first toxicity study of Sutherlandia leaf powder (sutherlandia microphylla) consumption

Sutherlandia microphylla

• Contents of the study;
• Complete study (pdf format 273 kb) to download, right-click and save file
• The study is also available in four sections
  • Study details and results - pages 1-13 (pdf format 86kb)
  • Appendix I-Haematology results - pages 14-20 (pdf format 251kb)
  • Appendix II-Biochemistry results - pages 21-31 (pdf format 396kb)
  • Appendix III-Physiology results - pages 32-35 (pdf format 135kb)
    
• Contact person: Dr Gilbert Matsabisa, MRC
  E-mail: motlalepula.matsabisa@mrc.ac.za
  Tel: Tel: +27 21 938-0480

The Indigenous Knowledge Systems Division (IKS Division) of the Medical Research Council of South Africa, as part of its activities, is dedicated to the scientific and clinical validation of promising indigenous medicinal plants. In order to do this, a "clinical platform" is being created on which safety and efficacy studies can be executed. To this end it is important to firstly evaluate the safety of a given plant. Sutherlandia microphylla is a promising indigenous medicinal plant with a history of use, as a promising tonic, going back at least 105 years. There are anecdotal indications that this tonic may be of value to people living with AIDS in terms of enhanced well-being, increased appetite and body mass as well as increased tolerance for exercise.

To date no adverse effects have been reported for this plant. Nevertheless, in order to strengthen the working hypothesis that the plant is indeed safe and efficacious, the MRC decided to use this plant as a test case for safety and efficacy studies on the "clinical platform", because of the significant ethnobotanical background and availability of the plant as well as the severity of the HIV/AIDS problem in South Africa. The independent safety study, (which was approved by the MRC Animal Ethics Committee), was conducted at the MRC Animal Centre using 16 vervet monkeys in four groups (control, 1x, 3x and 9x dose of the equivalent recommended daily dose.)

Over 50 variable involving blood chemistry, haematology, physiology and animal behaviour were monitored and evaluated by MRC Animal Centre scientists, statisticians and a medical doctor. No single indication of toxicity was found after feeding the vervet monkeys with dried Sutherlandia leaf powder for three months, even at the 9x dose. This is the first time that an indigenous South African medicinal plant has been evaluated for safety using vervet monkeys in a controlled environment.

The study was jointly financed by the
Medical Research Council (MRC) and
a research grant from the National Research Foundation (NRF).
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