Melanogenesis and Antityrosinase Activity of Selected South African Plants

Table 1

List of selected plants and their traditional uses.

Plants	Common names	Family name	Medicinal use
Aloe aculeata Pole-Evans (Leaves)	Ngopane	Asphodelaceae	Used as a skin lightening [19]
Aloe arborescens Mill. (Leaves)	Ikalane/Umhlabana	Asphodelaceae	Leaf extracts have shown to have significant wound healing, antimicrobial, anti-ulcer and anticarcinogenic activity [14]
Aloe ferox Mill. (Leaves)	Ikhala/Inhlaba	Asphodelaceae	Sap in the leaves used traditionally as laxatives and can be taken for arthritis [14]
Aloe pretoriensis Pole-Evans (Leaves)	N/A	Asphodelaceae	Used as a skin lightening [19]
Aloe sessiliflora Pole-Evans (Leaves)	N/A	Asphodelaceae	Used traditionally to treat the uterus and believed to promote menstruation [14]
Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f. (Leaves)	N/A	Asphodelaceae	The gel from leaves is used as a remedy for minor burns and scrapes and for sunburn [14]
Calodendrum capensis Thumb. (Leaves)	Umbhaba	Rutaceae	Used as a facial mask [19]
Calodendrum capensis Thumb. (Bark)	Umbhaba	Rutaceae	Used traditionally in soaps and as a skin-lightener as white umemezi [14]
Harpephyllum caffrum Bernh. (Leaves)	Umgwenya	Anacardiaceae	Used as a face mask [19]
Harpephyllum caffrum Bernh. (Bark)	Umgwenya	Anacardiaceae	Acne and eczema treatment, and is usually applied as facial saunas and skin washes [14]
Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich.) Hochst. (Nuts)	Morula	Anacardiaceae	Oil extracted from the kernels is Africa’s greatest skin care oil and as a skin-lightener (personal communication) [14]
Ximenia americana L. (Nuts)	Umthunduluka-obmvu	Olacaceae	Seeds contain valuable oil that is used traditionally to soothe leather and as cosmetic and skin ointment [14]

N/A Not available.