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14 May 2019 | Story Thabo Kessah | Photo Tsepo Moeketsi
Prof Ashafa
Prof Ashafa’s research documents plants used by the Basotho in the management of different ailments.
The Phytomedicine and Phytopharmacology Research Programme (PPRP) in the Department of Plant Sciences on the Qwaqwa Campus researches the biological effects of medicinal plants used in the folkloric medicine of the Eastern Free State, particularly to explore the values and contribution of indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) towards broader scientific research. This is according to the programme’s principal investigator and researcher, NRF C2-rated researcher, Professor Anofi Ashafa. 

 “Our research is mainly aimed at documenting plants used by the Basotho in the management of different ailments and to further discover, isolate, and purify active phytoconstituents that are responsible for disease curation or amelioration, thereby assisting in the global promotion of accessible and affordable medication in developing countries,” said Prof Ashafa. 

Since 2012, the PPRP has worked extensively on Basotho medicinal plants (BMP) used as antimicrobials, antioxidants, antidiabetics, antitubercular, anticancer, anthelmintic, and antidiarrheal agents, starting from biological activities up to the  evaluation of the toxicity of these plants for the kidney, liver, and heart functions in order to establish safe dosage parameters. These activities have led to the discovery of four potent antidiabetic biomolecules that are awaiting the processes of patency and commercialisation. Additional outputs include 104 published peer-reviewed articles , 7 postdoctoral fellows, 6 PhDs, 9 master’s, and 16 honours graduates. 

“Our research informs teaching and the development of expertise in ethnobotany, 
phytomedicine, and phytopharmacology in order to contribute to the National Development Plan (NDP) through human capacity development, skills, and knowledge transfer.

The group is also investigating some medicinal plants on the endangered red list of the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), through micropropagation and field trials as well as proposing conservation strategies to preserve these valuable species.

The PPRP consists of postdoctoral fellows, PhD, master’s, and honours students and research is done in collaboration with several local and international universities as well as the Agricultural Research Council of South Africa. 


News Archive

Prof Hussein Solomon, an expert voice on Islam in Africa
2013-02-25

Prof Hussein Solomon
Photo: Supplied
25 February 2013

Prof Hussein Solomon, Senior Professor in the Department Political Studies and Governance, has been appointed Senior Research Associate of the Israeli think tank Research on Islam and Muslims in Africa (RIMA). 

Prof Solomon will give an expert voice on the topic of Islam in Africa, participating with other researchers in the network on political Islam and terrorism on the African continent. The centre is the only one in the world which solely deals with Islam and Muslims in Africa.

An expert on the topic of Islam on the continent, Prof Solomon says it’s an important focus area given the rise of Al Shabab in Somalia and its terrorist attacks across the world. He further mentions the rise of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and other such groups operating in Northern Mali, prompting the recent French intervention, as well as the increasing incidence of terrorism in Nigeria perpetrated by the Islamist Boko Haram.  "If you want to save lives, then you need to understand how such movements originated and how they operate."

The academic says through RIMA and its global network, he will work with other researchers and engage in collaborative research projects on the same issue, allowing for the rapid cross-pollination of ideas. "For the University of the Free State, it once more underscores the fact that, with the information age, you do not have to be in the capital of the country to be globally relevant. Indeed, in recent years the University of the Free State has increasingly been seen as a global actor in the academic arena."

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