to assess the safety of indigenous traditional herbal remedies and to address
the problem of serious adverse events associated with their consumption,
particularly by neonates and young children. In many African countries, there
is a lack of documented evidence about the safety of TMs, but extensive toxi-
cological study of all traditionally used herbs would be time-consuming,
economically unfeasible and probably unnecessary. The WHO guidelines for
the assessment of herbal medicines^63 approach the issue of safety by acknowl-
edging that, while a long history of uneventful use does not guarantee absence
of risk, ‘the guiding principle should be that, if a product has been tradition-
ally used without demonstrated harm, no specific regulatory action should be
undertaken unless new evidence demands a revised risk–benefit assessment’.
It is accepted that a proportion of patients treated by western allopathic
practitioners will develop iatrogenic complications; by the same token it can
be expected that those treated by traditional healers might develop similar
complications.^64 Nevertheless it is desirable that adverse events be kept to a
minimum. Indeed, concern has been expressed recently in Australia at the
unacceptably high number (80 000/year) of allopathic drug-related hospital-
isations, which represent a major (but largely avoidable) public health
problem.^65
A review of some of the available data in respect of acute toxicity asso-
ciated with consumption of South African TMs suggested that these are
mostly without harmful side effects, but that some 40 plant species (out of
Traditional medical practice in Africa | 107Species Family Origin Plant Vernacular Application Preparation
part name
Prunus africana Rosaceae Cameroon Bark African Treatment of Tadenan®
(Hook. f.) prune; BPH
Kalkman Pygeum
Harpagophytum Pedaliaceae Namibia, Tuber Devil’s claw Anti- Dried tuber
procumbens Botswana rheumatic Liquid extract
(Burch.) DC and and anti- Tincture
H. zeyheriDecne. inflammatory Capsules/
tablets
Pelargonium Geraniaceae South Tuber Umckaloabo Treatment of Umckaloabo
sidoidesDC and Africa bronchitis drops®
P. reniforme
Curtis
Xysmalobium ApocynaceaeNamibia, Root Bitterwortel; Treatment of Uzara®
undulatum(L.) South ishongwe intestinal
W.T. Aiton Africa spasm and
diarrhoeaTable 5.4Phytomedicines from African plant species used as traditional
medicines