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Examples ofmedicinal herbs bought at Faraday muthi market in Johannesburg A different medicinal herbs in bags B Seeds of Entada rheedii (tindili) C mixed herbs (fembo) D A twig of Adenia gummifera (mphinde umshaye) E Barks of Vachellia sp. (umkhanya-kute) F Bulb of Boophane disticha (umqotho) G mixed herbs H Myrothamnus flabellifolius (vuka) I Barks of Vachellia sp. (umkhanya-kute) J Sarcostemma viminale (ube nam) K Plant of Clivia sp. (mayime) L Stangeria eriopus (imfingo) M mixed herbs (isihlalakahle) N Tuber (umbonsi) O Helichrysum sp. (impepo) and P Twigs of Synadenium cupulare (umdletshane). Names in brackets are vernacular names in isiZulu.
Source publication
Medicinal plants cover a broad range of taxa, which may be phylogenetically less related but morphologically very similar. Such morphological similarity between species may lead to misidentification and inappropriate use. Also the substitution of a medicinal plant by a cheaper alternative (e.g. other non-medicinal plant species), either due to misi...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... reach this objective, the primary step requires a reliable tool for accurate plant identification. Traditional plant identification is based on morphological characteris- tics, which can be problematic especially for medicinal plants that are mainly traded as dried or processed barks, dried leaves, roots, and stems (Figure 1) in popular markets known in South Africa as muthi market. As such, traded medicinal plants are devoid of identification diagnostics making morphologically-based identification non applicable (Dold and Cocks 2002). ...Context 2
... muthi market is a popular market where trade and services in African traditional medicines are provided to the general public. Materials sold in this market include various plant parts such as dried or fresh leaves, seeds, barks, and roots, etc. (Figure 1). These mate- rials are sometimes in poorly stored and/or processed states (e.g. ...Context 3
... instance, Williams et al. (2000) mentioned Helichrysum sp. as being scarce and threat- ened in the future because of its popularity and demand at the muthi markets. The harvesting of the whole plant, bulb, tuber or roots before the seeds germinate damages the plant more than harvesting only leaves, seeds, bark or fruits (as seen in Figure 1). Although only about 22% of the muthi samples are currently threatened with extinc- tion (Table 3), continual over-exploitation in the wild might eventually change the status for currently non-threatened species to threatened category. ...Similar publications
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This review contains a compendium of medicinal plants in Africa that can control or cure tuberculosis. A good number of plant secondary metabolites are reported to have antitubercular activity comparable to the existing antitubercular drugs or sometimes even better. Information regarding the chemistry and pharmacology of plants leads to insight int...
Background:
In South Africa, traditional health practitioners' (THPs) explanatory frameworks concerning illness aetiologies are much researched. However there is a gap in the literature on how THPs understand HIV-related opportunistic infections (OIs), i.e. tuberculosis, candidiasis and herpes zoster. This study aimed to comprehend THPs' understan...
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Traditional medicinal practices play a key role in health care systems in countries with developing economies.
The aim of this survey was to validate the use of traditional medicine within local Nigerian communities. In this review, we examine the ethnobotanical uses of selected plant species from the Nigerian flora and attempt to correlate the act...
DNA barcoding is a desirable tool for medicinal product authentication. DNA barcoding is a method for species identification using short DNA sequences that are conserved within species, but variable between species. Unlike animals, there is no single universal DNA barcode locus for plants. Coding markers, matK and rbcL, and noncoding markers, trnH-...
Citations
... Notably, Mankga et al. (2013) investigated the feasibility of employing DNA barcoding to identify commonly used medicinal plants in South Africa. Their effort enriched the construction of a comprehensive reference library by contributing over 180 plant specimens to BOLD. ...
