Professor Lall and her fellow researchers follow two approaches in selecting plants: through ethno-botanical selection or phytochemistry. In the ethno-botanical approach, plants used by communities and traditional healers are tested to see if they have medicinal value, while the phytochemistry approach involves the use of existing knowledge about the chemical substances found in specific plants. If a plant is rich in a specific chemical compound that could be of medicinal or cosmeceutical use, it is isolated and trials are run to determine its usability.
The medicinal plant Ceratonia siliqua, commonly known as the carob tree or St John’s bread, is now being used in one of South Africa’s top organic skin-care ranges, Kalahari. Professor Lall has also uncovered a number of other plants that could be used for the effective treatment of skin conditions, ranging from pigmentation abnormalities and wrinkles to acne. Bioprospecting permits have been granted for three types of plants: Greyia radlkoferi (for use in skin tone application), Greyia flanaganii (for use in sun protection lotions), and Leucosidea sericea (as an acne application) – with three more applications in the pipeline.
A distinctive feature of the research undertaken is the technology transfer between knowledge holders and the researchers in terms of sustainable practices, specifically related to the planting and harvesting of medicinal plants. As a result of the research undertaken, and as part of a flagship project of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Professor Lall and fellow researchers, including postgraduate students, are currently involved in a project in the district of Mamelodi, Tshwane, in helping farmers cultivate plants that can be used for medicinal purposes. The goal is to establish a community-run extraction facility for the supply of natural botanical ingredients.
Namrita Lall, Professor in the Department of Plant Science at UP, was awarded the DST-NRF SARChI Chair in Indigenous Knowledge Systems in 2015. Professor Lall is a medicinal plant scientist and has received several awards for her scientific contributions to advancing science and building the knowledge base in the field of indigenous knowledge systems. In 2014, she received the Order of Mapungubwe Presidential Award for her outstanding contribution to medical sciences. The aim of the SARChI Chair is to combine indigenous knowledge and medicinal practices with scientific evidence and sustainable practices in the harvesting and use of this rich resource in biodiversity.
