Abstract

Warburgia salutaris (Bertol. f.) Chiov. is used in many parts of Southern Africa to treat various human ailments. W. salutaris forms an integral part of Changana, Shona, Siswati, Sotho, Tsonga, Venda, and Zulu traditional healing systems particularly, in regions where the plant species is still found in the wild or cultivated in home gardens. W. salutaris has undergone a considerable decline throughout its natural habitat in Southern Africa due to over-exploitation for medicinal purposes. This review aims to collate the fragmented information on the pharmacological properties, past and present uses of W. salutaristhroughout its geographical range.

Key words: Ethnobotanical uses, pharmacological properties, Southern Africa, Warburgia salutaris..