Medicinal Plants of South Africa for High Blood Pressure (HBP)

In South Africa, there are several indigenous plants and herbs that have been traditionally used to help manage high blood pressure (hypertension). Below is information on plants outlined in the noted research paper focusing on hypertension.

Title: A Review of Plants Used in South African Traditional Medicine for the Management and Treatment of Hypertension
Purpose: This review presents an overview of medicinal plants utilized in South Africa for the management of hypertension, aiming to highlight their pharmacological properties as antihypertensives based on indigenous usage. In addition to discussing the antihypertensive effects of these medicinal plants, this review also examines their phytochemical compositions and explores other ethnopharmacological and therapeutic properties associated with them.

Table 1 South African Medicinal Plants Documented for High Blood Pressure (HBP) Control

Name	Family	Common name (Zulu/Afrikaans)	Plant type	Part(s) used	Evidence of documented HBP use	Ethnobotanical indications on HBP	References
Achyranthes aspera	Amaranthaceae	Isinama	Herb	Roots	[26]	NS	[26]
Acokanthera oppositifolia	Apocynaceae	inHlungunyembe	Shrub	Leaves, roots stem	[24]	Maceration	[24]
Adenopodia spinata	Fabaceae	Ubobo	Shrub	Leaves, roots	[26]	Maceration	[26, 34]
Agapanthus africanus	Amaryllidaceae	Ubani	Herb	Leaves, roots	[26]	Maceration, infusion	[26, 34]
Agathosma betulina	Rutaceae	Regteboegoe	Shrub	Leaves, stem	[29]	Infusion	[29]
Agave americana	Asparagaceae	Unknown	Shrub	Leaves	[31]	Decoction	[26, 31, 34]
Albertisia delagoensis	Menispermaceae	Umgandaganda	Shrub	Rhizome, leaves, stem, root	[32]	Decoction	[32]
Alepidea amatymbica	Apiaceae	iKhathazo	Shrub	Rhizomes, roots	[24]	NS	[24]
Allium sativum	Amaryllidaceae	Unknown	Herb	Flower bud	[25, 27]	NS	[27]
Aloe ferox	Asphodelaceae	iNhlaba	Shrub	Leaves/sap	[27, 28, 33, 110]	NS	[33]
Aloe marlothii	Asphodelaceae	inhlaba umhlaba	Herb	Leaves, roots	[32]	Decoction	[32]
Aloe striatula	Asphodelaceae	Unknown	Shrub	NS	[28]	NS	[28]
Amaranthus dubius	Amaranthaceae	Unknown	Herb	Leaves	FPR	Maceration	[18]
Amaranthus hybridus	Amaranthaceae	Unknown	Herb	Leaves	FPR	Maceration	[18]
Arachis hypogaea	Fabaceae	Amakinati	Herb	Leaves, seed	[32]	Decoction	[33]
Artemisia afra	Asteraceae	Mhlonyane	Shrub	Leaves	[27, 33]	Infusion	[27, 33]
Asystasia gangetica	Acanthaceae	Isihobo	Herb	Leaves	FPR	Maceration	[18]
Ballota africana	Lamiaceae	Kattekruide	Shrub	Leaves	[24, 25, 33]	Infusion	[27, 33]
Cadaba aphylla	Brassiceae	Bobbejaanarm	Shrub	Leaves, stem	[33]	Infusion	[33]
Canabis sativa	Cannabaceae	Nsangu	Herb	Leaves	[24, 29–30, 32]	Infusion, decoction	[29, 32]
Carpobrotus dimidiatus	Mesembryanthemaceae	Ikhambi lamabulawo	Herb	Leaves, stem, fruit	[32]	Decoction	[32]
Catha edulis	Celastraceae	Umhlwazi	Shrub	Leaves	[26]	Maceration	[26, 34]
Catharanthus roseus	Apocynaceae	Unknown	Herb/ sub-shrub	Roots, flower, seeds	[32]	Decoction	[32]
