The use of African traditional medicines amongst Zulu women during childbearing in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

In Africa, some women are still heavily depending on traditional medicine during childbearing to maintain healthy pregnancy, postpartum recovery and for infant care. This study was designed to assess the prevalence of traditional medicine use and associated factors of its use during childbearing. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and individual interviews were conducted with 140 women.

Traditional food taboos and practices during pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and infant care of Zulu women in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

Background: Traditional practices and beliefs influence and support the behavior of women during pregnancy and childbirth in different parts of the world. Not much research has been conducted to examine whether and how cultural traditions continue to shape maternity experiences of Zulu women. The aim of this study is to establish the extent at which women in certain rural communities adhere to traditional food taboos and practices during pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and infants feeding, in comparison to what is recommended by health care workers.

Plants used to treat skin diseases in northern Maputaland, South Africa: antimicrobial activity and in vitro permeability studies.

Context: Ethnobotanical claims of medicinal plants used in northern Maputaland are limited. Objectives To establish scientific validity for a selection of the plants used in Maputaland to treat skin diseases.

Materials And Methods: Aqueous and dichloromethane-methanol extracts were prepared from 37 plant species which were collected from four rural communities in Maputaland.

Antimicrobial evaluation of plants used for the treatment of diarrhoea in a rural community in northern Maputaland, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Background: Zulu people living in the rural area of Maputaland (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) rely heavily on medicinal plants for the treatment of diarrhoea. Abundant availability of medicinal plants in the study area offers low cost health care, but scientific validation is needed in order to lend credibility to the traditional use against many ailments including diarrhoeal infections. With this in mind a study was designed to test the in vitro antimicrobial efficacy of 23 plant species which are used for the treatment of diarrhoea in rural Maputaland.

Medicinal plants used for the treatment of various skin disorders by a rural community in northern Maputaland, South Africa.

Background: Skin diseases have been of major concern recently due to their association with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immunity Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS). The study area (northern Maputaland) has the highest HIV infection rate in South Africa, which made them more prone to a wide range of skin conditions. Fungal infections due to the hot climate and overcrowding households are common in this area, as well as burn accidents due to the use of wood as the major fuel for cooking.

Polar compounds isolated from the leaves of Albertisia delagoensis (Menispermaceae).

Aqueous infusions of the leaves of the shrub Albertisia delagoensis (Menispermaceae) are used in South Africa in traditional Zulu medicine to alleviate a variety of symptoms, including fever, and intestinal problems. We report the analysis of such an aqueous extract using the HPLC-NMR technique. A number of polar compounds were identified, including proto-quercitol, nicotinic acid, allantoic acid, 3,4-dihydroxy-benzoic acid, phthalic acid and the aporphine alkaloid derivative roemrefidine.

Alkaloidal variation in cissampelos capensis (Menispermaceae).

Cissampelos capensis, commonly known by the Afrikaans name "dawidjies" or "dawidjieswortel", is the most important and best known medicinal plant of the family Menispermaceae used by the Khoisan and other rural people in the western region of South Africa. The main alkaloids in the leaves, stems and rhizomes were isolated and identified. Several of the main compounds were previously found in species of the related genus Antizoma and this similarity indicates that the two genera are closely related if not congeneric.

Antiplasmodial activity and cytotoxicity of Albertisia delagoensis.

Leaves and rhizome methanol extracts of Albertisia delagoensis tested positive against Plasmodium falciparum, with a very low cytotoxic activity in leaves against the Graham cell line.