Medicinal bulbous plants of South Africa and their traditional relevance in the control of infectious diseases

Natural products are becoming more important in modern-day society as man is moving away from synthetic products, which can be detrimental to the environment and human health. Scientific research on the healing properties and bioactivity of natural compounds, especially of plant origin, has been extensive particularly in the Western world. However, a rich heritage of floral biodiversity is found in developing countries. South Africa, a country with a strong history of traditional healing, hosts a variety of around 30000 plant species. Indigenous bulbous plants of importance to South African traditional healers mainly belong to the Amaryllidaceae and Hyacinthaceae families. A number of these plants have particular uses as disinfectants and anti-inflammatory agents, although there is still a lack of scientific research regarding their unique pharmacological compounds.