Moteetee A, Seleteng Kose L
Department of Botany and Plant Biotechnology, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park 2006, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Department of Botany and Plant Biotechnology, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park 2006, Johannesburg, South Africa.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2016 Dec 24;194:827-849. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2016.10.062. Epub 2016 Oct 22.
Reproductive healthcare has been highlighted as a major challenge in Lesotho mainly due to the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections. As a result other reproductive ailments have not received much attention, particularly because healthcare facilities are already limited and many of them are inaccessible. For these reasons, medicinal plants play a major role in primary healthcare system in the country, in addition the plants are easily accessible, more affordable, and their use forms part of the cultural heritage. However, documentation of medicinal plants used for reproductive ailments is scattered, more importantly the biological and pharmacological properties, as well as toxicity of many of these plants are not yet known.
To document the plants used by both male and female Basotho (residing in Lesotho) for the treatment of reproductive ailments, to explore their recorded biological and pharmacological effects as well as their toxicity, and to establish if these plants are used for similar purposes in other southern African cultures.
The results stem from published findings of recent interviews of traditional medicinal practitioners in the Maseru District of Lesotho, first author's own experiences and observations from the Qacha's Nek District as well as comprehensive literature survey including numerous books and unpublished data. Electronic databases such as Google, Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect were also used to search for the chemical compounds, pharmacological activity, and toxicity of the plants.
A total of 87 plant species are reported to be used for the treatment of several reproductive problems such as infertility, complications associated with pregnancy (twelve plants are used to treat conditions such as colic, heartburn, nausea, and constipation), cleansing and/ or toning of the uterus (with a purpose either to induce pregnancy or to get rid of the placenta, for example Withania somnifera and Zantedeschia albomaculata), difficult childbirth, as well treatment of breast and cervical cancer, cysts, fibroids, and testicular tumours (e.g. Hypoxis hemerocallidea). For the toning of the uterus, it is common to use a combination of plants, e.g. Gunnera perpensa, Scabiosa columbaria, and Eriospermum ornithogaloides.
Of the 87 plants used for reproductive healthcare, the highest number (31) is used for the treatment of infertility (in both men and women). The pharmacological effects, active compounds, and toxicology of many of these plants are not yet known.
生殖健康护理在莱索托被视为一项重大挑战，主要原因是艾滋病毒/艾滋病和性传播感染的高流行率。因此，其他生殖疾病并未受到太多关注，特别是因为医疗设施本就有限，而且许多设施难以到达。由于这些原因，药用植物在该国的初级医疗保健系统中发挥着重要作用，此外，这些植物易于获取、价格更为低廉，并且其使用是文化遗产的一部分。然而，用于治疗生殖疾病的药用植物文献分散，更重要的是，许多此类植物的生物学和药理学特性以及毒性尚不清楚。
记录莱索托男性和女性（居住在莱索托）用于治疗生殖疾病的植物，探索其已记录的生物学和药理学作用以及毒性，并确定这些植物在其他南部非洲文化中是否用于类似目的。
研究结果源于对莱索托马塞卢区传统医学从业者近期访谈的已发表研究结果、第一作者本人在卡查斯内克区的经验和观察以及包括众多书籍和未发表数据在内的全面文献调查。还使用了谷歌、谷歌学术、PubMed和ScienceDirect等电子数据库来搜索这些植物的化合物、药理活性和毒性。
据报道，共有87种植物用于治疗多种生殖问题，如不孕症、与妊娠相关的并发症（12种植物用于治疗如绞痛、烧心、恶心和便秘等病症）、子宫清洁和/或调理（目的是诱导怀孕或排出胎盘，例如印度人参和白星海芋）、难产以及乳腺癌、宫颈癌、囊肿、肌瘤和睾丸肿瘤的治疗（例如黄苞竹芋）。对于子宫调理，通常使用多种植物的组合，例如垂序叶龙头草、柱花草和鸟乳花状绵枣儿。
在用于生殖健康护理的87种植物中，数量最多的（31种）用于治疗不孕症（男性和女性）。许多此类植物的药理作用、活性化合物和毒理学尚不清楚。