Chrysocoma ciliata	Asteraceae	Kaalsiektebos	Shrub	Leaves, roots	[33]	Decoction	[33]
Cinnamomum camphora	Lauraceae	Uroselina	Tree	Gum	[24]	NS	[24]
Cissampelos capensis	Menispermaceae	Fynblaarklimop	Shrub	Roots	[24, 29]	Infusion	[29]
Citrullus lanatus	Curcurbitaceae	Bitterwaatlemoen	Herb	Fruit, seed, leaves	[32]	Decoction	[32]
Citrus limon	Rutaceae	Ulamula	Shrub/ small tree	Peel of fruit, pulp, root	[32]	Decoction	[32]
Citrus maxima	Rutaceae	Upapamuzi	Tree	Fruit	[32]	N/A (taken raw)	[32]
Cladostemon kirkii	Capparaceae	umThekwini	Shrub/ small tree	Root, stem, bark	[32]	Maceration, decoction	[32]
Clausena anisata	Rutaceae	Umnukambhiba	Shrub	Leaves, roots	[26]	Maceration, decoction	[26, 34, 65]
Commelina africana	Commelinaceae	Idangabane	Herb	Whole plant	[26, 30]	Decoction (T. capensis)	[30]
Commelina benghalensis	Commelinaceae	Idangabane	Herb	Whole plant	[26]	Poultice	[26]
Convolvulus capensis	Convolvulaceae	Skaapklimop	Shrub	Bulb	[33]	Decoction	[33]
Conyza scabrida	Asteraceae	Umanzimnyama	Shrub	Leaves	[27]	Infusion	[24, 27]
Crinum macowanii	Amaryllidaceae	Umdube	Herb	Bulbs, leaves, whole plants	[24]	NS	[24]
Crassula muscosa	Crassulaceae	Skoenvetebos	Herb	Leaves, stem, roots, flowers	[33]	Decoction	[33]
Dicerothamnius rhinocerotis	Asteraceae	Ranosterbos	Small shrub	Leaves, stem	[33]	NS	[33]
Dicoma anomala	Asteraceae	Umuna	Herb	Leaves, roots	[24, 28]	NS	[24, 28]
Dicoma capensis	Asteraceae	Koorsbossie	Herb	Leaves, twigs, roots	[24]	NS	[24]
Dietes iridioides	Iridaceae	isishuphe somfula	Herb	Leaves, roots, rhizomes	[26]	Maceration, infusion	[26, 34, 65]
Diosma oppositifolia	Rutaceae	Bitterboegoe	Shrub	Leaves, stem, flowers	[33]	NS	[33]
Dipcadi brevifolium	Hyacinthaceae	Ikhakahkha	Herb	Bulb	[26]	Decoction	[26]
Dombeya rotundifolia	Malvaceae	iNhliziyonkhulu	Tree	Leaves, roots	[26]	Maceration	[26, 34]
Drimia elata	Asparageceae	Undongana- zibomvana	Herb	Bulb	[26]	NS	[26]
Ekebergia capensis	Meliaceae	Essenhout	Tree	Leaves, bark	[26]	NS	[26]
Elephantorrhiza elephantina	Fabaceae	Intolwane	Sub-shrub	Leaves, rhizome	[26, 29, 30]	Infusion	[29]
Elytropappus rhinocerotis	Asteraceae	renosterbos	Shrub	Leaves	[27]	Infusion	[27]
Eriobotrya įaponica	Rosaceae	Unknown	Shrub/ small tree	Leaves	[31]	Infusion	[31]
Eriocephalus africanus	Asteraceae	Kapokbos	Shrub	Leaves	[24, 25, 27, 30]	Infusion	[27]
Euclea undulata	Ebenaceae	Inkunzane	Shrub/ small tree	Bark, roots, whole plant	[24]	Infusion	[24]
Euryops abrotanifolius	Asteraceae	Bergharpuisbos	Shrub	Leaves, stems	[33]	NS	[33]
Galinsoga parviflora	Asteraceae	Unknown	Herb	Leaves	FPR	Maceration	[18]
Geranium incanum	Geraniaceae	Vrouetee	Grass or small herb	Leaves, stem	[29]	Decoction	[29]
Gethyllis spp	Amaryllidaceae	Koekoemakranka	N/A	Seeds, pod	[27]	Maceration	[27]
Helichrysum crispum	Asteraceae	Hotnotskooigoed	Herb	Leaves	[25, 27]	Infusion	[27]
Helichrysum odoratissimum	Asteraceae	Imphepho	Herb	Leaves, roots	[29]	Infusion	[29]
Hoodia gordonii	Apocynaceae	Bobbejaanghaap	Herb	Leaves, stem	[110]	NS	[110]
