The indiscriminate use of non-regulated skin lighteners among African populations has raised health concerns due to the negative effects associated with skin lightener toxicity. For this reason, there is a growing interest in the cosmetic development of plants and their metabolites as alternatives to available chemical-derived skin lightening formulations. Approximately 90% of Africa’s population depends on traditional medicine, and the continent’s biodiversity holds plant material with various biological activities, thus attracting considerable research interest. This study aimed to review existing evidence and document indigenous African plant species capable of inhibiting the enzyme tyrosinase and melanogenesis for potential incorporation into skin lightening products. Literature search on melanin biosynthesis, skin lightening, and tyrosinase inhibitors resulted in the identification of 35 plant species were distributed among 31 genera and 21 families across 15 African countries and 9 South African provinces. All plants identified in this study showed competent tyrosinase and melanogenesis inhibitory capabilities. These results indicate that African plants have the potential to serve as alternatives to current chemically-derived skin lighteners.

Microbial contamination of chronic wounds complicates their treatment. Traditional knowledge systems and the diversity of indigenous medicinal plants create a haven for traditional medicine practices in South Africa (SA). This systematic review aims to present a comprehensive ethnobotanical report of traditional medicines used in the documented empirical wound healing studies in SA. Google Scholar, PubMed, Medline EBSCOhost, Science Direct, and Scopus were sourced using the keywords/terminologies “South Africa”, “medicinal plants”, “traditional medicine” “indigenous”, “skin”, “wound”, “ethnobotany”, “survey”, “interview”, and “treatment” in different combinations. Relevant and unpublished records were retrieved from the Global Electronic Thesis Database. The searching process identified 32,419 records, of which 4005 studies were screened. Following the removal of 1795 duplicates, the remaining 2210 sources were screened by title and abstract, and 133 full-text reports were accessed and evaluated. Plants traditionally used for wound-healing purposes comprised 222 species belonging to 71 families, namely Asteraceae (predominantly the Helichrysum species), Asphodelaceae, Fabaceae, Solanaceae, and Euphorbiaceae. Plant organs used for medicinal remedies included leaves, roots, and bark prepared as poultices, infusions, decoctions, gel/ointments/lotions, and pastes. This review provides a valuable reference for future phytochemical and pharmacological studies and highlights the need for further ethnobotanical research to treat wounds in SA.

In sub-Saharan Africa, the use of skin-lightening products (SLPs) for cosmetic purposes has become common practice among women with dark skin tones. Despite the associated risks, the practice is still significantly increasing in Africa. The objective of this study was to determine the knowledge, perceptions and practice toward skin lightening among young adults. A cross-sectional survey among health science students at a tertiary institution in the Western Cape of South Africa was conducted. A total of 401 participants were included in the sample. There was a low prevalence (12%) of skin-lightening practice among students, which could possibly be a result of students being aware of the associated side effects. Participants believed that family and friends are most likely to influence this behavior (48%) and perceived that individuals who practice skin lightening do so because this provides a more fashionable look (76%). Men and women were found to be equally likely to use SLPs, and those residing in urban settings are 10 times more likely to engage in the practice compared with rural dwellers. This study contributes valuable information on the phenomenon of skin lightening among a diverse group of young adults. The results highlight the influential role social media platforms and family members play in motivating use of SLPs. Furthermore, the equal likelihood of use among both sexes suggests that the practice is growing among males.

Following population declines of the African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana) across the African continent, the establishment of primary cell lines of endangered wildlife species is paramount for the preservation of their genetic resources. In addition, it allows molecular and functional studies on the cancer suppression mechanisms of elephants, which have previously been linked to a redundancy of tumor suppressor gene TP53. This methodology describes the establishment of primary elephant dermal fibroblast (EDF) cell lines from skin punch biopsy samples (diameter: ±4 mm) of African savanna elephants (n = 4, 14–35 years). The applied tissue collection technique is minimally invasive and paves the way for future remote biopsy darting. On average, the first explant outgrowth was observed after 15.75 ± 6.30 days. The average doubling time (Td) was 93.02 ± 16.94 h and 52.39 ± 0.46 h at passage 1 and 4, respectively. Metaphase spreads confirmed the diploid number of 56 chromosomes. The successful establishment of EDF cell lines allows for future elephant cell characterization studies and for research on the cancer resistance mechanisms of elephants, which can be harnessed for human cancer prevention and treatment and contributes to the conservation of their genetic material.

Many people in developing countries rely primarily on medicinal plants as their main source of healthcare, particularly for the treatment of skin infections. Despite the widespread use of medicinal plants, there is a lack of literature describing the relevance and risks of exposure of the phytochemicals present. Galenia africana has been used traditionally in the form of pastes, decoctions, and lotions to treat wounds and other skin-related ailments. This is a report on the phytochemical composition of G. africana and a review on the pharmacological importance and relevance of these phytochemicals. The major groups of phytochemicals identified in G. africana extracts were aliphatics, aliphatic triterpenoids, fatty acids, flavonoids, and phenolic and tocopherol compounds. These have been found to exhibit medicinal properties, thus highlighting the need to assess the safety of G. africana for topical application. The information related to the safety of the various compounds could indicate the potential risks related to accidental intake of the extract upon topical product applications. This report concludes that the quantities of the phytochemicals present in G. africana should not cause undue risk to human health, which provides comfort to pursue future work on using and developing G. africana as a therapeutic agent.