South Africa, a global biodiversity hotspot, faces escalating threats to its rich plant diversity, including habitat loss, climate change, invasive species, and illegal harvesting. These threats are further exacerbated by the country's taxonomic impediment, which hinders both conservation and sustainable development efforts. This paper assesses the efficiency of DNA barcoding as a tool for species identification and biodiversity conservation within the South African context. While DNA barcoding offers promising applications in conservation, significant gaps and challenges persist. We provide a comprehensive overview of plant barcoding initiatives in South Africa – by querying the public data portal for plant barcoding records, 12,456 published specimen records encompassing 159 families and ca. 3,449 species were returned. These numbers highlight historical progress, database contributions, technological advancements, and taxonomic coverage. Despite South Africa contributing the third-highest number of Magnoliophyta records to the Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD), significant gaps in endemic families and geographic regions highlight the urgent need for targeted DNA barcoding initiatives and increased collaboration, as only ca. 16 % of the known flora has been barcoded. The underutilisation of BOLD and financial constraints pose significant barriers to expanding plant barcoding records. However, advancements in sequencing technologies offer cost-effective solutions. We advocate for concerted efforts to enhance DNA barcoding utilisation, harmonise databases, and prioritise sampling of underrepresented taxa to effectively preserve South Africa's diverse plant life.
... According to Mankga et. al., (2013) research work "Efficacy of the core DNA barcodes in identifying processed and poorly conserved plant materials commonly used in South African traditional medicine", DNA barcoding was used to identify commonly used medicinal plants in South Africa. South Africa is a country with rich tropical and temperate flora, of about 24, 000 species ...
A DNA barcode is a genetic signature that occurs naturally within the genome of every living species. One of the gene regions commonly used for all animal groups is a 648 base pair region in the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 gene (CO1), it has been effectively used in identifying birds, flies, butterflies, fishes and many other animal groups due primarily to the high polymorphisms among species. However, CO1 is not effective in identifying and distinguishing plants because it changes too slowly in plants. Currently, two gene regions in the chloroplast, MatK and rbcl are employed in bar-coding land plants. In 2003, Paul Herbert and research group published a paper entitled "Biological Identification through DNA barcodes, which created awareness among scientists (taxonomists in particular) on the usefulness of DNA Barcode as an effective technique for identification of species. In the one decade of research after this publication, DNA barcode has evolved rapidly into a tool that can be employed for solving many environmental, agricultural, health and conservation problems around the globe. It also has applications in disease and pest control, market fraud detection and protection of endangered species. Some developing countries like Nigeria are known for their rich biodiversity, but technology is very low in area of conservation and management of these biological resources. This paper reviews the current developments in the application of DNA Barcoding to solving biodiversity conservation problems and its adoption in developing countries.
... The discrepancy observed in species identification by BLASTn analysis can be attributed mostly to the variability in nomenclature employed for identical plant species across diverse racial, cultural, and geographical contexts. According to the study conducted by Mankga et al. [49], consequently, the primers utilized for amplifying the DNA area under inquiry exhibited a high degree of relevance to the specific individual being examined. The amplification of plant DNA samples was successfully achieved through the utilization of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the purpose of generating DNA barcodes. ...
Plants have long been at the main focus of the medical industry’s attention due to their extensive list of biological and therapeutic properties and ethnobotanical applications. Catharanthus roseus, sometimes referred to as Nithyakalyani in Tamil, is an Apocynaceae family member used in traditional Indian medicine. It also examines the plant’s potential antimicrobial and antioxidant activities as well as its preliminary phytochemical makeup. Leaf material from C. roseus was analyzed and found to include a variety of phytochemicals including alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, tannins, phenols, saponins, glycosides, quinones, and steroids. Four of the seven secondary metabolic products discovered in C. roseus leaves showed bioactive principles: 3-methylmannoside, squalene, pentatriacontane, and 2,4,4-trimethyl-3-hydroxymethyl-5a-(3-methyl-but-2-enyl)-cyclohexene. Catharanthus roseus is rich in the anticancer compounds vinblastine and vincristine. Whole DNA was isolated from fresh leaves, then amplified, sequenced, and aligned to find prospective DNA barcode candidates. One DNA marker revealed the restricted genetic relationship among C. roseus based on genetic distance and phylogenetic analysis. The antioxidant activity of the plant extract was evaluated using the DPPH, ABTS, phosphomolybdenum, FRAP, and superoxide radical scavenging activity assays, while the antibacterial potential was evaluated using the agar well diffusion assay. The ethanol extract of C. roseus was found to have the highest reducing power. In addition, a 4- to 21-mm-wide zone of inhibition was seen when the C. roseus extract was tested against bacterial and fungal stains. In conclusion, C. roseus has the most promise as an antibacterial and antioxidant agent.
