NAME AND SURNAME:
ALBERT THIPE PAPOLE
STUDENT NUMBER:
55196063
MODULE CODE:
NST1502
ASSIGNMENT NUMBER:
03
(PORTFOLIO)
UNIQUE NUMBER:
864580
, Section A
Activity 1.1.
Traditional healers and western medical doctors discover their medicines.
Indigenous medicine and traditional healing.
Traditional medicine is the sum total of knowledge, skills, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and
experiences indigenous to different cultures that are used to maintain health, as well as to prevent, diagnose,
improve, or treat physical and mental illnesses. Traditional medicine that has been adopted by other
populations (outside its indigenous culture) is often termed complementary or alternative medicine .
The extensive use of traditional medicine in Africa, composed mainly of medicinal plants, has been argued to
be linked to cultural and economic reasons. This is why the WHO encourages African member states to
promote and integrate traditional medical practices in their health system. Plants typically contain mixtures of
different phytochemicals, also known as secondary metabolites that may act individually, additively, or in
synergy to improve health. Indeed, medicinal plants, unlike pharmacological drugs, commonly have several
chemicals working together catalytically and synergistically to produce a combined effect that surpasses the
total activity of the individual constituents.
A single plant may, for example, contain bitter substances that stimulate digestion and possess anti-
inflammatory compounds that reduce swellings and pain, phenolic compounds that can act as an antioxidant
and venotonics, antibacterial and antifungal tannins that act as natural antibiotics, diuretic substances that
enhance the elimination of waste products and toxins, and alkaloids that enhance mood and give a sense of
well-being. Although some may view the isolation of phytochemicals and their use as single chemical entities
as a better alternative and which have resulted in the replacement of plant extracts’ use, nowadays, a view
that there may be some advantages of the medical use of crude and/or standardized extracts as opposed to
isolated single compound is gaining much momentum in the scientific community.
African traditional medicine is the oldest, and perhaps the most assorted, of all therapeutic systems. Africa is
considered to be the cradle of mankind with a rich biological and cultural diversity marked by regional
differences in healing practices. African traditional medicine in its varied forms is holistic involving both the
body and the mind. The traditional healer typically diagnoses and treats the psychological basis of an illness
before prescribing medicines, particularly medicinal plants to treat the symptoms. The sustained interest in
traditional medicine in the African healthcare system can be justified by two major reasons.
The most common traditional medicine in common practice across the African continent is the use of
medicinal plants. In many parts of Africa, medicinal plants are the most easily accessible health resource
available to the community. In addition, they are most often the preferred option for the patients. For most of
these people, traditional healers offer information, counseling, and treatment to patients and their families in
a personal manner as well as having an understanding of their patient’s environment. Indeed, Africa is blessed
with enormous biodiversity resources and it is estimated to contain between 40 and 45,000 species of plant
with a potential for development and out of which 5,000 species are used medicinally.
ALBERT THIPE PAPOLE
STUDENT NUMBER:
55196063
MODULE CODE:
NST1502
ASSIGNMENT NUMBER:
03
(PORTFOLIO)
UNIQUE NUMBER:
864580
, Section A
Activity 1.1.
Traditional healers and western medical doctors discover their medicines.
Indigenous medicine and traditional healing.
Traditional medicine is the sum total of knowledge, skills, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and
experiences indigenous to different cultures that are used to maintain health, as well as to prevent, diagnose,
improve, or treat physical and mental illnesses. Traditional medicine that has been adopted by other
populations (outside its indigenous culture) is often termed complementary or alternative medicine .
The extensive use of traditional medicine in Africa, composed mainly of medicinal plants, has been argued to
be linked to cultural and economic reasons. This is why the WHO encourages African member states to
promote and integrate traditional medical practices in their health system. Plants typically contain mixtures of
different phytochemicals, also known as secondary metabolites that may act individually, additively, or in
synergy to improve health. Indeed, medicinal plants, unlike pharmacological drugs, commonly have several
chemicals working together catalytically and synergistically to produce a combined effect that surpasses the
total activity of the individual constituents.
A single plant may, for example, contain bitter substances that stimulate digestion and possess anti-
inflammatory compounds that reduce swellings and pain, phenolic compounds that can act as an antioxidant
and venotonics, antibacterial and antifungal tannins that act as natural antibiotics, diuretic substances that
enhance the elimination of waste products and toxins, and alkaloids that enhance mood and give a sense of
well-being. Although some may view the isolation of phytochemicals and their use as single chemical entities
as a better alternative and which have resulted in the replacement of plant extracts’ use, nowadays, a view
that there may be some advantages of the medical use of crude and/or standardized extracts as opposed to
isolated single compound is gaining much momentum in the scientific community.
African traditional medicine is the oldest, and perhaps the most assorted, of all therapeutic systems. Africa is
considered to be the cradle of mankind with a rich biological and cultural diversity marked by regional
differences in healing practices. African traditional medicine in its varied forms is holistic involving both the
body and the mind. The traditional healer typically diagnoses and treats the psychological basis of an illness
before prescribing medicines, particularly medicinal plants to treat the symptoms. The sustained interest in
traditional medicine in the African healthcare system can be justified by two major reasons.
The most common traditional medicine in common practice across the African continent is the use of
medicinal plants. In many parts of Africa, medicinal plants are the most easily accessible health resource
available to the community. In addition, they are most often the preferred option for the patients. For most of
these people, traditional healers offer information, counseling, and treatment to patients and their families in
a personal manner as well as having an understanding of their patient’s environment. Indeed, Africa is blessed
with enormous biodiversity resources and it is estimated to contain between 40 and 45,000 species of plant
with a potential for development and out of which 5,000 species are used medicinally.
