Abstract

Medicinal plants are an important source of indigenous medical systems in South Africa and across the globe. The study aimed to investigate medicinal plants used for the treatment of various ailments by the traditional health practitioners and local people. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted to identify medicinal plants used by local people and traditional health practitioners to treat various ailments in Makhado Local Municipality, Vhembe District, Limpopo, South Africa. A questionnaire was designed to gather information on the local name of plants, plant parts used and the methods of preparation and administration by the traditional health practitioners. In our findings, sixty-three medicinal plants belonging to thirty-three families were identified to be used for the treatment of various diseases in humans. Specific parts of the plant used for medicinal purposes vary from species to species and from one traditional health practitioners to another. The dominant families were Fabaceae, Celastraceae and Euphorbiaceae. Of the sixty-three plant species identified, trees were the most predominant plant form (53%), followed by shrubs (23%), herbs (14%), and climbers (10%). Root, fruit, bark, leaves, seeds and in some instances the whole plant is used for the preparation of medicine while decoction and infusion were the general methods of preparation. The mode of administration of medicine was mainly oral. The most frequently used plant species were Warbugia salutaris (Bertol.f.) Chiov, Sclerocarya birrea (A.Rich) Hochst and Eleondron transvaalense (Burtt Davy) R.H. Archer. The results support the traditional use of medicinal plants by the local people and traditional health practitioners in Makhado Local Municipality for the treatment of various ailments in humans.