Alice: Fort Hare Univ. Slide 2 Plants have been the sources of
important medicines since time immemorial. Phytomedicine is the use
of plants and plant materials for human and animal medicines. The
main interests of our research group are: to better understand the
biological effects of medicinal plants used by the people of the
Eastern Cape province in particular and the entire people of South
Africa in general and, to discover new lead compounds for future
drug development. Slide 3 Our activities involve: biological
testing of plant extracts, the isolation of their active components
and, their clinical validations. We focus on well-defined plant
extracts which are used for specific illnesses. Slide 4 1. The
establishment and maintenance of a well equipped laboratory for a
diverse range of biological assays available in the Eastern Cape
Province of South Africa. 2. Continuous acquisition of Indigenous
Knowledge on Phyto- medicine, collection and documentation of
information about plants used for medicinal purposes, their
taxonomy and chemical ecology. 3. Development of expertise in
Ethnobotany, novel bioassays and natural product chemistry and the
isolation of biologically active molecules. 4. We also offer
consultancy services on the use of plant material and natural
products and Quality Control services for plant- derived drugs.
Slide 5 TEAM LEADERSHIP Prof AJ Afolayan: Leader of the Centre.
Supervision of the overall activities of the Centre, including the
postgraduate students and also sources for funding. Prof DS
Grierson: Co-Leader. Supervision of the smooth running of the
laboratory experiments, equipment, apparatus, chemicals, etc.
Specifically, he conducts research on plants used for the treatment
of wounds. Slide 6 3 Post-doctoral fellows Dr L. Buwa Dr M.T.
Yakubu Dr B. Lewu 7 PhD students (L to R: Mrs OO Odeyemi, Mr M
Flyman, Ms OM Aboyade, Mr JR Appidi, Mr AOTAshafa, Mrs MN Lewu, Mr
SC Pendota) 3 MSc Students (L to R: Ms J Ndlovu, Mrs OO Okoh, Ms NS
Ncube) Slide 7 The Phytomedicine Research Centre is involved in a
Niche Area of research, identified and funded by the National
Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa: Unlocking the Potential
of Indigenous Plants for Sustainable Livelihood Under this Niche
area, Four Focal Areas are identified: 1.The Chemical Properties
and Value of Plants 2.The Development of Commercial Products
arising from such Chemical Analyses 3.Indigenous Knowledge Systems
linked to Plants and their Use 4.Ecological and Conservational
considerations relating to Plant Harvesting and Propagation Slide 8
Aspects of Phytomedicine Research Natural Insecticides E ye
Infections Diabetes Population Genetics Diarrhoea Anti-
inflammatory Tissue Culture Wounds De-toxifying poisonous plants
Prostrate Cancer Wild Vegetables Slide 9 Every Year we attract
International Visitors who express their desire to work with us for
a few weeks or a year, after which we maintain research
collaboration contact. Some of these visitors and their research
specialities: Slide 10 Dr Nasim Sultana 2003 Bangaladesh Bioactive
secondary metabolites isolated from two medicinal plant species
Arctotis arctotoides and Usnea undulata. Dr Bola Oyedeji 2004
Nigeria Extraction and characterization of some essential oils
isolated from selected medicinal plants in the Eastern Cape Dr
Patrick Adebola 2005 Nigeria Development of tissue culture protocol
for micropropagation and conservation of Arctotis arctotoides.
