Indigenous safety measures of communally used plant medicine in a rural KhoiSan community

M (Indigenous Knowledge Systems), North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2018Medicinal plants play an integral part in meeting the health care needs of most of the African population, especially those in rural areas. Additionally, there is a growing demand for medicinal plants especially in urban areas "because most conventional medicine does not work on most people who take them" (Masango & Mbarika, 20 15:49). Even though there is an increased demand for medicinal plants, the loss of oral platforms of transferring indigenous knowledge on the safe and correct use of plant medicine from practitioner to trainee or from parent to child, has resulted in this knowledge being known by fewer people. Therefore this increases the number of people who use plant medicine incorrectly and could lead to cases of adverse or acute poisoning. The purpose of this research was therefore to investigate indigenous safety measures of communally used plant medicine in a rural KhoiSan community in in the Northern Cape. In order to meet the aim and objectives of the research, an ethnobotanical research approach was followed where a quantitative descriptive design was adopted. Data on indigenous measures of ensuring safety of communally used plant medicine was collected through ethnographic methods such as semi-structured interviews and participant observation from 17 members of the KhoiSan Medicine Men Committee. The data was categorized and analysed using statistical formulae such as Frequency of Citation and Informant Consensus Factor. The research focused on ten communally used medicinal plants and five of the ten medicinal plants were reported to be "strong·· (Sterk in Afrikaans) and " less safe"' by the participants. There was a high level of agreement from the participants because the Frequency of Citation revea led that five of the ten medicinal plants reported in this research received a I 00% ( 17) citation. These plants were also found in the gardens or yards of all participants, plants such as Wilderkeur, Wildeals, Wynruit, Kruistemint and !Xobagabhe. Adding to the previously mentioned plants with a I 00% FC. Bloudissel also received a I 00% FC and was present in all the yards of the participants' homes. Furthermore, in terms of assessing the level of agreement on the Informant Consensus Factor, Wildekeur displayed an ICF of 1 for cancerous illnesses and the same plant further displayed an ICF of 0.86 when used in combination with Wildeals and Wynruit to treat respiratory illness and 0.88 when combined with Rooistorm to treat renal illnesses. Another plant which displayed an ICF of 1 is Bloudissel for the treatment of STIs. It was further identified that if these plant medicines that are referred to as strong and if consumed in high quantities they may cause adverse effects such as dizziness, vomiting, diarrhoea and poisoning. The safety measures identified in this research include the identification of the correct plant for a particular illness, use of the correct plant part, correct preparation methods, right dosage and storage. In conclusion, this research confirmed that indigenous communities have measures employed to ensure the safety of the plant medicine they use to combat various illnesses and this research is one of a few researches to give focus on such aspects of African indigenous health. There is a paucity of research that acknowledge how indigenous communities ensure the safety of the medicinal plants they use and instead pharmacological studies disregard such measures. hence the contribution of this research.Master