Finally, research plan for lengana

Nzimande outlines idea

The South African Covid-19 research team is exploring whether the muchtalked about local indigenous herb called umhlonyana could be used for coronavirus treatment.

Minister of higher education Blade Nzimande announced this yesterday as he gave an update on measures that the department has embarked upon in response to Covid-19 pandemic and other developments within both the departments of higher education and of science and innovation.

Nzimande said the department of science had been working with the African Medicines Covid-19 Research Team in researching several South African herbs and formulations, with documented evidence for treatment of respiratory infections, signs and symptoms.

“One of the herbs our team is working on is Artemisia afra (umhlonyana or lengana). As the department of science and innovation, we have re-assigned R15m from the existing Indigenous Knowledge projects to support Covid-19 interventions and have submitted proposal for additional funding, especially for clinical studies, SMME support cultivation, agro-processing and job creation.”

Nzimande said a team from the national department of science and innovation is looking at umhlonyana as one of the South African herbs that can be used as “immune-modulators” (class of drugs that help to boost or restore normal immune function) and anti-coronavirus therapeutics.