In a rural area of KwaZulu-Natal there grows a tree called Warburgia salutaris.
The tree is used in popular traditional African medicine, and University of Johannesburg researchers are currently using a chemical compound from it to make a complementary diabetes treatment.
According to the institution, the Walburgia salutaris tree contains several active chemical compounds in its leaves, roots and bark. However, the tree is highly vulnerable to poaching throughout Southern Africa and is the focus of a major conservation project.
The lead researcher in the study is Prof Mthokozisi Simelane, from the UJ department of biochemistry within the faculty of science.
He said since discovering the compound, he published a follow-up study where it was used to treat rats with induced diabetes. In the study, some blood cell issues caused by diabetes appeared to be improved.
“The iso-mukaadial acetate compound also helped with blood sugar control and insulin levels in rats when administered in lower doses,” Simelane said.
This is what you need to know about the tree and the study that could give hope to many people living with diabetes:
The tree is called by many names. Amazwecehlabayo, isibhaha, manaka, molaka, mulanga, shibaha, muranga, and pepperbark are examples of names for the dried bark, stems and roots from mature Warburgia salutaris trees.
Bridging traditional knowledge and modern science
Simelane said he and his co-researchers first isolated a promising chemical compound, called iso-mukaadial acetate, from the bark of Warburgia salutaris trees.
The bark has been used by various cultures in a region stretching from SA to Malawi. Traditionally, these have been used to treat a variety of illnesses, including common colds, blocked sinuses, coughs and malaria.
“Traditional healers would mostly harvest sustainably from the protected tree species. However, with more people in cities, harvesting by poachers leaves mature trees without bark, and the trees die as a result.
“At one stage, the species was listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Since then, several Southern African cultivation and large-scale conservation projects have managed to pull the species back to IUCN vulnerable status,” he said.
According to Simelane, while many people wish to lose weight, some people living with diabetes need to gain it to maintain their health. He said the research shows that iso-mukaadial acetate may be a potential treatment to improve body weight in humans.
“Diabetes can cause either weight loss or weight gain, depending on blood sugar control and treatment. At diagnosis, some patients may experience weight loss due to insufficient insulin.
“When insulin is lacking or not working effectively, glucose cannot enter cells properly, so the body compensates by breaking down fat and muscle for energy, leading to weight loss. In contrast, improved blood sugar control or the use of insulin therapy may sometimes lead to weight gain as the body is able to utilise glucose more effectively and reduce energy loss through urine.”
Simelane and his team are working on the product development of iso-mukaadial acetate as a complementary medicine for the treatment of diabetes in SA. They have a licensing partnership with a pharmaceutical company, and are negotiating the licensing terms.
Sustainable sourcing key for future medicine
The researchers said that to develop the compound fully into a viable commercial complementary medicine, they need sustainable sources of it. While the bark from mature trees is the most popular with users of traditional medicines from the tree, that source is also the most threatened.
However, Simelane said a commercial grower in the country is currently supplying their team with Warburgia plants. The company has a bioprospecting permit, which is required in SA for commercial product development from traditional medicines using indigenous plants.
“Traditional healers have harvested the trees for their bark for centuries to treat villagers.
“We are exploring the plant’s many medicinal properties in collaboration with experts in complementary medicine. Our primary goal is to ensure the continued existence of this plant for future generations, while also harnessing its potential for the advancement of complementary medicine,” said Simelane.
Sowetan
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