“Bush Doctors and Wild Medicine”: The Scale of Trade in Cape Town's Informal Economy of Wild-Harvested Medicine and Traditional Healing

Petersen, Leif; Charman, Andrew; Moll, Eugene; Collins, Ray; Hockings, Marc

doi:10.1080/08941920.2013.861558

Cited by 20 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Generally, the number of African plant species with therapeutic uses is estimated to be close to 6000 [6]. Therefore, it is not surprising that trading of medicinal plant species through informal herbal medicine markets in Africa has significant socioeconomic importance in various countries, as this enable millions of people to generate incomes [7–17]. Quiroz et al [16] argued that herbal medicines generate economic opportunities for vulnerable groups living in periurban, rural, and marginalized areas especially women and farmers facing decreasing agricultural incomes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Medicinal Plants Traded in Informal Herbal Medicine Markets of the Limpopo Province, South Africa

Rasethe

Semenya

Maroyi

2019

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

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Trading of herbal medicines generates economic opportunities for vulnerable groups living in periurban, rural, and marginalized areas. This study was aimed at identifying medicinal plant species traded in the Limpopo province in South Africa, including traded plant parts, conservation statutes of the species, and harvesting methods used to collect the species. Semistructured questionnaire supplemented by field observation was used to collect data from owners of 35 informal herbal medicine markets in the Limpopo province. A total of 150 medicinal plant products representing at least 79 plant species belonging to 45 botanical families, mainly the Fabaceae (11.4%), Asteraceae (7.6%), and Hyacinthaceae (6.3%), were traded in the study area. Roots (50.0%), bulbs (19.0%), and bark (16.0%) were the most frequently sold plant parts. Some of the traded species which includeAlepidea amatymbica, Bowiea volubilis, Brackenridgea zanguebarica, Clivia caulescens,Dioscorea sylvatica,Elaeodendron transvaalense, Encephalartos woodii,Eucomis pallidiflorasubsp.pole-evansii,Merwilla plumbea,Mondia whitei,Prunus africana, Siphonochilus aethiopicus, Synaptolepis oliveriana,andWarburgia salutarisare of conservation concern and listed on the South African Red Data List.Findings of this study call for effective law enforcement to curb illegal removal of wild plants especially those species that are at the verge of extinction.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Medicinal Plants Traded in Informal Herbal Medicine Markets of the Limpopo Province, South Africa

Rasethe

Semenya

Maroyi

2019

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

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“…The Cape Town street market economy includes also a distinctive element of traders who are engaged with the city's burgeoning tourism economy through the vending of arts and crafts (van Eeden, 2011;Rogerson, Rogerson, 2017). Beyond retail, however, there is evidence of an informal economy of services which includes hairdressing and shebeens (selling of alcohol); of manufacturing (especially informal clothing), construction, recycling and repairs (garage mechanics in townships, cell phone repairs); and, a highly distinctive economy in which an estimated 15 000 practitioners collectively are involved in gathering wild-harvest resources to support the traditional medicine economy in township areas (Petersen, 2014;Petersen et al, 2014;Sustainable Livelihoods Foundation, 2016). The interviews conducted with key policy stakeholders disclosed that the existing knowledge base on the informal economy of Cape Town was limited.…”

Section: The Informal Economy and The Cape Town Policy Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Informality and migrant entrepreneurs in Cape Town’s inner city

Rogerson

2018

Bulletin of Geography. Socio-Economic Series

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Informality is a defining characteristic of cities in the global South and most especially across the region of sub-Saharan Africa. Policy responses by governments towards the informal economy impact the livelihoods of informal entrepreneurs. In South Africa the informal economy is a critical source of livelihoods in urban areas. Many participants in the informal economy of South Africa’s major urban centres are international migrants, mostly drawn to the country from other parts of sub-Saharan Africa. The objective in this paper is to examine the challenges faced by international migrant entrepreneurs in relation to policy development for the informal economy of the City of Cape Town. The analysis uses qualitative interviews with key stakeholders, documentary sources and secondary surveys. It is revealed that in Cape Town despite a pro-development rhetoric in the inner city there is evidence of a subtle but systematic exclusion of street traders, including of migrant entrepreneurs. Little evidence exists of a coherent analysis by city policy makers to understand and foreground the contributions made by migrant entrepreneurs for the urban economy.

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“…A patented extract of H. odoratissimum is used in the prevention of and treatment of skin cancer in South Africa [8]. Moreover, the leaves, stems, and twigs of H. odoratissimum are sold as herbal medicines in the informal herbal medicine markets in Gauteng and the Western Cape provinces in South Africa [9][10][11][12][13]. Research by Van Wyk [14][15][16] showed that the leaves of H. odoratissimum have commercial potential as ritual incense and sedative, while essential oils isolated from the species have commercial potential as an inhalant and aromatherapy in South Africa.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research by Van Wyk [14][15][16] showed that the leaves of H. odoratissimum have commercial potential as ritual incense and sedative, while essential oils isolated from the species have commercial potential as an inhalant and aromatherapy in South Africa. Research carried out so far on H. odoratissimum and other plant species showed that these resources are an integral part of traditional pharmacopeia in tropical Africa with a potential contribution to primary health care of local communities in the region [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. Therefore, the current study is aimed at providing a critical appraisal of the existing ethnomedicinal value, phytochemistry and biological activities of H. odoratissimum as well as exploring the potential of the species as herbal medicine in tropical Africa.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Synthesis and Review of Medicinal Uses, Phytochemistry and Biological Activities of Helichrysum Odoratissimum (L.) Sweet

Maroyi¹

2019

Asian J Pharm Clin Res

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Helichrysum odoratissimum is an important medicinal plant species in tropical Africa. The current study critically reviewed the medicinal uses, phytochemistry and biological activities of H. odoratissimum. Information on medicinal uses, phytochemistry and biological activities of H. odoratissimum were collected from multiple internet sources which included Scopus, Google Scholar, Elsevier, Science Direct, Web of Science, PubMed, SciFinder, and BMC. Additional information was gathered from pre-electronic sources such as journal articles, scientific reports, theses, books, and book chapters obtained from the university library. This study showed that H. odoratissimum is mainly used as an herbal medicine for insomnia, menstrual pain and sterility, and wounds and respiratory problems. Pharmacological research revealed that H. odoratissimum extracts and compounds isolated from the species have antibacterial, antimycobacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotection, and hypoglycemic and cytotoxicity activities. There is a need to validate the documented ethnomedicinal uses of H. odoratissimum through phytochemical and pharmacological studies. Therefore, future studies should address these knowledge gaps through experimental animal studies, randomized clinical trials, and target-organ toxicity studies involving H. odoratissimum crude extracts and compounds isolated from the species.

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“Bush Doctors and Wild Medicine”: The Scale of Trade in Cape Town's Informal Economy of Wild-Harvested Medicine and Traditional Healing

Cited by 20 publications

References 11 publications

Medicinal Plants Traded in Informal Herbal Medicine Markets of the Limpopo Province, South Africa

Medicinal Plants Traded in Informal Herbal Medicine Markets of the Limpopo Province, South Africa

Informality and migrant entrepreneurs in Cape Town’s inner city

A Synthesis and Review of Medicinal Uses, Phytochemistry and Biological Activities of Helichrysum Odoratissimum (L.) Sweet

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