Devil’s Claw,
Harpagophytum procumbens, a medicinal plant native to the Kalahari Desert,
has recently become popular in Europe on the alternative medicine market.
After being first brought to Germany and studied in laboratories about
fifty years ago, the plant is now a recognized drug. It was once gathered
by local Bushmen to relieve a variety of symptoms; now it is harvested
and exported to Europe on a large scale. The indigenous peoples of Namibia,
Botswana and South Africa—the countries where the plant presently
grows—have increasingly come to depend on harvesting and selling
the plant for their livelihoods. Foreigners, many of them Europeans,
have established farms for the commercial production and sale of Devil’s
Claw. These developments have been accompanied by serious social, economic
and ecological consequences, some beneficial but others dire.
In this study we will investigate the germination potential of Harpagophytum
procumbens seeds when exposed to nine different pre-sowing germination
treatments including scarification, stratification, imbibition and acidification.
Seed viability will also be tested. Root material from Harpagophytum
procumbens will be examined for anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant activity
by means of laboratory testing with various chemical- and bioassay techniques.
Your findings will contribute to a larger research project currently
conducted in Namibia & Botswana in collaboration with Germany. Results
from this study will provide the local communities of Namibia with alternative
methods to maximize cultivation and promote harvesting of Devil’s
Claw!
|