... A perfect DNA barcode should have enough conserved segments to design a universal primer, high variability to be used for species discrimination and the ability to differentiate among the closely related species. This is possible if a species has a very large genetic distance from the other intraspecific members of the group(hebert et al. 2004;Mankga et al. 2013 , Cahyaningsih et al 2022. ...
Polygonum is an important genus of Polygonaceae and Polygonum posumbu is underutilized traditional medicinal plant whose leaves are extensively used as an antipyretic and dyspepsia agent in Manipur, India as well as a spice in India, Japan, Nepal, China, South Korea, Philippines and Thailand. P. posumbu is commonly known as Phak-pai in Manipur. DNA barcode based molecular characterization technology for species identification has been recognized as a reliable tool for plants but the selection of suitable universal marker is still under discussion. The main aim of the study is to identify the Polygonum posumbu sample from Manipur, India using DNA barcode method. In the present study, Polygonum posumbu samples were collected from a local farmer in Awang khunou, Imphal West, Manipur, India which was taxonomically identified. To assess the molecular species identification, Internal Transcribed spacer (ITS) marker system was employed and the primer’s pair used were covered the internal transcribed spacer 1, 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene and internal transcribed spacer 2 complete sequence. Phylogenetic tree was constructed for the studied sample with the sequences of the 9 species retrieved from the GenBank in order to show the relationships among the samples. The result shows that the ITS marker-based DNA identification method successfully characterized the Polygonum posumbu species. The information of ITS marker-based identification of Polygonum posumbu from Manipur, India, will enhance our knowledge in better understanding the medicinal properties of this plant.
... The use of incorrect species in herbal medicines could result in an ineffective medicine or even adverse effects. Such instances have occurred where substitution, misidentification, and contamination have resulted in severe side effects and had the potential to cause fatalities [9]. Consequently, it is key that the environmental impact of using medicinal plants is reduced and that the safety and quality of medicinal material is maintained. ...
Medicinal plants are a globally important resource for the treatment of disease and improvement of human health, and the only form of healthcare used by millions of people. Currently, the status of many medicinal species is threatened by overharvesting caused by increasing demand. While many species have been cultivated in soil, the resulting material often contains lower levels of medicinal compounds than that of wild-harvested plants. Hydroponic cultivation of medicinal plants may provide sustainable access, with research demonstrating increased secondary metabolite content in some species compared to both wild and soil-grown plants. There are a variety of hydroponic systems and techniques available, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. As medicinal compounds are often localised within specific plant organs, selecting hydroponic systems that maximise the yield of the desired organs and metabolites is necessary. However, as of yet there has been no attempt to examine the literature with regards to the cultivation of specific plant organs of medicinal plants in hydroponics. This article explores the use of different hydroponic systems to cultivate medicinal plants and how the choice of system differs depending on the desired plant organ, as well as highlighting studies with novel outcomes that may provide value to the field.
... The data for Erythrina spp. is mainly related to DNA barcoding in phylogeny studies (De Luca et al., 2018), such as the relations among phaseoloid legumes -based on nucleotide sequences from chloroplast regions (cpDNA) (Pfeil et al., 2009), and the efficacy of the core DNA barcodes in identifying processed and poorly conserved plant materials commonly used in South African traditional medicine (Mankga et al., 2013). ...
Plants have several biotechnological uses, such as for pharmaceuticals, food, fuel, insecticides, and as a source of gene sequences for genetic engineering. This study aimed to identify the biotechnological potential of Erythrina velutina Willd. a plant widely used in traditional medicine. Analyses were based on the prospecting of scientific data in recognized databases of scientific publications, patents, nucleotide sequences and products. The medicinal properties of the phytocomposites extracted from Erythrina spp. and E. velutina were evident in several studies, although the efficiency and safety of using these chemical compounds are still being tested. Potential for other chemical uses, such as for antibacterial and bioinsecticide functions, has also been reported. In the analysis of the molecular information, barcodes for phylogenetic studies are mentioned and in patents, Erythrina spp. plants are a source of polynucleotides and polypeptides. The number of patents and sequenced nucleotides for E. velutina is low (12 and 6, respectively). However, the scientific data establish that this species is prominent with high biotechnological potential.
... There are several alarming situations of misidentification in the world. Supporting traditional plant identification is an urgent matter to secure human health (Mankga et al., 2013). DNA barcoding should be applied parallel to the morphological classification of plants for the identification of species and genetic relationships for the appropriate conservation of plants. ...
The Boraginaceae family comprises around 2000 species within 145 genera with various therapeutic and pharmacological attributes. DNA banking can be considered a complementary method for preserving plant species by preserving genomic DNA at lower temperatures. This approach to maintaining biological information allows researchers to search for new genes and their products. Therefore, in this review, we describe and analyse the DNA barcoding of the family Boraginaceae to conserve and further manipulate this rare and endangered plant species to enhance its yield and quality characteristics. The non-coding DNA regions (such as ITS and rbcL) are presumed to be more useful at lower taxonomic levels because of their faster evolutionary rates. The present study aims to inspect whether these plants can be categorized into different species or not, and DNA barcoding is used to clarify the dispute. The DNA barcode marker used ITS and rbcL, and sequence analysis was performed using the online tool BLAST of the NCBI database and based on maximum identity and dendrogram.
... The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates 65-80% of subjects from developing countries use to take medicinal plants widely (Robinson and Zhang, 2011). Studies demonstrating efficacy and safety of medicinal plants have been carried out worldwide, covering a range of socioeconomic development stages (Aslanargun et al., 2012;Coghlan et al., 2012;De Luca et al., 2012;Mankga et al., 2013). ...
Background
: Equisetum arvense L. (EA) is a traditional phytomedicine used as a diuretic agent worldwide and regulated strictly by European Medicine Agency (EMA) and Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA). However, few studies evaluating its efficacy and safety have been published and no clinical trial assessing its antihypertensive effect has been reported to date.
Purpose
: To assess antihypertensive effect, safety and tolerability of EA compared to hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ).
Methods
: This is a double-blind randomized clinical trial, allocating 58 systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) stage I patients (both sexes, 25-65 years old) into two groups (EA and HCTZ). All patients underwent biochemical and cardiologic checkup prior to and during interventions. The EA standardized dry extract (900 mg/day) or HCTZ (25 mg/day) were administered for 3 months and follow-up visits were conducted every 30 days. Efficacy established goals were systolic blood pressure (SBP) and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) decreases ≥ 10.0 mmHg and/or casual blood pressure (CBP) < 140/90 mmHg.
Results
: EA treatment demonstrated a significant antihypertensive effect, promoting a mean decrease of SBP and DBP by 12.6 and 8.1 mmHg, respectively, and resulting a CBP mean of 134.0/84.5 mmHg at the end of intervention on the SAH stage I patients (CBP mean of 148.5/95.7 mmHg). There were no significant statistical differences between EA and HCTZ interventions on blood pressure decrease, and before-after treatments regarding to biochemical tests and signs of acute toxicity, renal, hepatic and hematologic alterations. A slight trend but no significant difference were observed between adverse events from EA (3.58%) and HCTZ (4.68%) groups.
Conclusion
: EA standardized dry extract was successfully applied to the SAH stage I patient treatment, decreasing effectively SBP ad DBP values to the reference normal ranges, and demonstrating a well-tolerability profile similar to HCTZ intervention.
