have different emphases; some focus on quality issues whereas others are
pharmacognostic profiles. Three monographs dealing with African traditional
medicines appear in the WHO series on selected medicinal plants:^25 Cortex
Pruni Africanae, Radix Harpagophytumand Aloe.
Materia medicaused in traditional medical practice
Many African states have extremely rich floras, often characterised by a high
degree of endemicity, i.e. plant species occurring only within the boundaries
of that particular state (Table 5.2). Most notable in this regard is the Cape
Floristic Region (CFR) of South Africa, which ranks as one of the five floristic
kingdoms of the world on account of its exceptional species richness and large
number of endemic plants. Africa’s botanical wealth provides most of the
materia medica that underpins its TMP.^26
All plant parts are utilised in traditional medical practice: leaf, stem,
bark, fruit, seed, subterranean organs, whole plant, gums/resins and fresh
plant juices. A list of 1046 plant species (from 150 angiosperm families)
considered to be most important to traditional medical practice in Africa is
given by Iwu.^23 According to this author, major angiosperm families utilised
are: Apocynaceae/Asclepiadaceae (61 species), Asteraceae (45 species),
Euphorbiaceae (62 species), Fabaceae (106 species) and Rubiaceae (49
species). This finding is not surprising, given that Asteraceae and Fabaceae
are the two largest angiosperm families and also boast a great variety of
secondary chemicals with known therapeutic application, including alka-
loids, sesquiterpene lactones and saponins. Fabaceae is reputed to have
provided more medicinal species than any other plant family.^27 Alkaloids are
common in both Rubiaceae and Apocynaceae/Asclepiadaceae, while the
latter is also rich in cardiac glycosides. Euphorbiaceae has yielded interesting
anti-tumour agents, e.g. phorbol esters.
Preparation of remedies
TPs in rural areas of Africa harvest their own materials from natural stands
of vegetation in their neighbourhood, while those practising in an urban
setting either obtain their supplies from herb dealers or travel to rural areas
to replenish stocks of herbal medicines. Many city-based healers travel long
distances in order to get what they need. Cultivation of plants used in tradi-
tional medical practice is not widely practised; indeed many TPs regard
cultivated plants as less potent than their wild-grown counterparts. Given
the extent of intraspecies variation in, as well as the effects of external
factors such as fertiliser/water regime, altitude and soil type on, plant
secondary chemistry, this view is not necessarily unreasonable. An aware-
ness of seasonal, diurnal or age variation in therapeutic activity is also
92 |Traditional medicine