Search Results (2)

Medicinal plants are important in the South African traditional healthcare system, the growth in the consumption has led to increase in trade through muthi shops and street vendors. Medicinal plants are prone to contamination with fungi and their mycotoxins. The study investigated multiple mycotoxin contamination using Ultra High Pressure Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) for the simultaneous detection of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), Deoxynivalenol (DON), Fumonisins (FB₁, FB₂, FB₃), Nivalenol (NIV), Ochratoxin A (OTA) and Zearalenone (ZEN) in frequently sold medicinal plants. Medicinal plant samples (n = 34) were purchased and analyzed for the presence of eight mycotoxins. DON and NIV were not detected in all samples analyzed. Ten out of thirty-four samples tested positive for mycotoxins —AFB₁ (10.0%); OTA (10.0%); FB1 (30.0%); FB2 (50.0%); FB3 (20.0%); and ZEN (30.0%). Mean concentration levels ranged from AFB₁ (15 µg/kg), OTA (4 µg/kg), FB₁ (7–12 µg/kg), FB₂ (1–18 µg/kg), FB₃ (1–15 µg/kg) and ZEN (7–183 µg/kg). Multiple mycotoxin contamination was observed in 30% of the positive samples with fumonisins. The concentration of AFB₁ reported in this study is above the permissible limit for AFB1 (5 µg/kg). Fumonisin concentration did not exceed the limits set for raw maize grain (4000 µg/kg of FB₁ and FB₂). ZEN and OTA are not regulated in South Africa. The findings indicate the prevalence of mycotoxin contamination in frequently traded medicinal plants that poses a health risk to consumers. There is therefore a need for routine monitoring of multiple mycotoxin contamination, human exposure assessments using biomarker analysis and establishment of regulations and standards. Full article

In Limpopo Province, harvesting plants for herbal use by traditional health practitioners and ordinary people is an everyday practice. The study investigated the utilization of the following Threatened or Protected Plant-listed species (TOPS): Alepidea amatymbica Eckl. & Zeyh., Brackenridgea zanguebarica Oliv., Dioscorea sylvatica Eckl., Drimia sanguinea (Schinz) Jessop, Siphonochilus aethiopicus (Schweinf.) B.L.Burtt and Warburgia salutaris (G.Bertol.) Chiov. in Limpopo Province, South Africa. A total of 333 participants were interviewed in this study, across the five districts of the Limpopo Province. Results indicate that traditional health practitioners (THPs) and community members (CMs) use these species exclusively for medicinal purposes. Remedies were often prepared using the underground parts of the plants, which were purchased chiefly from muthi shops–shops trading in both indigenous and exotic plant and animal material used for witchcraft and/or healing. Just over 58.4% of respondents indicated that they purchase material from muthi shops due to their scarcity in local communal lands. In contrast, nearly 40% of participants disclosed that they harvest material from open access land. Only 1.6% of participants sourced these plants from their home gardens. The preference for underground parts and species rarely cultivated in home gardens will lead to extinction of wild populations unless users switch to alternative parts for sustainability. Full article