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

ABSTRACT

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.