Abstract:
The use of traditional herbal remedies as alternativemedicine plays an important role in Africa since it forms part of primary health
care for treatment of various medical conditions, including wounds. Although physiological levels of free radicals are essential to
the healing process, they are known to partly contribute to wound chronicitywhen in excess. Consequently, antioxidant therapy has
been shown to facilitate healing of suchwounds.Also, a growing body of evidence suggests that, at least, part of the therapeutic value
of herbalsmay be explained by their antioxidant activity.This paper reviews African herbal remedies with antioxidant activity with
the aim of indicating potential resources for wound treatment. Firstly, herbalswith identified antioxidant compounds and, secondly,
herbals with proven antioxidant activity, but where the compound(s) responsible for the activity has not yet been identified, are
listed. In the latter case it has been attempted to ascribe the activity to a compound known to be present in the plant family and/or
species, where related activity has previously been documented for another genus of the species. Also, the tests employed to assess
antioxidant activity and the potential caveats thereof during assessment are briefly commented on.
