The traditional use of Southern African medicinal plants to alleviate fever and their antipyretic activities

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology 2023-03, Vol.303, p.115850-115850, Article 115850
• Main Authors: Cock, I.E., Luwaca, N., Van Vuuren, S.F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antipyretics - pharmacology; Antipyretics - therapeutic use; Complementary and alternative medicine; Cryogen; Ethnobotany; Febrile; Fever; Humans; Medicine, African Traditional; Phytotherapy; Plants, Medicinal; Prostaglandin E2; Pyrogenic; Southern African People; Southern African plants; Traditional medicine
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115850

Multiple plant species are used traditionally in southern Africa to treat fever. This review summarises the traditional use, highlights promising plant species and focuses on validation studies to highlight future areas of research. This study aimed to critically review the use of southern African plants to alleviate fever. Additionally, an examination of research into those plants was undertaken to highlight gaps in the literature with the aim of stimulating further research in this field. Ethnobotanical books, reviews and primary research studies were searched to identify plant species traditionally used to treat fever in southern Africa and to summarise the current knowledge and identify areas requiring further research. This study was non-biased and did not have any taxonomic preferences, nor did it favour any southern African healing systems over the others. The traditional therapeutic uses of 203 southern African plant species to alleviate fever were recorded. Leaves and roots/bulbs/rhizomes were the most commonly used plant part, and they were most commonly prepared as decoctions or infusions and consumed orally. Notably, only twenty-two species (∼11% of the identified species) have been scientifically evaluated for antipyretic properties, with substantially fewer mechanistic studies evident. Despite the availability of ethnobotanical records, the antipyretic properties of southern African medicinal plants are poorly reported. Indeed, the efficacy of most plants is yet to be verified and very few mechanistic studies are available. [Display omitted]