Introduction: Medicinal plants have been used for the treatment of both infectious and noninfectious diseases by the majority of the world's population for many years. The low socioeconomic standing of Eastern Cape population suggests that the majority of people use traditional methods of health care. Many of the rural communities in this province have no access to Western medical health care and rely on traditional medicine for their primary health-care needs. Materials and Methods: An ethnobotanical survey was conducted from February 2013 to December 2015 to investigate the use of medicinal plants by the people of Seymour in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Information was gathered from nine traditional healers, seven herbalists, and 18 elderly villagers. Results: The information collected revealed six ailment categories that were treated with a wide range of medicinal plants. A total of 50 plant species belonging to 29 families were reported to be used in the treatment of various ailments. Members of the family Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, and Rutaceae had the highest number of species used in traditional healing. Leaves were reported to be the most frequently used plant part, followed by roots, bark, stem, and then corms and rhizomes. The survey indicated that the most prominent method of herbal administration used is orally via extracts that were obtained by boiling, either as a decoction or concoction. Conclusions: This study has documented important information on medicinal plants used by people, traditional healers, and herbalists of Seymour region in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa to treat various ailments. Abbreviations used: ACE: Angiotensin-converting enzyme; CNS: Central nervous system; ENT: Ear, nose and throat; HIV: Human Immunodeficiency virus; ICF: Informant consensus factor; Nur: Total number of use report; Nt: Number of taxa; TB: Tuberculosis

Helichrysum odoratissimum (L.) Sweet (Asteraceae) is a perennial shrub used in South African folk medicine to combat human diseases such as diabetes, coughs, asthma, and diarrhoea, and for wound treatment. This study evaluated the leaf and stem of H. odoratissimum for their nutritive and anti-nutritive qualities using the standard methods of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC), atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and colorimetry. Crude fat and protein were high in the leaf (7.61% and 7.82% DW), but low in the stem (2.25% and 3.4%), respectively. The neutral detergent fibre (NDF) content was significantly higher in the stem (68.5%) compared to the leaf (43.6%), while non-fibre carbohydrate (NFC) in the leaf (24.93%) was higher than in the stem (15.67%). Mineral analysis showed that both the leaf and stem of H. odoratissimum are good sources of potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron. Appreciable amounts of vitamins B2, C and E in the leaf and stem supports the folkloric utility of the plant in the traditional treatment of wounds, coughs and colds. A tolerable amount of phytate in both leaf (0.36%) and stem (1.06%) might be a factor for safer consumption of the plant as food and medicine. These findings suggest the use of the plant as a source for dietary supplementation and ethnomedicinal applications.

Elephantiasis, also known as lymphatic filariasis (LF), is a debilitating condition characterized by the thickening of the skin and muscles, primarily affecting the limbs, genitalia, and female breasts. Lymphatic filariasis is a major global health concern, affecting approximately 120 million people worldwide and having a significant impact on people's quality of life, mobility, and socio-economic status. Although LF is endemic in many parts of the world, including Africa, it is a neglected issue in Southern Africa, with little information available. According to the World Health Organisation, approximately 882.5 million people in 44 countries worldwide are at risk of contracting LF, making it the second most common vector-borne disease after malaria. The primary goal of this review was to assess the prevalence of elephantiasis in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Lymphatic filariasis is endemic in four of the sixteen SADC countries, three countries have administered MDA to the population that required it and they are now under post-intervention surveillance, while LF is no longer a public health problem in Malawi. Global efforts to eliminate LF have been hampered by the non-availability of MDA in some SADC countries such as Angola, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Despite the implementation of mass drug administration programs, a review of the literature reveals gaps in knowledge about LF prevalence cases in SADC countries. Each country faces unique challenges and successes in combating LF due to varying levels of available data and healthcare infrastructure. Some SADC countries continue to bear the burden of LF-related diseases, necessitating ongoing disease prevention and elimination efforts. This review emphasizes the importance of ongoing research, data collection, and novel policies to combat the spread of elephantiasis disease in the SADC region and beyond.

Skin diseases are a worldwide issue, accounting for approximately 34% of all occupational illnesses. The aim of this study was to investigate medicinal plants used to treat wounds and skin diseases in the eastern Free State Province of South Africa. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted to gather information from traditional healers on plants they use to treat human ailments. Plants were collected and then investigated for antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties using standard assays. Cotyledon orbiculata, Dioscorea sylvatica, and Lycopodium clavatum had the highest frequency of citation (RFC) values among the 22 plants reported. Saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, anthraquinones, and tannins were found in the phytochemical examination. L. clavatum had the greatest activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 0.39 mg/mL and 0.098 mg/mL, respectively. C. orbiculata and D. sylvatica extracts showed significant antifungal activity between 0.39 and 1.56 mg/mL. Antioxidant activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals was found in all extracts. The extracts had significant anti-inflammatory action against the 5-lipoxygenase enzyme, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 0.02 to 0.49 g/mL. The usage of C. orbiculata, D. sylvatica, and L. clavatum in the treatment of skin problems in the Eastern Free State of South Africa was verified in this research.

Platycarpha glomerata (Thunb.) Less. has recently become a plant species of interest to researchers due to its biological activities and less toxic effects. Therefore, the aim of the study is to evaluate the in vitro anticancer potential and phytochemical constituents of P. glomerata plant extracts. Phytochemical screening and FTIR were carried out using standard methods. The antioxidant activity was accessed by determining its ability to scavenge the DPPH radical and nitric oxide radical, whereas the anticancer activity against prostate (DU-145 and PC-3), human T-lymphocyte (SKU-T), gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS), and human prostatic epithelial (PNTA1) cell line was evaluated using the MTT assay. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, terpenoids, and cardiac glycosides. The FTIR spectrum for the aqueous extract displayed characteristic peaks for O–H, C=O, C=C, and =C–H stretch. The aqueous ethanol and methanol extracts showed significant dose-dependent DPPH radical scavenging capacity. The aqueous, ethanol, and methanol extracts showed minimum NO scavenging activity of 4.3%, 9.6%, and 11.7% at 2500 µg/mL. The water extract demonstrated good activity against S. aureus, E. coli, and B. pumilus with an MIC of 0.195 mg/mL. The ethanol and methanol extracts significantly reduced the percentage proliferation of DU-145, PC-3, and SKU-T cells at 100 μg/mL. These extracts demonstrated strong dose-dependent DPPH and NO scavenging and antibacterial and cell proliferation inhibition activities. The strong bioactivity of P. glomerata makes it a good candidate for the isolation and identification of active compounds for anticancer and related illnesses.