Medicinal Plant Science

The main vision of this degree option is to study and use indigenous medicinal plants of South Africa for the benefit of its people. The programme investigates diseases in the area of microbial and parasitic infections as well as cancer. Antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiparasitic and antioxidant activities of plant extracts and isolated plant compounds are investigated. The aim is not primarily to isolate compounds that will enter the pharmaceutical industry as new lead compounds but rather to use isolated compounds or extracts in the medicinal plant industry in its widest sense related to the primary health care of people and animals in rural communities.

The Medicinal Plant Science Programme is a multidisciplinary and collaborative research programme incorporating plant science, phytochemistry, pharmacology as well as safety and efficacy issues of commonly used phytodrugs with emphasis on pharmaceutical applications. For more information click here.

Online course:

Phytomedicine and Natural Products