Table 2.

Some commercially interesting South African plants in the global market.

Plant name	Family	Common name	Pharmacological properties	Chemical constituents	Commercialized product
Hoodia gordonii (Masson) Sweet ex Decne	Apocynaceae	hoodia, ghaap	Has appetite-suppressant effect and used for weight management.	Glycosides of hoodigogenin A, calogenin glycosides, hoodistanal, dehydrohoodistanal, sterols, fatty acids, alcohols, and volatile compounds (Roza et al., 2013)	Hoodia gordonii slimming tablets 60 × 400 mg
Mesembryanthemum tortuosum L. (syn. Sceletium tortuosum)	Mesembryanthemaceae	kanna, kougoed	The plant has anti-anxiety and anti-depressant effects. In previous study the extract was found to be a strong blocker in 5-HT transporter binding assays (IC50 4.3 μg/ml). It has also and had potent inhibitory effects on phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) (IC50 8.5 μg/ml). Mesembrine has potent activity against the 5-HT transporter (Ki 1.4 nM), while mesembrenone possessed activity against the 5-HT transporter and PDE4 (IC50's < 1 μM). (Harvey et al., 2011)	Mesembrine, mesembrenone, mesembrenol, and tortuosamine	Sceletium tortuosum a brown powder used to relieve pain, stress and tension, and suppress anxiety
Harpagophytum procumbens (Burch.) DC. ex Meisn.	Pedaliaceae	devil's claw	1.Is a medicine for appetite Stimulation, dyspepsia, and degenerative disorders of the musculoskeletal system. 2. Clinical report has delivered its effectiveness for arthritis and rheumatic disorders. 3.A medicine used for liver and kidney disorders, as an oxytocic, purgative. In addition to other uses such as topical agent to treat wounds and skin rashes.	Iridoid glycosides (harpagoside, harpagide, and procumbide), sugars (tetrasaccharide, stachyose), triterpenoids (oleanolic and ursolic acid), phytosterols (beta-sitosterol), aromatic acids (caffeic, cinnamic, and chlorogenic acids), and flavonoids such as luteolin and kaempferol (Bradley, 1992).	Devil's Claw herbal supplements
Agathosma betulina (P.J.Bergius) Pillans	Rutaceae	Buchu	1.Has anti-inflammatory Activity. 2.The volatile oil of this plant exhibited potent activity against many diseases such as diabetes and nervousness. 3. It was exported to Britain in 1790. Later in 1821, it was listed in the British Pharmacopoeia as an important medicine for nephritis, urethritis, cystitis, and catarrh of the bladder.	Menthone, isomenthone, α-pinene, β-pinene, p-cymene, linalool and terpinen-4-ol, pulegone, cis-8-mercapto-p-menthan-3-one, o-methoxyphenol, and eugenol (Moolla, 2015)	Medico Buchu (Agathosma betulina) 50 ml. Carminative product which helps to relieve gas and bloating.
Aspalathus linearis (Burm.f.) R.Dahlgren	Fabaceae	rooibos tea	Has many pharmacological properties such as antispasmodic, antioxidant, anti-aging and anti-eczema, antimutagenic, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antiatherosclerotic activities. (Canda et al., 2014).	Aspalathin, chrysoeriol, orientin, vitexin, and rutin (Gilani et al., 2006). In addition to 50 components of volatile constituents (Kawakami et al., 1993)	rooibos herbal tea and rooibos-derived commercial supplement (DCRS)
Aloe ferox Miller	Xanthorrhoeaceae	Cape Aloe, bitter Aloe	Has antioxidant (Loots et al., 2007) and anti-cancer (Van Wyk et al., 2009) properties and used as medicine for arteriosclerosis, hypertension and stress (Amusan et al., 2002) and arthritis and rheumatism (Van Wyk et al., 2009).	Aloe-emodin, p-hydroxyacetophenone, pyrocatechol, 7-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-chromone, furoaloesone, 2-acetonyl-8-(2-furoylmethyl)-7-hydroxy-5 methylchromone. (Kametani et al., 2007).	Natural products for skin care, bath and body, hair care and baby care. Products for digestive ailments, general wellbeing, and laxatives.