Plants of Commercial Importance in Lesotho: Ethnobotanical and Pharmacological Insights
Several plants have been processed in Lesotho to manufacture various commercial prodcts, ranging from cosmetics and beverages (juice, tea) to traditional herbal mixtures and crafts. Even though plants of commercial importance have been documented in different regions and countries, this is not the c...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-02-01
|
| Series: | Cosmetics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9284/10/1/28 |
| _version_ | 1827757998302298112 |
|---|---|
| author | Lerato Esther Seleteng-Kose Puseletso Likoetla Lisebo Motjotji |
| author_facet | Lerato Esther Seleteng-Kose Puseletso Likoetla Lisebo Motjotji |
| author_sort | Lerato Esther Seleteng-Kose |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Several plants have been processed in Lesotho to manufacture various commercial prodcts, ranging from cosmetics and beverages (juice, tea) to traditional herbal mixtures and crafts. Even though plants of commercial importance have been documented in different regions and countries, this is not the case in Lesotho. Therefore, the aim of the study is to record plant species commonly used in the country for development of commercial products. A physical survey was undertaken in different places in the Maseru District of Lesotho between January 2019 and October 2021, taking a record of existing commercial products and identifying plants used in their development. A total of 15 plants of commercial importance in the country are recorded in the current study, namely <i>Agave americana</i>, <i>Aloe ferox</i>, <i>Artemisia afra</i>, <i>Cannabis sativa</i>, <i>Helichrysum odoratissimum</i>, <i>Hemannia depressa</i>, <i>Hypoxis hemerocallidea</i>, <i>Leudeboria cooperi</i>, <i>Mentha</i> spp., <i>Merxmuellera</i> spp., <i>Pelargonium sidoides</i>, <i>Opuntia ficus-indica</i>, <i>Rosa rubiginosa</i> and <i>Urtica urens</i>. Most of the plants are used for production of commercial products in the country, whereas some are exported as raw materials, mainly to countries such as Germany, South Africa, Australia and America. The latter are <i>C. sativa</i>, <i>Merxmuellera</i> spp., <i>P. sidoides</i> and <i>R. rubiginosa</i>. Profiling of the plants provides important information about their commercial potential. However, conservation of the plants is encouraged to ensure their sustainable utilisation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:59:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e1afdd9f9b144240ab5780a84680b097 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-9284 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:59:23Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cosmetics |
| spelling | doaj.art-e1afdd9f9b144240ab5780a84680b0972023-11-16T19:53:49ZengMDPI AGCosmetics2079-92842023-02-011012810.3390/cosmetics10010028Plants of Commercial Importance in Lesotho: Ethnobotanical and Pharmacological InsightsLerato Esther Seleteng-Kose0Puseletso Likoetla1Lisebo Motjotji2Department of Biology, National University of Lesotho, Maseru Roma P.O. 180, LesothoDepartment of Agricultural Economics and Extension, National University of Lesotho, Maseru Roma P.O. 180, LesothoDepartment of Environmental and Geographical Science, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch Private Bag X3, South AfricaSeveral plants have been processed in Lesotho to manufacture various commercial prodcts, ranging from cosmetics and beverages (juice, tea) to traditional herbal mixtures and crafts. Even though plants of commercial importance have been documented in different regions and countries, this is not the case in Lesotho. Therefore, the aim of the study is to record plant species commonly used in the country for development of commercial products. A physical survey was undertaken in different places in the Maseru District of Lesotho between January 2019 and October 2021, taking a record of existing commercial products and identifying plants used in their development. A total of 15 plants of commercial importance in the country are recorded in the current study, namely <i>Agave americana</i>, <i>Aloe ferox</i>, <i>Artemisia afra</i>, <i>Cannabis sativa</i>, <i>Helichrysum odoratissimum</i>, <i>Hemannia depressa</i>, <i>Hypoxis hemerocallidea</i>, <i>Leudeboria cooperi</i>, <i>Mentha</i> spp., <i>Merxmuellera</i> spp., <i>Pelargonium sidoides</i>, <i>Opuntia ficus-indica</i>, <i>Rosa rubiginosa</i> and <i>Urtica urens</i>. Most of the plants are used for production of commercial products in the country, whereas some are exported as raw materials, mainly to countries such as Germany, South Africa, Australia and America. The latter are <i>C. sativa</i>, <i>Merxmuellera</i> spp., <i>P. sidoides</i> and <i>R. rubiginosa</i>. Profiling of the plants provides important information about their commercial potential. However, conservation of the plants is encouraged to ensure their sustainable utilisation.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9284/10/1/28commercial productscraftsherbal teasmedicinal plantstraditional herbal mixtures |
| spellingShingle | Lerato Esther Seleteng-Kose Puseletso Likoetla Lisebo Motjotji Plants of Commercial Importance in Lesotho: Ethnobotanical and Pharmacological Insights Cosmetics commercial products crafts herbal teas medicinal plants traditional herbal mixtures |
| title | Plants of Commercial Importance in Lesotho: Ethnobotanical and Pharmacological Insights |
| title_full | Plants of Commercial Importance in Lesotho: Ethnobotanical and Pharmacological Insights |
| title_fullStr | Plants of Commercial Importance in Lesotho: Ethnobotanical and Pharmacological Insights |
| title_full_unstemmed | Plants of Commercial Importance in Lesotho: Ethnobotanical and Pharmacological Insights |
| title_short | Plants of Commercial Importance in Lesotho: Ethnobotanical and Pharmacological Insights |
| title_sort | plants of commercial importance in lesotho ethnobotanical and pharmacological insights |
| topic | commercial products crafts herbal teas medicinal plants traditional herbal mixtures |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9284/10/1/28 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT leratoestherseletengkose plantsofcommercialimportanceinlesothoethnobotanicalandpharmacologicalinsights AT puseletsolikoetla plantsofcommercialimportanceinlesothoethnobotanicalandpharmacologicalinsights AT lisebomotjotji plantsofcommercialimportanceinlesothoethnobotanicalandpharmacologicalinsights |