A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Johannesburg, 2000 / In the spirit of the World Health Organisation directives to Member states to scientifically evaluate herbal medicines so that consumers and health care providers can be provided with up-to-date and authoritative information on the beneficial properties, and possible harmful effects of all herbal medicines, the aim of this study was to investigate extracts of Agapanthus africanus and Clivia miniata, as phytomedicines using WHO guidelines as a reference outline. Agapanthus africanus and Clivia miniata have been the most often cited herbal oxytocics used in South African traditional medicine and are among the 5 most often used by traditional healers in areas in Kwazulu Natal to treat prolonged labour. A. praecox is reported to be used during parturition as well as A. africanus. These plant species were botanically identified, “fingerprint” chromatograms of extracts of the plants were made and basic toxicity potential (LC50) was assessed. / IT2018

Two species belonging to different families were investigated, Eucomis montana from the Hyacinthaceae and Agapanthus inapertus from the Agapanthaceae. To date no previous chemical investigation on Eucomis montana has been reported. Eucomis species are routinely harvested, processed and sold for the treatment of various ailments ranging from toothache, gastro-intestinal ailments, pain-producing ailments and venereal and urinary diseases. Members of the genus have shown to contain steroidal compounds and homoisoflavonoids. In this work one nortriterpenoid, a eucosterol type derivative and eleven homoisoflavonoids belonging to four classes, the 3-benzyl-4-chromanone, the 3-benzyl-3-hydroxy-4-chromanone, the 3-benzylidenyl-4-chromanone and the scillascillin type were found in the bulbs of Eucomis montana. Agapanthus species are also used by a number of African tribes medicinally. The bulbs and rhizomes of this family have been reported to contain steroidal saponins and sapogenins. In this work the roots of Agapanthus inapertus have been investigated and a tignan precursor and a lignan have been found. Structures of the compounds isolated were determined using spectroscopic techniques. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban 2003.