PhD in Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Lecturer in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Mpumalanga.
Adeyemi Oladapo Aremu received a grant from the National Research Foundation, Pretoria, South Africa. He is a member of the South African Academy of Young Sciences (SAYAS) and a junior member of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS).
Peter Chepiso Ndhlovu was supported by a grant from the National Research Foundation, Pretoria, South Africa (grant number UID 105161). He is a member of the Native Plant Use Forum (IPUF) and the South African Botanical Society (SAAB).
Wilfred Otang-Mbeng received support from the National Research Foundation (NRF) in Pretoria, South Africa (grant number UID 105161). He is a member of the Native Plant Use Forum (IPUF) and the Society for Medicinal Plants and Economic Development (SOMPED).
Abiodun Olusola Omotayo does not work for, advise, hold shares in, or receive funding from any company or organization that could benefit from this article and does not disclose any related relationship other than his academic appointments.
For thousands of years, people have used plants for skin care to cleanse, scent, beautify, and heal. Today, plants make a huge contribution to the multi-billion dollar cosmetic (beauty) and cosmeceutical (medicine) industries.
Although orthodox medicine treats many skin conditions, traditional herbal medicines and cosmetics are still popular, especially in rural areas where they have become part of folk culture.
In South Africa, some 27 million people still rely partially on traditional medicine. More than 3,000 native plants are reported to be used for traditional medicinal purposes. The commercialization potential of over 90 native South African plants was assessed. Of these traditionally used plants, 32% are sold in the ‘muti’ (traditional medicine) market, which contributes around R2.9 billion annually to the South African economy.
Herbal cosmetics is still part of the tradition and current trend in beauty and fashion. Many people prefer natural personal care products because they have few side effects.
However, information on local knowledge and practice in the use of natural cosmetics and cosmeceuticals in South Africa is limited. Documenting the plants used for these purposes can raise public awareness and encourage innovation to advance potential markets. It may also stimulate more research into the potential of new herbal products.
Therefore, we conducted a study in the Vembe region of Limpopo, South Africa. The area is rich in biodiversity and plants with traditional uses. We interviewed 79 women from 16 communities to document their medicinal use of plants. We also wondered how these plants contributed to the socio-economic life of rural women. Our research team is made up of botanists, agricultural economists and experts on indigenous knowledge systems.
Ethnobotanical information was collected between February and June 2018. It is based on personal interviews using questionnaires. We asked for the names of the local plants used and documented how they were prepared. We interviewed women knowledgeable about medicinal plants and photographed the plants they mentioned. Later, we placed the specimens in the herbarium of the National Biodiversity Institute of South Africa and established the botanical names of the collected plants.
We found that the use of herbal remedies was popular in the Vembe area. The existing cosmetic and cosmeceutical formulations include 49 plant species from 32 families.
For the first time, more than 50 percent of plants were registered for these purposes. For example, the leaves of Dicerocaryum zanguebaricum are used topically as a soap substitute, while in other studies they are considered antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and used in ethnoveterinary medicine.
The most frequently mentioned plants are devil’s thorn, soapwort and castor bean. Castor, soapwort, and devilthorn are valued for their ability to stop bleeding and speed up wound healing. They are also used to treat burns and relieve other skin conditions. The results of several studies of these plants demonstrate their potential as natural cosmetics and cosmeceuticals.
Vimbe women use a variety of equipment and tools. Basic tools include the panga, mortar and pestle, an ancient method that is still effective for impregnating and preparing plaster. Machines are not used for the production of herbal extracts. Most of the tools used were homemade, others were bought from hardware stores.
Another analysis shows that for every 1 ruble invested by rural women in the production of these products, they can receive an additional 0.28 rand.
These results show that businesses can improve the economic well-being of people in rural communities. Its economic potential deserves more detailed study.
According to our research, herbal cosmetics and cosmeceuticals are a potentially profitable business when invested in local infrastructure and industrial development in local communities.
Inexpensive products with high added value can become part of the development of the bioeconomy. However, more research and innovation is needed to stimulate product development in the local market.
The government and the private sector should share responsibility for developing local communities and helping rural women access productive credit or loans.
South Africa has a number of laws and regulations governing bioprospecting. They aim to protect traditional knowledge, biological and genetic resources such as medicinal plants. These provisions are consistent with those of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing. Both focus on the sustainable use of natural resources and the protection of biodiversity, traditional knowledge and intellectual property. This framework must be fully implemented at the local level to ensure equitable distribution of benefits, sustainable use of biological resources and increased investment in South Africa’s rural economy.
Post time: Jul-27-2023