- Title
- An evaluation of medicinal plants used in South Africa and Lesotho for uterotonic contractile purposes
- Creator
- Smit, Inge
- Subject
- Traditional medicine -- South Africa Traditional medicine -- Lesotho
- Date Issued
- 2016
- Date
- 2016
- Type
- Thesis
- Type
- Masters
- Type
- MSc
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15232
- Identifier
- vital:40256
- Description
- Background One of the leading cause of maternal mortality globally is postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), which mainly occur in developing countries. By identifying traditional medicinal plants that is used by Traditional birth attendants we can analysis the plants for cyclotides which contain uterotonic properties and a wide variety of other properties. The indigenous knowledge of traditional medicinal plants need to be preserved and scientifically proven to ensure future drug development and continued use of these plants. Cyclotides can be used as a backbone to develop novel drugs in that cyclotides are very stable proteins. Methods: Ten plants were identified that are commonly used to prevent or treat postpartum haemorrhage. The plant samples were collected, prepared and dried in South Africa. The plants were analysed in Austria. The plants underwent extraction of one gram of each plant was analysed using: Matrix-Assisted Laser desorption Ionization time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS); Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Analysis by High-performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Results None of the ten plants analysed showed the presence of cyclotides. It is important to report negative results, because it informs the academic fraternity and could be entered in a global data base of results. The plants analysed is known to be used by Traditional Birth Attendants for the treatment or prevention of postpartum haemorrhage. Conclusion All the plants analysed are commonly used to prevent and treat PPH. The fact that no cyclotides were found do not dispute the practical use of these plants to prevent and treat PPH. There continue to be a gap in what uterotonic properties these plants contain and should be further investigated.
- Format
- 135 leaves
- Format
- Publisher
- University of Fort Hare
- Publisher
- Faculty of Science and Agriculture
- Language
- English
- Rights
- University of Fort Hare
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UFH Department of Botany
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | Inge Smit Full thesis final_22 April 17.pdf | 3 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |