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Many traditional healing systems are based on natural biological resources, and there is a general shift in most par ts of the world towards natural medicine, with direct implications on the demand and supply of medicinal plants. This review highlights the economic impor tance of medicinal plants, their contribution to healthcare systems, and potential oppor tunities for rural economic development through cultivation. A systematic literature review with specific search terms related to medicinal plants was used to collect scientific and non-scientific information from peer-reviewed literature and grey literature databases. The findings indicate that trade in medicinal plants is increasing, and although they are considered minor crops compared to major food crops, their value is among the highest in the list of traded plants globally. The trade also serves as a revenue source for many rural livelihoods, with women playing a significant role. Medicinal plants contribute to primary health care in many developing countries, and they are also an essential source of modern drug discovery. Cultivation of medicinal plants offers emerging rural farmers an oppor tunity to grow these plants as new and alternative crops, thus reducing unsustainable wild harvesting and competition with established commercial farmers who mostly focus on food crops. Fur thermore, medicinal plant cultivation should be promoted as one of the options for local economic development and sustainability through job creation, the revival of the rural economy, and income generation for small businesses, such as the transpor t businesses, involved in the value chain. Land accessibility, financial resources, and direct market access for rural communities can elevate their contribution to the industry. Formalisation of the lower levels of the medicinal plant trade is also recommended.

Background: Agathosma betulina (P.J. Bergius) Philans and Agathosma crenulata (L.) Pillans are species known as Buchu in Khoi, ‘boegoe’ or ‘bergboegoe’ in Afrikaans and ‘ibuchu’ in isiXhosa. Traditionally, buchu has served as an antipyretic, antispasmodic, diuretic, treatment for constipation, and unrinary tract infections. Aim: The aim of this review is to contribute to the better understanding of the cultivation practices and phytochemical constituents of buchu. Setting: This review provides an overview of cultivation practices and phytochemical composition of A. betulina and A. crenulata. Method: A comprehensive search was conducted on existing literature on the traditional uses, medicinal use, cultivation, and phytochemistry of A. betulina and A. crenulata in online databases. Results: Buchu is highly valued for its oil, and used globally in culinary and cosmetic industries for its flavour and aroma. Rising demand for its essential oils and therapeutic products in the early 2000s led to overharvesting, threatening natural populations. To address this, cultivation was encouraged, but limited knowledge of its cultivation methods raises concerns about the impact of further commercial expansion on the species and its ecosystem. Buchu contains bioactive compounds such as diosphenol, menthone, and pulegone, which have demonstrated antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties in preclinical studies. Conclusion: Further research should focus on cultivation practices, non-volatile constituents, in vitro, in vivo, and clinical research of the species health benefits. Contribution: Bioprospecting for new health-promoting items needed in the primary healthcare delivery system can benefit from this study’s addition to the body of knowledge already available on the two commercially available buchu plants.

Africa has the largest diversity of the genus Hypoxis, accounting for 61% of the current globally accepted taxa within the genus, including some endemic species. Using Hypoxis hemerocallidea as a case study, this review addresses the conservation concerns arising from the unsustainable, wild harvesting of a number of Hypoxis species. Hypoxis hemerocallidea is one of the wild-harvested, economically important, indigenous medicinal plants of southern Africa, with potential in natural product and drug development. There are several products made from the species, including capsules, tinctures, tonics and creams that are available in the market. The use of H. hemerocallidea as a “cure-all” medicine puts an important harvesting pressure on the species. Unsustainable harvesting causes a continuing decline of its populations and it is therefore of high priority for conservation, including a strong case to cultivate the species. Reviewing the current knowledge and gaps on cultivation of H. hemerocallidea, we suggest the creation of a platform for linking all the stakeholders in the industry.

Soaking Hypoxis hemerocallidea corms in distilled water improved the propagation and development of cormlets, suggesting the potential leaching-out of inhibitory chemical compounds. To investigate the presence of inhibitory compounds, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectral data of the leachate from dormant H. hemerocallidea corms were obtained using a 600 MHz 1H-NMR spectrometer. The 1H-NMR analysis led to the identification of choline, succinate, propylene glycol, and lactose, as inhibitory compounds. These four chemical compounds are part of the “Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents” (NADES) that protect plant cells during stress periods, each of which has the potential to inhibit bud growth and development. These compounds are supposedly leached out of the corms during the first rain under natural conditions, possibly accompanied by changes in the ratios of dormancy-breaking phytohormones and inhibitory compounds, to release bud dormancy. The identified chemical compounds heralded a novel frontier in the vegetative propagation of H. hemerocallidea as a medicinal plant, and for its enhanced sustainable uses.

