African Herbal Medicine: Plants, Traditions and Conservation

Africa is a continent of many peoples, languages and healing traditions, so no single page can describe "African herbal medicine" as one system. This overview does something narrower. It reports what the World Health Organization (WHO) says about traditional medicine in Africa, then uses one well-studied plant, devil's claw, to show how tradition, research, regulation and conservation meet. For wider context, see African traditional medicine: what can be said responsibly.

Herbal products can interact with medicines and some are unsafe in pregnancy or for children. Ask a pharmacist or clinician first, and never use an herb in place of care for a serious illness, including HIV (African herbs and HIV or AIDS claims).

How WHO describes traditional medicine

WHO's Africa regional office describes traditional medicine as knowledge, skills and practices based on theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to different cultures, used to maintain health and to prevent, diagnose, improve or treat illness. [1] The same page says herbal treatments are the most popular form of traditional medicine, and that 70% to 80% of the Region has used a form as primary health care. [1] We repeat that figure as WHO's statement; the page does not give the survey details behind it.

WHO also says it is drafting a Plan of Action for the Third Decade of African Traditional Medicine, with aims that include quality and safe products through regulation, large-scale cultivation and conservation of medicinal plants, and protecting intellectual property and equitable benefit sharing of traditional knowledge. [1] WHO's international regulatory cooperation network for herbal medicines lists several African members, among them Botswana, Ghana, Namibia, South Africa and Uganda. [2]

Devil's claw: one plant, several stories

Devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens; the tuberous secondary root is the part used) grows in the Kalahari region of southern Africa. [3] A review of its ethnobotany reports use as a general health tonic and for arthritis, pain, fever, ulcers and boils, with infusions, decoctions, tinctures, powders and extracts. [3] These are traditional uses, described here and not endorsed.

Do not confuse devil's claw with cat's claw; they are different plants. [5] Details are on the devil's claw profile.

Harvest, trade and conservation

A 2005 review reported that most of the world's devil's claw supply came from Namibia, with smaller amounts from South Africa and Botswana, and that in the peak export year, 2002, 1018 tonnes of dried tubers were exported, representing millions of plants. [6] It says harvest improved income in marginalized communities but raised sustainability questions, and that a proposal to list devil's claw on CITES Appendix II was withdrawn in 2004 as range states addressed sustainability. [6] The 2012 ethnobotany review says high demand has led to over-harvesting, and that only the secondary tubers are used commercially. [3] See at-risk medicinal plants and adulteration and substitution. We give no harvesting instructions.

Other African plants on this site

The African potato (Hypoxis) page covers one more plant in its traditional context. For others, use the herb profiles.