Abstract

South Africa has an incredible floral heritage that has a strong history of being important to local people for diverse range of ethno-cultural uses and those plants that are exploited for medicinal purposes have also encouraged entry of new natural products into global markets. There are thus unique opportunities that are presented by interfacing various biotechnologies to study medicinal plants of South Africa, more especially with the intention of generating socioeconomic benefits.

This talk will touch on historical aspects linked to the exploitation of medicinal plant resources and define the importance of indigenous knowledge and medicinal plants when interfaced with biotechnology in relation to the bioeconomy strategy of South Africa. Using specific examples from medicinal plants that occur in the greater Cape Floristic Region, various studies are thus presented and summarized. The application of LC-MS-based metabolomics technologies has been useful as a qualitative tool, enabling fast detection and a reliable method of studying mesembrine alkaloids produced by Sceletium tortuosum (Aizoaceae). Microplant and callus cultures also accumulate a wide array of these alkaloids. By applying both non-targeted and targeted metabolomics, influence of varied microenvironments on the phytochemistry and cytotoxicity of Sutherlandia frutescens (Fabaceae) plants is evident. Proteomic analyses under stressed conditions provided new insights into the impacts of salinity and drought stress with respect to both central and specialized metabolism of S. frutescens. Combining microsatellite and chemometric analyses confirmed biogeographical-based genetic structure amongst populations of Dodonaea viscosa (Sapindaceae) and Aspalathus linearis (Fabaceae), pinpointing chemotype(s) that may fit domestication and industrialization for the production of phytopharmaceutics. These studies illustrate the exciting potential of medical plants of South Africa that still remain chemically under explored.