Ginger species play an important economic role as medicinal plants, food flavourings, and dietary supplements. Products from ginger, including oil and fresh and dried rhizomes can be used to treat malaria, asthma, headaches, and act as anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial agents. The cultivation of wild plant species can alleviate the pressure from harvesting from the wild. Under cultivation, the major constraints on crop yield and quality are water availability and plant nutrition. Therefore, the impact of water stress on commercial and African ginger was assessed in the rain shelter study. Irrigation treatments were based on the maximum allowable depletion (MAD) levels of plant available water in the root zone (T1: 20–25% MAD, the control; T2: 40–45% MAD; T3: 60–65% MAD; T4: 80–85% MAD). As water stress decreased, the plant height and number of stems per plant of both plant species were positively affected. The number of open stomata was higher for well-watered and less stressed treatments in both ginger species. Higher fresh and dry rhizome yields were recorded for commercial ginger at all water treatments as compared to those from African ginger. In general, water use efficiency (WUE) of fresh and dry rhizome yield was higher for commercial ginger as compared to the indigenous African ginger, while moderately stressed treatments generally resulted in the highest WUE for both species.

Competition for water between agricultural and non-agricultural economic sectors hampers agricultural production, especially in water-scarce regions. Understanding crop responses in terms of yield and quality to irrigation is an important factor in designing appropriate irrigation management for optimal crop production and quality. Pelargonium sidoides DC., often harvested from the wild, is in high demand in the informal market and for commercial formulations. Agricultural production of high-quality materials through cultivation can help reduce pressure on its wild populations. This study aimed at determining the effects of water and nitrogen on P. sidoides yield and metabolite production. The irrigation treatments applied were 30%, 50%, and 70% of an allowable depletion level (ADL), while the nitrogen (N) levels were 0 (control), 50, 100, and 150 kg ha−1. The 30% ADL resulted in a significantly higher biomass and root yield. Nitrogen at 50 and 100 kg ha−1 resulted in a significantly higher biomass yield, compared to the N control. An increase in sugars and citrate cycle components was observed for the well-watered 30% ADL treatment, whereas water-stressed (50% and 70% ADL) treatments increased alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, increasing levels of asparagine, 4-aminobutyrate, and arginine. The treatments had no significant effect on the root content of esculin, scopoletin, and umckalin. Water stress induced metabolite synthesis to mitigate the stress condition, whereas under no water stress primary metabolites were synthesized. Moreover, cultivation of P. sidoides as a conservation strategy can increase yield without affecting its bioactivity, while providing sustenance for the rural communities.

Soaking Hypoxis hemerocallidea corms in distilled water improved the propagation and development of cormlets, suggesting the potential leaching-out of inhibitory chemical compounds. To investigate the presence of inhibitory compounds, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectral data of the leachate from dormant H. hemerocallidea corms were obtained using a 600 MHz [sup.1] H-NMR spectrometer. The [sup.1] H-NMR analysis led to the identification of choline, succinate, propylene glycol, and lactose, as inhibitory compounds. These four chemical compounds are part of the “Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents” (NADES) that protect plant cells during stress periods, each of which has the potential to inhibit bud growth and development. These compounds are supposedly leached out of the corms during the first rain under natural conditions, possibly accompanied by changes in the ratios of dormancy-breaking phytohormones and inhibitory compounds, to release bud dormancy. The identified chemical compounds heralded a novel frontier in the vegetative propagation of H. hemerocallidea as a medicinal plant, and for its enhanced sustainable uses.

BackgroundAgathosma betulina (P.J. Bergius) Philans and Agathosma crenulata (L.) Pillans are species known as Buchu in Khoi, ‘boegoe’ or ‘bergboegoe’ in Afrikaans and ‘ibuchu’ in isiXhosa. Traditionally, buchu has served as an antipyretic, antispasmodic, diuretic, treatment for constipation, and unrinary tract infections.AimThe aim of this review is to contribute to the better understanding of the cultivation practices and phytochemical constituents of buchu.SettingThis review provides an overview of cultivation practices and phytochemical composition of A. betulina and A. crenulata.MethodA comprehensive search was conducted on existing literature on the traditional uses, medicinal use, cultivation, and phytochemistry of A. betulina and A. crenulata in online databases.ResultsBuchu is highly valued for its oil, and used globally in culinary and cosmetic industries for its flavour and aroma. Rising demand for its essential oils and therapeutic products in the early 2000s led to overharvesting, threatening natural populations. To address this, cultivation was encouraged, but limited knowledge of its cultivation methods raises concerns about the impact of further commercial expansion on the species and its ecosystem. Buchu contains bioactive compounds such as diosphenol, menthone, and pulegone, which have demonstrated antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties in preclinical studies.ConclusionFurther research should focus on cultivation practices, non-volatile constituents, in vitro, in vivo, and clinical research of the species health benefits.ContributionBioprospecting for new health-promoting items needed in the primary healthcare delivery system can benefit from this study’s addition to the body of knowledge already available on the two commercially available buchu plants.