Context: Tuberculosis (TB) has remained a devastating global public health problem. In the continuing search for effective treatment, polyherbal remedies used as alternative medicines in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa were surveyed.
Objective: The survey collected information and documents the list of ingredients such as the name of the plants used including the non-herbal inclusions, type and dosage of polyherbal formulations used for the treatment of TB.
Materials and methods: The survey was conducted over a period of 6 months using semi-structured questionnaires amidst informal conversations with the traditional healers in five communities in the study area. The chosen study area is the third infected Province with TB in South Africa.
Results: A total of nine polyherbal preparations were collected. Information on the parts of the plant used, mode of preparation and the dosage used were documented. In total, the herbs belong to 20 families of which Apiaceae, Liliaceae, Strychnaceae, Rutaceae and Hypoxidaceae are the most prominent. However, members of Apiaceae were commonly mentioned for the preparation of the remedies. The two most frequently used plants were Allium sativum L. (Liliaceae) and Strychnos decussata (Pappe) Gilg. (Strychnaceae). Rhizome was the commonest parts used, followed by the roots and barks.
Conclusions: This paper provides significant ethno-medicinal information on polyherbal medicines used for the treatment of TB in the study area. The therapeutic claims made on medicinal plants used for the preparations are well supported by the literature, with many of the species having antimicrobial properties.
Keywords: Apiaceae; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; traditional healers.