Ethnomedical Uses of Fabaceae Plant Species for Primary Health Care by Rural Communities in Limpopo Province, South Africa

Description

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20504207

Sejabaledi A. Rankoana (Department of Sociology & Anthropology, University of Limpopo, South Africa)

The local biodiversity of indigenous flora is an important source of medicinal plants for traditional healthcare systems and is recognised by pharmaceutical industries for novel drug development. This review presents the medicinal uses of indigenous plant species in the family Fabaceae for primary healthcare needs among members of rural communities in the Capricorn District of Limpopo Province, South Africa. The review adopted a narrative literature review approach to describe the ethnomedical uses of these plant species, with a particular focus on evidence from South Africa and comparable contexts. The findings highlight the species’ medicinal uses as both curative and preventive. The review shows similar uses of the medicines by other cultural groups, which suggests clinical investigations to test the claimed medicinal properties of the plant parts used and wider propagation of the species. This type of healthcare contributes to the United Nations’ goal of achieving good health and well-being for all people.