Title:Sceletium for Managing Anxiety, Depression and Cognitive Impairment: A Traditional Herbal Medicine in Modern-Day Regulatory Systems
Volume: 19
Issue: 9
Author(s): Thomas Brendler*, Josef A. Brinckmann, Ulrich Feiter, Nigel Gericke, Lucy Lang, Olga N. Pozharitskaya, Alexander N. Shikov, Michael Smith and Ben-Erik Van Wyk
Affiliation:
- Department of Botany and Plant Biotechnology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg,South Africa
Keywords:
Mesembryanthemum tortuosum, sceletium, anxiety, depression, regulations.
Abstract: Modern-day regulatory systems governing conditions for how health products enter national
markets constitute a barrier of access for traditional herbal medicines on an international
level. Regulatory intentions are focused on ensuring that consumers are being provided with safe,
efficacious and high-quality products that, however, collaterally limit opportunities for traditional
herbal medicinal products, especially those that do not already have a long-standing tradition of use
established in the respective national marketplaces. This case study investigates and compares how
a Southern African herbal medicine with great potential as an anxiolytic and mild antidepressant -
Mesembryanthemum tortuosum L. [syn. Sceletium tortuosum (L.) N.E.Br.] aerial parts - fares internationally
in today’s regulatory environments. It is argued that inadvertent regulatory favoritism
combined with the lack of means for adequate protection of intellectual property may obstruct innovation
by creating an almost insurmountable economical hurdle for successful product development
and introduction of botanicals from developing countries into most of the world’s health product
markets.