Abstract:
This dissertation comprises a literature study on the medicinal value of the southern African
Asteraceae. It includes data on the medicinal uses of the Asteraceae species, chemical compounds
isolated, the pharmacological action of extracts and in some cases the active compounds isolated
from the extracts of species of Asteraceae.
One of the objectives of this dissertation was to validate the use of indigenous Asteraceae species in
traditional medicine. This was difficult to achieve due to a lack of pharmacological and chemical
information on the southern African Asteraceae. From the little data available, a remarkable
correlation between the pharmacological action of the plants and the traditional uses, was observed.
Many species used for eye and skin diseases contain the phototoxic (antibiotic only in UVA light)
compounds polyacetylenes and thiophenes. Polyacetylenes are common in the Asteraceae.
Although the Asteraceae contains a vvide range of secondary compounds, only a few
pharmacologically active compounds have been identified. It is evident that much IM>rk is still
needed in this field.