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Magister Scientiae Dentium - MSc(Dent) / Aim: To determine whether there was any significant difference in the antimicrobial activity of 4 herbal toothpastes against cultures of 3 primary plaque colonizers (Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguinis and a non-specific alpha;-heamolytic streptococcus). / South Africa

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Hypertension is a common chronic health problem worldwide due to contributing factors such as obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet and changes in lifestyle. The standard of care for hypertension in South Africa is prescription medication, as well as a stepwise programme; this treatment approach is for the treatment of hypertension according to severity using diuretics, beta-blockers, vasodilators in a stepwise progressive manner. In South Africa,traditional herbal medicines have been used to treat many ailments especially hypertension.Garlic and African olive has been reported as herbal medicines that have anti-hypertensive properties and may be used to control hypertension, either individually or in combination.The objective of this study is to 1) prevalence of these traditional herbal medicines will be investigated and 2) determine the prevalence of garlic and/ or African olive use among hypertensive patients lieu of/or in combination with prescription medication. The study design was cross-sectional, comprising of two phases. Phase one was the administration of questionnaires concerning the participants‘ demographics, medical/clinical history, chronic illness and traditional herbal treatment. One hundred and eighty participants from Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiological study (PURE) cohort were administered questionnaires. Of the 180 participants, 139 indicated that they are hypertensive, 30 hypertensive participants were selected to participate in the in-depth interviews. Phase two was divided into two parts which were detailed interviews including in-depth interviews and a focus group discussion. The focus group discussion was conducted with a convenience sample of 10 hypertensive patients who were available on the day of data collection. The questionnaire data was analysed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and the interviews and focus group discussion was analysed using thematic content analysis.The results show that the participants with hypertension who are on prescription medication are also using traditional herbs, garlic and African olive as part of a dualistic health care treatment for their hypertension. The use of garlic is more prevalent than the use of African olive, as African olive was not well known among the participants.The results will facilitate in the acknowledgment of traditional herbal medicine use for hypertension, as either a home remedy for (other) chronic conditions or treatment in combination with prescription medication. It also highlights the necessity to educate participants and healthcare providers in the use of traditional herbal medicine. Furthermore, healthcare workers needs to be trained about THM and should also be obligated to ask about traditional herbal medicine among their patients.

Phytosterols and their glucosides (sterolins) have many therapeutic indications e.g. immune modulation, hypercholesterolaemia and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). In this study sterolslsterolins in three BPH phytotherapeutics (Hypoxis hemerocallidea, Prunus africana and Serenoa repens) and related products were investigated. The aim of this study was to develop, evaluate and apply TLC and HPLC methods for the qualitative and quantitative analyses of sterols and sterolins. A new optimum TLC method was developed for good visibility and separation of phytosterols and sterolins and could be used to qualitatively compare sterol/sterolin content. A published HPLC method to determine the bioavailability of β-sitosterol in humans was used in a new application to quantitatively determine phytosterols in plant extracts. A new and sensitive method to determine hypoxoside (norlignan diglucoside unique to Hypoxidaceae), by isolation from the crude methanol extract with solid phase extraction (SPE) and HPLC quantification using fluorescence detection (excitation wavelength of 230 nm and emission wavelength of 345 nm), was developed. The developed TLC and adapted HPLC methods were applied to determine the stability of phytosterols, subjected to increased temperature and gamma irradiation. Phytosterols in isolated form were more stable than the phytosterols in plant material. The data from the accelerated stability tests could be used to estimate the shelf-lives of the BPH phytotherapeutics and related sterol containing products. The HPLC method to determine β-sitosterol in serum, was evaluated during a pilot study of a clinical trial, to test the bio-equivalence of different phytosterol containing products. The method was found not sensitive enough to determine β-sitosterol in serum, notwithstanding improvements made, Le. changing the extraction ratio; experimenting with higher dosages, and different products. As result, the proposed clinical trial could not be performed, in the future, serum could rather be analysed by gas chromatographic methods. TLC and HPLC analyses of medicinal African potato tea, indicated that it contained hypoxoside, but not β-sitosterol or β-sitosterolin. β-Sitosterol (accepted to be the active of H. hemerocallidea) might not be the main active in African potato tea. Hypoxoside and a compound (red spot compound), noticed on TLC plates of acetone extracts of Prunus africana, Serenoa repens, Moducare®, Harzol®, Immunochoice® and Nutricare®, were extracted with water. This general presence of the red spot compound could point to a possible important function. Preparative TLC was unsuccessful to isolate the red spot compound, but column chromagraphy was successfully applied. From the proton and carbon NMR spectra, it was concluded, that the compound was definitely not a steroid and could either be a coumarin or an isoflavanoid, with a sugar unit (possibly a rhamose) attached to it. Further analyses to elucidate the structure failed due to decomposition of the compound. Further work on structure elucidation is required and possible therapeutic activity should also be investigated. The sterols and sterolins in H. hemerocallidea and related herbal medicine can be qualitatively and quantitatively analysed with the developed TLC and adapted HPLC methods. This provides natural medicine industry with necessary procedures to ensure proper quality, safety and stability. / Dissertation (MSc (Pharmacology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Pharmacology / unrestricted

