Medicinal plants used for the treatment of various skin disorders by a rural community in northern Maputaland, South Africa
Medicinal plants used for the treatment of various skin disorders by a rural community in northern Maputaland, South Africa Helene De Wet , 1 Sibongile Nciki , 1 and Sandy F van Vuuren 2 Author information ► Article notes ► Copyright and License information ► This article has been cited by other articles in PMC. Go to: Abstract Background Skin diseases have been of major concern recently due to their association with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immunity Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS). The study area (northern Maputaland) has the highest HIV infection rate in South Africa, which made them more prone to a wide range of skin conditions. Fungal infections due to the hot climate and overcrowding households are common in this area, as well as burn accidents due to the use of wood as the major fuel for cooking. It is known that the lay people in this area depend on medicinal plants for t...