Slide 11 Dr Yinka Asekun 2005 Nigeria Studies on the effect of
drying methods on the essential oil composition and yield of some
Eastern Cape aromatic plants Dr Florence Jimoh 2006 Nigeria
Biological activities and safety evaluation of Arctotis arctotoides
and some leafy wild vegetables in the Eastern Cape Dr Learnmore
Kambizi 2006 Zimbabwe The development of a Medicinal Plant Garden
on the Fort Hare Campus, Alice, Eastern Cape. Slide 12 Apart from
the International visitors, with whom we continuously collaborate,
we also collaborate with researchers from other centers in a number
of countries: Slide 13 Prof O. Odukoya, Department of
Pharmacognosy, University of Lagos, Nigeria Dr Maryna van de Venter
Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Nelson Mandela
Metroplitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa Dr Isabel
Sattler Leibniz-Institut fr Naturstoff-Forschung und
Infektionsbiologie e.V., Hans-Knll-Institut, Beutenbergstr. 11a,
07745 Jena Germany Dr D. Beukes Faculty of Pharmacy, Rhodes
University, Grahamstown, South Africa Slide 14 Each year, all the
members of the Phytomedicine Research Centre are encouraged to
attend at least one conference (local or international), where an
oral paper or poster will be presented. Conferences attended
include: Slide 15 1.Local: The Indigenous Plant Use Forum (IPUF)
Held annually in South Africa The group has been attending since
1996, with at least 6 papers being presented each year
International Aromatic Plants and Essential Oil mini-Symposium
Stellenbosch, 27 Feb -1 Mar, 2006 Paper presented by Prof AJ
Afolayan Slide 16 2.International: 1st Int. Egyptian-Jordanian
Conference on Biotechnology and Sustainable Development Cairo,
Egypt; 11-14 December 2006 Paper presented by Prof AJ Afolayan
Ninth International Congress on Ethnopharmacology (NICE,06)
Nanning, P.R. of China, August 2006 Paper presented by Prof DS
Grierson and AJ Afolayan 2 nd Annual National Science and
Technology Conference and Exhibitions of Tanzania Commission for
Science and Technology Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, 23 - 25 May 2007
Paper presented by Prof AJ Afolayan Third International Congress on
Traditional Medicine & Materia Medica (ICTMMM 2007) Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia, July 2007. Poster presented by Prof DS Grierson
and Prof AJ Afolayan Slide 17 One of the most important goals of
the Phytomedicine Research Centre is to produce research papers
published in peer-reviewed Journals. Slide 18 In the last year
(2006), no less than TWENTY TWO articles were published in
International Journals by members of the Phytomedicine Research
Group! Slide 19 A primary aim of the Phytomedicine Research Centre
is to train students in research methods, and to produce high-
quality Graduands at the MSc or PhD level each year. Slide 20 PhD
Graduands through the Phytmedicine Research Centre in the last 4
years 2004 Dr DS Grierson An ethnomedical study of plants used to
treat wounds in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Dr
Grierson is now an Associate Professor in Botany at the University
of Fort Hare 2005 Dr PJ Masika Ethnoveterinary studies of plants
used for the treatment of livestock diseases in the Eastern Cape
Province Dr Masika is presently the Director of the Agricultural
and Rural Development Research Institute (ARDRI) at the University
of Fort Hare. 2006 Dr L Kambizi Phytomedical studies of plants used
for the treatment of sexually transmitted infections in the Eastern
Cape Dr Kambizi is now a Senior Lecturer in Botany at the Walter
Sisulu University in Umtata, South Africa Slide 21 PhD Graduands -
last 4 years (cont) 2007 Dr Paul Erasto Phytomedical investigation
of Vernonia amagdalina: a medicinal plant used for the treatment of
diabetes. Dr Erasto is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the
University of Pretoria, South Africa Dr AA Aliero Studies on the
biology of Solanum pseudocapsicum: a poisonous cosmopolitan plant.
Dr Aliero is presently a Senior Lecturer in Botany at the
University of Sokoto, Nigeria. Dr FB Lewu Development of
conservation and propagation techniques for Pelargonium didoides
DC: an overexploited medicinal plant in the Eastern Cape. Dr Lewu
is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in the Botany Department,
University of Fort Hare. Dr S Koduru Validating the use of Solanum
aculeastrum for the treatment of cancer in the Eastern Cape, South
Africa. Dr Koduru is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the
University of San Fransisco. 2008 registrations: 8 PhD and 3 MSc
students. Slide 22 Generally facilities for our research at the
University of Fort Hare are adequate. We would like to expand these
to include laboratories for viral, infectious disease and cell-line
research. A few pictures of our University, labs, equipment and
students: Slide 23 University of Fort Hare - Entrance to Alice
Campus Slide 24 Research Laboratory GC/MS instrument Tissue Culture
Incubator Laminar Flow Bench Slide 25 Scanning Electron Microscope
Transmission Electron Microscope Slide 26 Apart from the serious
formality of the laboratory and office work, we also have plenty of
fun, as these last few pictures of excursions show: Slide 27 Slide
28 Thank You ! Slide 29 The National Research Foundation (RSA) and
the Govan Mbeki Research Center at Fort Hare University are thanked
for financial support of the Phytomedicine Research Centre The
medical staff at clinics and hospitals, and the Traditional Healers
and Herbalists who so willingly participated in our studies. Slide
30 A group of rural traditional healers - Sangomas