An ethnobotanical survey of plants used for the treatment of eye infections was carried out in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The study revealed that 12 plant species are commonly used with Hippobromus pauciflorus (L.f) Radlk being the most frequent. The crude extracts of the leaves, stem bark and roots of the plant were investigated for antimicrobial activity against 10 bacterial and four fungal strains. The methanol extracts of the plant parts were the most active and showed appreciable activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The methanol extracts of the leaves and stem bark inhibited the growth of fungi with activities ranging from 78.70 percent to 100 percent on Aspergillus niger and Penicillium notatum. The acetone extracts of the leaves and stem bark were active against A. niger (51.76 percent) and P. notatum (77.22 percent). The aqueous extract of Hippobromus pauciflorus leaves at 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight doses were evaluated for anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities in male Wistar rats. Anti-inflammatory activity was studied by using carrageenan-and histamine induced oedema right hind paw volume while the analgesic effect was evaluated using formalin-induced pain and tail flick nociception response. The brewer’s yeast-induced pyrexia model was used for the antipyretic investigation. The extract at all the doses used significantly inhibited both the carrageenan- and histamine-induced inflammation in a manner that was not dose dependent. The extract reduced the formalin-induced pain licking as well as prolonged the reaction time in the tail flick-induced pain. The effects of the aqueous extract of the plant leaves at 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight doses were investigated for 14 days on some biochemical parameters of male Wistar rats. The extract at all the doses tested did not significantly alter the levels of white blood cells, red blood cells, mean corpuscular volume, platelets, neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes and large unstained cells. While the levels of haemoglobin, packed cell volume and basophils increased at specific doses, those of mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and eosinophils decreased. In vitro antiviral activities of the plant against herpes simplex virus type 1(HSV-1) and coxsakie virus B6 were investigated. Cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT assay in Vero cells. At concentrations ranging from 165-270/μg/ml there was significant antiviral activity against HSV-1, but toxicity was also noted. There was no antiviral activity against coxsakie virus B6. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the leaves of H. pauciflorus yielded three known compounds. From the ethyl acetate fraction, two compounds were isolated (epicatechin and -sitosterol ) and from the n- hexane fractions, one compound (lupeol) was isolated. They were isolated and identified using various techniques. The antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-pyretic activity of these compounds have been reported in literature. The structure and distribution of foliar appendages on the leaves of H. pauciflorus were examined by scanning electron microscope. The leaves have long unicellular nonglandular trichomes which were distributed over the mid rib and densely populated at the edges of the adaxial and abaxial surfaces. In general, the experiments and tests conducted in this study appear to have justified the use of Hippobromus pauciflorus for the treatment of eye infections and make a substantial contribution to the knowledge base of the use of herbal medicine for the treatment of the eye infections.

This thesis is an ethnographic study of the present day practice of traditional Chinese herbal medicine by the Chinese community of Vancouver, British Columbia. A qualitative research design was used to document the facilities, activities, people and beliefs involved in the practice of Chinese herbalism. A descriptive survey i s summarized for the 18 herbal pharmacies found in Vancouver's Chinatown. One herbal pharmacy is used as an example to provide a case study for the herbal products available and the interactions between the herbalist and the clientele. The thesis is organized around three key questions. The first concerns the social organization of traditional Chinese herbal knowledge in Vancouver. A tripartite model is used to conceptualize three distinct areas of expertise and knowledge of traditional herbalism in the Chinese community. These are the: (i) traditional Chinese herbal doctors; ( ii ) folk practitioners who are herbal pharmacists; ( iii ) family use of herbs in self-care. A major finding of the study was the central role the Chinese family plays in perpetuating the traditional use of herbs for both the prevention and treatment of disease. The second question attempts to determine how the practice of Chinese herbalism has changed due to its transplantation from Asia to Canada. The most significant difference was the minor role played by the traditional Chinese herbal doctor i n Vancouver compared to those in Hong Kong. The third question the thesis addresses is why "has Chinese herbalism persisted in a Western setting where everyone has free access to a government supported health care system. The author examines both ethnic and cultural explanations to understand the strength of the Chinese herbal tradition in Vancouver. Data on the efficacy of Chinese herbs on both physiological and cultural-symbolic levels is presented to demonstrate the viability of this healing system i n a contemporary context. The thesis concludes with a discussion on the complementarity between the Western and Chinese healing systems from both a practical and a theoretical perspective. / Arts, Faculty of / Anthropology, Department of / Graduate

Magister Pharmaceuticae - MPharm / Infusions, decoctions, alcoholic preparations and other dosage forms of Artemisia afra are frequently used in South African traditional medicine. Generally when these preparations are made without applying good manufacturing practices they do not meet microbial quality control standards, safety and toxicity criteria and encourage poor patients compliance. To overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of traditional dosage forms a sold dosage form, i.e. a table might be recommended. The first objective of this study was to formulate and manufacture a rapid release tablet dosage of Artemisia afra that would contain an amount of plant material equivalent to that found in its traditional liquid dosage forms and that would meet conventional pharmaceutical standards. The second objective was to conduct a pilot study to obtain a preliminary profile of the bioavailability of select flavonoids presents in both the tablet and traditional liquid preparation of Artemisia afra in humans. / South Africa

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This thesis deals with aroma active compounds of selected types of medicinal herbs, specifically lavender (Lavandula officinalis), peppermint (Mentha piperita), sage (Salvia officinalis), St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) and hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis). In the theoretical part the single herbs were characterized including botanical description, chemical composition, medicinal properties, adverse effects and the practical use; aroma active compounds present in herbs are also emphasized. Based on the literature search, gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry as currently the most frequently used method, was chosen for the assessment of aroma compounds. Solid Phase Microextraction was used for isolation of volatile compounds from dried herbs. Within experimental part of the work selected parameters of the SPME-GC-MS method were optimized, aroma compounds in samples of herbs were identified, and twenty four suspected fragrance allergens due to the Regulation (EC) N° 1223/2009 were also identified and quantified. Overall 69 compounds were indetified together with 2 allergens in lavender, 59 compounds including 5 allergens in peppermint, sage contained 49 compounds with 4 allergens included, 41 compounds were identified in St. John’s wort including 4 allergens and finally 64 compounds with 4 allergens included in hyssop.