Therapeutic uses of Mimusops zeyheri sond by the Vhavenḓa traditional health practitioners in the Vhembe biosphere reserve, South Africa.

Abstract

Approximately half of traditional medicines worldwide, particularly those possessing the potential to remedy the most challenging ailments, have not yet been comprehensively studied. Within the same context, this study aimed to explore therapeutic uses, preparatory techniques, and administration modes by the Vhavenḓa traditional health practitioners in the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The required data were sampled using triangulation research techniques, including semi-structured interview questionnaires with the first two arbitrarily selected traditional health practitioners and 19 additional practitioners selected using an exponential non-discriminative snowball sampling method. The results revealed that traditional health practitioners of the region utilize Mimusops zeyheri to remedy multiple ailments, including external wounds (RFC = 1; FL = 100%), throat wounds (RFC = 0.8; FL = 80%), ulcers (RFC = 1; FL = 100%), womb cleaning to improve fertility (RFC = 1; FL = 100%), enhancing weight loss (RFC = 0.9; FL = 905), and the combinations of assorted ailments such as Erectile dysfunctionality, Bilhazia, and Gonorrhea (RFC = 0.7; FL = 70%). The recent study reported ethnomedicinal uses, preparatory techniques, and modes of administration of M. zeyheri by the Vhavenḓa traditional health practitioners in the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve. The documentation of the medicinal uses of Mimusops zeyheri is essential for sustaining the immediate traditional healthcare systems and preserving regional ancient cultural heritage.