Hyphaene coriacea	Arecaceae	iLala	Tree	Roots	[32]	NS	[32]
Hypoxis argentea	Hypoxidaceae	Inongwe	Herb	Corm, tuber	[32]	Decoction	[32]
Hypoxis colchicifolia	Hypoxidaceae	Ilabatheka	Herb	Bulb	[29]	NS (chewed)	[29]
Hypoxis hemerocallidea	Hypoxidaceae	Inkomfe	Grasses or small herb	Corm, roots	[29, 32]	Decoction	[29, 32]
Justicia flava	Acanthaceae	Impela	Herb	Leaves	FPR	Maceration	[18]
Lantana camara	Verbenaceae	Ubukhwebezane	Shrub	Roots	[31]	Infusion/decoction	[31]
Leonotis leonurus	Lamiaceae	Umfincafincane	Shrub	Leaves, roots, flowers, whole plant	[27, 33]	Decoction	[27, 33]
Lessertia frutescens	Fabaceae	Umnwele	Shrub	Leaves, shoot	[29, 33, 110]	Decoction	[29]
Leucosidea sericea	Rosaceae	Umtshitshi	Small tree	NS	[28]	NS	[28]
Lichtensteinia lacera	Apiaceae	Kalmiswortel	Herb	Leaves, stem	[33]	Infusion	[33]
Lippia įavanica	Verbanaceae	Umsuzwane	Shrub	Leaves	[32]	Decoction	[32]
Medicago sativa	Fabaceae	Unknown	Herb	Whole plant	[31]	Decoction	[28, 31]
Mentha aquatica	Lamiaceae	Unknown	Herb	Leaves, stem, seed	[28, 30]	Infusion	[28, 30]
Mentha longifolia	Lamiaceae	ufuthana lomhlanaga	Herb	Leaves, stem	[30, 33]	Decoction	[33]
Mesembryanthe- mum spp.	Aizoaceae	Unknown	N/A	Leaves, stem	[26]	Maceration, decoction	[26, 34]
Momordica balsamina	Curcurbitaceae	Intshungu	Herb	Leaves	[32]	Decoction	[32, 75]
Momordica charantia	Curcurbitaceae	Unknown	Herb	Whole plant	FPR	Maceration	[75]
Momordica foetida	Curcurbitaceae	Intshungu	Herb	Leaves, stem	[26]	NS	[26]
Musa acuminata	Musaceae	Ihliziyo	Herb	Flower bracts	[32]	Decoction	[32]
Ocimum basilicum	Lamiaceae	Unknown	Herb	Leaves, stem	[29]	Infusion	[29]
Oldenlandia affinis	Rubiaceae	Umampeshane	Herb	Root	[26]	Decoction	[26]
Olea europaea subsp. africana	Oleaceae	Umnquma	Tree	Leaves, roots	[23, 24, 26–29]	Decoction	[29]
Opuntia ficus	Cactaceae	Umthelekisi	Shrub/tree	Roots	[31]	Decoction	[31]
Oxygonum sinuatum	Polygonaceae	Unknown	Herb	Leaves	FPR	Maceration	[18]
Ozoroa engleri	Anacardiaceae	Isifico	Tree	Roots, bark, leaves	[32]	Decoction	[111]
Pentanisia prunelloides	Rubiaceae	Icimamlilo	Herb	Rhizome, corm, roots	[24, 26]	NS	[26]
Persea americana	Lauraceae	Unknown	Tree	Leaf, pulp, fruit, root	[31]	Decoction	[31]
Peucedanum galbanum	Apiaceae	Droedas	Shrub	Leaves	[24]	Infusion	[24]
Physalis viscosa	Solanaceae	Unknown	Herb	Leaves	FPR	Maceration	[18]
Protorhus longifolia	Anacardiaceae	Uzintlwa	Tree	Bark, leaves	[26]	Maceration	[26, 34]
Psidium guaįava	Myrtaceae	Koejawel	Shrub/ small tree	Leaves, roots	[31, 32]	Decoction	[31, 32]
Pyrenacantha kaurabassana	Icacinaceae	Unknown	Shrub	Bulb, tuber	[32]	Decoction	[32]
Ptaeroxylon obliquum	Rutaceae	umThathi	Tree	Roots	[24, 32]	Maceration	[26, 32]
Rapanea melanophloeos	Myrsinaceae	iKhubalwane	Tree	Bark	[26]	NS	[26]
Rauvolfia caffra	Apocynaceae	umHlambamanzi	Tree	Bark, stem, whole plant	[24]	NS	[24]
Rhoicissus digitata	Vitaceae	umNangwazi	Shrub	Tubers, bulb	[29]	Infusion	[29]
