Potential of Malawi's medicinal plants in Covid-19 disease management: A review

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has triggered an international pandemic that has led to significant public health problems. To date, limited evidence exists to suggest that drugs are effective against the disease. As possible treatments are being investigated, herbal medicines have shown potential for producing novel antiviral agents for the COVID-19 disease. Aim This review explored the potential of Malawi's traditional medicinal plants for the management of COVID-19. Methods:The authors searched on PubMed and Google scholar for medicinal plants that are used in Malawi and published in openly available peer reviewed journals. Plants linked with antiviral treatment, anti-COVID-19 activity or COVID-19 symptoms management were targeted. These included activity against pneumonia, inflammation, cough, difficulty in breathing, pain/aches, fever, diarrhoea, rheumatism, fatigue, asthma, immunocompromised and cardiovascular diseases.Results:11 studies were found with 306 plant species. 127 plant species had at least one COVID-19 related pharmacological activity. Of these plant species, the number of herbal entities used for each indication was: pain/aches (87), fever (2), pneumonia (9), breathing/asthma problems (5), coughing (11), diarrhoea (1), immunosuppression (8), blood issues (10), fatigue (2), heart problems (11), inflammation (8), rheumatism (10) and viral diseases (12). Thirty (30) species were used for more than one disease and Azedarachta indica topped the list (6 of the 13 COVID-19 related diseases). The majority of the species had phytochemicals known to have antiviral activity or mechanisms of actions linked to COVID-19 and consequent diseases' treatment pathways.Conclusion:Medicinal plants are a promising source of compounds that can be used for drug development of COVID-19 related diseases. This review highlights potential targets for the World Health Organization and other research entities to explore in order to assist in controlling the pandemic.

Evaluation of pharmacological properties, phytochemistry, and medicinal uses of Baccharoides guineensis

The leaves, roots, and/or tubers of Baccharoides guineensis are used as traditional medicines in West Africa. Thisstudy is aimed to evaluate the pharmacological properties, photochemistry, and medicinal uses of B. guineensis. Theresults of this study are based on data derived from online databases such as Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed,ScienceDirect, and MEDLINE and pre-electronic sources such as scientific publications, theses, books, dissertations,book chapters, and journal articles. This study revealed that the leaves, roots, and/or tubers of B. guineensis are widelyused as anthelmintic, snakebite antidote, and ethnoveterinary medicine and as traditional medicine for toothache,gastrointestinal problems, jaundice, malaria, female, and male infertility. Phytochemical compounds identified fromthe species include anthraquinones, ceramide, fatty acids, flavonoids, glycerol esters, sesquiterpene lactones, steroids,stigmatanes, sucrose esters, and triterpenoids. The pharmacological research revealed that B. guineensis extracts andphytochemical compounds isolated from the species have antioxidant, anthelmintic, antiangiogenic, antibacterial,antiplasmodial, antiproliferative, antitrypanosidal, clonogenic, and antifungal activities. The future research on B.guineensis should focus on the possible biochemical mechanisms of both the crude extracts and phytochemicalcompounds including the toxicological, in vivo, and clinical studies to corroborate the traditional medicinal applicationsof the species.

Helichrysum caespititium (DC.) Harv.: Review of its medicinal uses, phytochemistry and biological activities

Helichrysum caespititium is a valuable and well-known medicinal plant in south and central Africa. The current studyexamined ethnomedicinal uses, chemical and biological properties of H. caespititium. Information on medicinal uses,phytochemistry, and biological activities of H. caespititium were assembled from several internet sources whichincluded Scopus, Google Scholar, Elsevier, Science Direct, Web of Science, Pubmed, SciFinder, and BMC. Additionalinformation was sourced from journal articles, scientific reports, theses, books, and book chapters gathered from theUniversity library. The current study showed that H. caespititium is used for treating several medical conditions,particularly respiratory infections, sexually transmitted infections, nausea, headache, wounds, ulceration, and usedas an aphrodisiac. The pharmacological research showed that H. caespititium extracts and compounds isolated fromthe species have antibacterial, antigonorrhea, antimycobacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, and cytotoxicity activities.This research showed that H. caespititium is an integral part of indigenous pharmacopeia in southern Africa, but thereis lack of alignment between the ethnomedicinal uses and existing biological screening. Therefore, future researchshould focus on evaluation of the chemical and pharmacological properties of H. caespititium extracts and compoundsisolated from the species.

