Abstract
In the Kingdom of Lesotho, 20 plant species are commonly known as 'Musa-pelo. The term literally means 'the one who brings back or turns around the heart'. 'Musa-pelo is traditionally used as a sedative and is given as a first aid treatment to bereaved people who are under severe psychological duress or stress. Of the 20 species known as 'Musa-pelo, 17 belong to nine genera of the Fabaceae (Argyrolobium, Crotalaria, Indigofera, Lessertia, Lotononis, Melolobium, Sutherlandia, Tephrosia and Trifolium). The three remaining species namely Cleome monophylla, Heliophila carnosa and Cysticapnos pruinosa, belong to the families Capparaceae, Brassicaceae and Fumariaceae, respectively. In this paper, the concept of 'Musa-pelo in traditional medicine is explored.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 75-77 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | Bothalia |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - May 2007 |
Keywords
- Adaptogen
- Bitter tonic
- Fabaceae
- Immune stimulant
- Sedative
- Traditional medicine
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Plant Science