... For instance, in the Asteraceae (daisy) familyfamous for its high rates of hybridisation and with up to 33,000 species the largest plant family in the world -intrafamilial relationships could not be resolved even with the use of 10 chloroplast markers 9 . 10,11 Low-copy nuclear (LCN) genes are promising alternatives for plant clades in which traditional DNA barcodes cannot be successfully applied. The higher rate of molecular evolution compared to organellar genomes, combined with low levels of paralogy, make LCN genes ideal candidates for improved phylogenetics 6 , as well as accurate molecular identi cation 12,13 . ...
... Traditional DNA barcoding techniques using organellar markers have had limited success 11,36,41 with only 30% of Aloe specimens correctly identi ed using the ITS1 region 10 . Obtaining LCN genes would be a signi cant step forward but has so far been hindered by the large and complex genomes of Aloe species: 1C-values range from 8.10-35.95 ...
Plant molecular identification studies have, until recently, been limited to the use of highly conserved markers from plastid and other organellar genomes, compromising resolution in highly diverse plant clades. Due to their higher evolutionary rates and reduced paralogy, low-copy nuclear genes overcome this limitation but are difficult to sequence with conventional methods and require high-quality input DNA. Aloe vera and its relatives (Asphodelaceae, subfamily Alooideae) are of economic interest for food and health products and have horticultural value. However, pressing conservation issues are increasing the need for a molecular identification tool to regulate the trade. With >600 species and an origin of ±15 million years ago, this predominantly African succulent plant clade is a diverse and taxonomically complex group for which low-copy nuclear genes would be desirable for accurate species discrimination. Unfortunately, with an average genome size of 16.76 pg, obtaining high coverage sequencing data for these genes would be prohibitively costly and computationally demanding. We used newly generated transcriptome data to design a customised RNA-bait panel targeting 189 low-copy nuclear genes in Alooideae. We demonstrate its efficacy in obtaining high-coverage sequence data for the target loci on Illumina sequencing platforms, including degraded DNA samples from museum specimens, with considerably improved phylogenetic resolution. This customised target capture sequencing protocol has the potential to confidently indicate phylogenetic relationships of Aloe vera and related species, as well as aid molecular identification applications.
... quality DNA concentration that could allow PCR amplification to take place. Depending on which vegetative part of the plant; its time of collection, storage condition, and extraction of sufficient DNA template for comparison, and accurate species identification, the whole process is undeniably challenging (Mankga et al., 2013). This arduous feat may impede trade controls and conservation efforts made on wild medicinal plant resources that warrant technique optimization in quality DNA isolation. ...
The processed root of Wikstroemia indica, also known as Wikstroemiae Radix (WR), is known as a time-honored traditional herbal medicine demonstrating health-promoting properties. Although W. indica is valuable, its molecular information on this medicinal plant is limited. In this study, we reported the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequences of W. indica and its congener, W. nutans, the latter of which is highly identical to W. indica in both their natural distributions and morphological characteristics. The cp genomes of W. indica and W. nutans were 151,746 bp and 149,776 bp in size, respectively, and were predicted to contain the same number of genes, including 78 protein-coding, 37 tRNA, and eight rRNA genes. Genome comparison of W. indica showed that mutational hotspots were present despite low intraspecific variations were detected between two different accessions. Although phylogenetic analyses revealed that the two closely-related species of Wikstroemia were sisters, presence of variations in the sequence and mutational hotspots demarcated these two species apart. To authenticate commercial WR products sold in the market, three sets of novel indel markers and two sets of novel DNA barcoding markers from the cp genome sequences were developed. However, only the indel marker ndhK-trnV and the DNA barcoding marker, ccsA-psaC were proven useful in discriminating W. indica from W. nutans; while the former is even capable to delimit W. indica from adulterants of other related species. The findings of this study are useful for the molecular development of W. indica and also contribute to the effort in species authentication, trade monitoring and drug regulation in the local herbal industry.