Asparagus sekukuniensis (Oberm.) Fellingham & N.L.Mey.: A threatened medicinal plant species used by Vhavenda in the Soutpansberg Region, Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, Limpopo province, South Africa

Asparagus sekukuniensis is at risk of extinction in South Africa due to over-collection as herbal medicine. However,there is a scant of literature on the diseases cured by the species, parts used, dosage, and how it is administered.Therefore, this study was aimed at documenting ethnomedicinal uses of A. sekukuniensis, in the Soutpansberg Region,Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, Limpopo province, South Africa. Data on ethnomedicinal uses of A. sekukuniensis weregathered with an aid of semi-structured dialogues, observations, and guided field walk by 125 participants betweenMay and December 2018. Among the participants, laypeople were 35.2% and subsistence farmers were 14.4%.Specialist herbal healers include child health-care healers (29.6%), wound healers (11.2%), and general healers(9.6%). The recorded uses of A. sekukuniensis include the enhancement of fontanelle closure in an infant (24.8%),convulsions in an infant (22.4%), vaccinating epilepsy in an infant (17.6%), unhealed or cancer-related wounds(15.2%), genital wounds (12.0%), and boils (8.0%). Asparagus sekukuniensis appeared to be an important herbalmedicine against infant ailments, wounds, infections, and infestations. These findings, therefore, call for an evaluationof the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of this species.

Therapeutic plants used by traditional health practitioners to treat pneumonia in the Limpopo Province, South Africa / Plantas terapéuticas utilizadas por profesionales de la salud tradicionales para tratar la neumonía en la provincia de Limpopo, Sudáfrica

Ethnobotanical studies focusing on the documentation of folk therapies employed for pneumonia are almost non-existence in Africa and elsewhere. Data on plants used to treat this ailments was obtained through informed consent semi-structured face-to-face interview and field observations with 128 conveniently selected Bapedi traditional healers (THs) residing in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. A total of 57 plant species distributed across 54 genera and 32 botanical families, mostly the Asteraceae (21.8%) and Fabaceae (18.7%) were used by THs to treat pneumonia and related symptoms. Therapeutic uses of larger number of the documented species are not recorded elsewhere in literature as treatments of these ailments. Overall, the most widely used species by all interviewed THs were Acacia erioloba, Clerodendrum ternatum, Cryptocarya transvaalensis, Enicostema axillare, Lasiosiphon caffer and Stylochaeton natalensis. Ethnopharmacological studies validating the reported therapeutic claims of the species by Bapedi THs should be a subject of future investigation.

Los estudios etnobotánicos que se centran en la documentación de las terapias populares empleadas para la neumonía son casi inexistentes en África y en otros lugares. Los datos sobre plantas utilizadas para tratar estas dolencias se obtuvieron a través de entrevistas personales semiestructuradas con consentimiento informado y observaciones de campo a 128 curanderos tradicionales (TH) convenientemente seleccionados que residen en la provincia de Limpopo, Sudáfrica. Las TH utilizaron un total de 57 especies de plantas distribuidas en 54 géneros y 32 familias botánicas, en su mayoría Asteraceae (21.8%) y Fabaceae (18.7%) para tratar la neumonía y los síntomas relacionados. Los usos terapéuticos de un gran número de las especies documentadas no se registran en ninguna otra parte de la literatura como tratamientos para estas dolencias. En general, las especies más utilizadas por todos los TH entrevistados fueron Acacia erioloba, Clerodendrum ternatum, Cryptocarya transvaalensis, Enicostema axillare, Lasiosiphon caffer y Stylochaeton natalensis. Los estudios etnofarmacológicos que validan las afirmaciones terapéuticas informadas de las especies por parte de Bapedi TH deben ser un tema de investigación futura.

Diospyros lycioides Desf.: Review of its botany, medicinal uses, pharmacological activities and phytochemistry

Diospyros lycioides Desf.(D.lycioides) is traditionally used as herbal medicine against various human and animal ailments in tropical Africa.The present paper reviewed information on botany,medicinal uses,phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of D.lycioides.This review was compiled using scientific literature from electronic search engine such as PubMed,Scopus,ScienceDirect,Springerlink,BioMed Central,Scielo,Medline and Science domain.Additional literatures were obtained from book chapters,books,dissertations,websites and other scientific publications.D.lycioides is used as traditional medicine in 50％ of the countries where the species is native in tropicai Africa.This study recorded 22 medicinal uses of D.lycioides which included abdominal pains,infertility in women,sexually transmitted infections,and used as chewing sticks (or mouthwash),toothbrushes and ethnoveterinary medicine.D.lycioides extracts demonstrated anti-adhesive,anti-inflammatory,antimetastatic,antioxidant,antifungal,antiproliferative,mutagenicity and antibacterial activities.Future research should focus on the pharmacological properties,phytochemistry,clinical trials and pharmacokinetics of D.lycioides which will enhance the therapeutic potential of the species.