UMHLONYANE VANISHING FAST

MBABANE - COVID-19 has changed our lives in many ways - from the vocabulary we use to the way we live and worship.

It’s hard to believe that ‘lockdown’, ‘social distancing’, wearing of ‘masks’ and use of ‘hand sanitiser’ were not part of our daily lives only a few months ago. While scientists around the world frantically search for a cure or vaccine for this disease – one that has apparently claimed the lives of over 250 000 people around the world – some of us may be considering looking to see if the answer could be in our own gardens.

Last month, the President of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina, claimed a local herbal remedy would both prevent and treat the novel coronavirus – SARS-COV-2 – responsible for the disease called COVID-19. The President of Tanzania, John Magufuli, is reported to have sent a plane to Madagascar to bring the herbal tonic for the people of Tanzania. The herbal drink is reported to be based on the plant Artemisa annua (sweet wormwood) – originating from Asia, but grown widely across Africa.

Malaria

This plant is the basis of medicines used by clinicians in hospitals all over the world to treat malaria. A related but different plant – Artemisia afra (African wormwood, locally known as umhlonyane) – has been traditionally used in Eswatini for coughs and flu. EmaSwati, for generations, have used this sweet aromatic herb to make traditional medicines. So, the question is, can our very own umhlonyane be used to treat COVID-19? The answer is simple – we don’t know – the new coronavirus is just that – it is new to humans. The world has never experienced this virus before so Artemisia afra (umhlonyane) has not been researched to find out if it is safe or effective to treat or prevent COVID-19.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned against any self-medication and said that it has not recommended any medicine as a cure for COVID-19. Eswatini Institute for Research in Traditional Medicine, Medicinal and Indigenous Food Plants (EIRMIP) is currently in the process of researching the plant. The Director, Dr Gugu Sibandze, is warning the public against using the plant as a cure for COVID-19 or using it to prevent COVID-19, “We are researching this important traditional herb, however, if the public starts to harvest the plant – especially in large volumes for commercial sale – then we will have no plants left in our country to study for this disease or any other diseases. This will be a tragedy for our indigenous knowledge as well as our biodiversity.”

Pluck

It needs to be noted that in Section 19 of the local Flora Protection Act 2000, it clearly states that: (1) No person shall pick, pluck, cut, uproot or dig out any indigenous flora for the purpose of sale or for export or delivery with intent to export whole or parts of such flora without a permit from the minister and (2) Any driver and owner of a vehicle found loaded or transporting whole or parts of indigenous flora without a permit from the minister shall, if found guilty, be liable to the penalties of the Act which at present carries a fine of up to E2 500.
Despite the positive health benefits of the shrub, the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) states that one of the phytochemicals in umhlonyane can produce side-effects such as restlessness, tremors, vomiting, convulsions and damage to the liver.

Therefore, its long term or excessive use is not recommended. So, can we use umhlonyane to treat the symptoms of COVID-19? The Ministry of Health advises that anyone exhibiting flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, aches and pains, should visit their local health facility to be seen by a health care professional, or call 977.

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