Rhus chirindensis	Anacardiaceae	Umhlabamvudu	Tree	Leaves, roots, bark, twigs, fruits	[26]	Maceration	[34]
Ricinus communis	Euphorbiaceae	Umhlakuva	Shrub	Leaves	[32]	Decoction	[32]
Ruta graveolens	Rutaceae	Unknown	Shrub	Leaves	[24, 25, 27, 29]	Infusion	[27, 29]
Salvia africana-caerulea	Lamiaceae	Wildesalie	Shrub	Twig, leaves	[28, 33]	Infusion	[33]
Sarcophyte sanguinea	Balanophoraceae	Umvumbuka	Herb	Whole plant, Stem, root	[32]	Infusion, decoction	[32]
Sarcostemma viminale	Apocynaceae	Umbelebele	Shrub	Stem, aerial parts, twigs	[32]	Infusion	[32]
Sceletium tortuosum	Aizoaceae	Tandtrekbos	Herb	Leaves, roots	[33]	NS	[33]
Schkuhria pinnata	Asteraceae	Ruhwahwa	Herb	Whole plant	[29]	Infusion, decoction	[31]
Sclerocarya birrea	Anacardiaceae	Maroela	Tree	Bark, leaves, stem-bark, stem	[26]	Decoction	[26]
Scolopia mundii	Salicaceae	iHlambahlale	Tree	Bark	[26]	NS	[26]
Searsia burchellii	Anacardiaceae	Karookoeniebos	Shrub/ small tree	Leaves, stem, roots	[33]	Infusion	[33]
Senecio bupleuroides	Asteraceae	Isiqandamatshana	Shrub	NS	[26]	NS	[26]
Senecio inornatus	Asteraceae	Uhlabo	Herb/small shrub	Root	[26]	Decoction	[26]
Senecio serratuloides	Asteraceae	Ichazampukane	Herb	Leaves, stem	[32]	Decoction	[32]
Spermacoce natalensis	Rubiaceae	Umabophe	Herb	Bark, roots, leaves	[26]	NS	[46]
Stangeria eriopus	Zamiaceae	Umfigwani	Cycad	Root, leaves	[26]	NS	[34]
Strychnos madagascariensis	Strychnaceae	umKwakwa	Tree	Seeds, bark, roots, fruit	[32]	NS (crush to powder for swallowing)	[32]
Teedia lucida	Scrophulariaceae	Hlwenya	Herb/dwarf shrub	NS	[28]	NS	[28]
Tephrosia capensis	Fabaceae	Unknown	Small shrub	Root	[26]	Decoction	[28]
Tetradenia riparia	Lamiaceae	Ibozane	Shrub/tree	Leaves, seeds	[32]	Decoction	[32]
Trichilia emetica	Meliaceae	Umathuzini	Tree	Leaves, fruits, roots, bark, stem	[32]	Poultice, decoction	[32]
Trifolium africanum	Fabaceae	Wildeklawer	Herb	Whole plant	[28, 30]	Infusion	[30]
Trifolium burchellianum	Fabaceae	Usithathi	Herb	Leaf, stem, roots	[28, 30]	Infusion (combined with M. aquatica)	[30]
Tulbaghia acutiloba	Alliaceae	Ishaladi Lezinyoka	Herb	Bulb, flower, Whole plant	[28, 30]	Infusion, decoction	[30]
Tulbaghia violacea	Alliaceae	Wilde knoffel	Herb	Rhizome, bulb, leaves, roots	[24, 26–29, 33]	Infusion, decoctions	[27, 29, 33]
Turraea floribunda	Meliaceae	Umadlozane	Tree	Bark, leaves, roots	[26]	Infusions	[26]
Urtica urens	Urticaceae	Unknown	Herb	Leaves	[30]	Decoction	[30]
Valeriana capensis	Valerianaceae	Wildebalderjan	Herb	Rhizomes, roots	[24]	NS	[24]
Vangueria infausta	Rubiaceae	umTulwa	Shrub/small tree	Bark, leaves	[32]	Maceration, infusion	[32]
Warburgia salutaris	Canellaceae	Isibhaha	Tree	Bark, root	[110]	NS	[110]

FPR: from pharmacological report; NS: not stated or specified; N/A: not applicable

Reference:

Fatai Oladunni Balogun, Anofi Omotayo Tom Ashafa: A Review of Plants Used in South African Traditional Medicine for the Management and Treatment of Hypertension – Published online: 2018-11-26

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