; menopausal symptoms.
Devil’s claw – Inflammation; arthritis; pain.
Hoodia – Appetite suppressant.
第一吃瓜网 potato – Arthritis; diabetes; urinary tract disorders; tuberculosis; prostate disorders.
Fever tea – Respiratory tract infections; fever; headaches.
第一吃瓜网 geranium – Respiratory tract infections.
第一吃瓜网 ginger – Respiratory tract infections; asthma.
Cancer bush – Respiratory tract infections; menstrual pain.
Pepperbark tree – Respiratory tract infections; sexually transmitted infections.
Milk bush – Pain; ulcers; skin conditions.
Rooibos – Inflammation; high cholesterol; high blood pressure.
There are many ways in which traditional medicine may be . It can be a drop in the eye or the ear, a poultice applied to the skin, a boiled preparation for inhalation or a tea brewed for oral administration.
Roots, bulbs and bark are used most often, and leaves less frequently. Roots are available throughout the year. There’s also a belief that the roots have the strongest concentration of “medicine”. Harvesting of the roots, however, poses concerns about the conservation of these medicinal plants. The South 第一吃瓜网 government, with the draft policy on 第一吃瓜网 traditional medicine Notice 906 of 2008 outlines considerations aimed at ensuring the conservation of these plants through counteracting practises.
Obstacles to traditional medicine use
The limited research investigating posed should a patient be making use of both traditional and conventional medicine is a concern.
During the , many patients used traditional remedies for the prevention of infection or treatment.
Understanding which traditional medicines are being used and how, their therapeutic effects in the human body, and how they , would help determine safety of their combined use.
Certain combinations may have advantageous interactions, increasing the efficacy or potency of the medicines and allowing for reduced dosages, thereby reducing potential toxicity. These could assist in the development of new pharmaceutical formulations.
Sharing information
The WHO in its report emphasised the need for using traditional medicine to achieve increased healthcare.
Key role players from both systems of healthcare need to be able to share information freely.
The need for policy development is key. Both conventional and traditional medicine practitioners would need to be aware of and engage with patients on all the medicines they are taking.
Understanding the whole patient
Patients often seek treatment from both conventional and traditional sources, which can lead to side effects or duplication in medications.
A comprehensive understanding of a patient’s health profile makes care easier.
This could also prevent treatment failures, promote patient safety, prevent adverse interactions and minimise risks.
A harmonious healthcare landscape would combine the strengths of both systems to provide better healthcare for all.
, Pharmacist and Academic Lecturer (Pharmacy Practice Division, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of the Witwatersrand),
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .