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Background : This paper aimed to demonstrate the research and development of a rule-based expert system for skin problem consulting in the areas of acne, melasma, freckle, wrinkle, and uneven skin tone, with recommended treatments from Thai traditional medicine knowledge. Materials and Methods: The tool selected for developing the expert system is a software program written in the PHP language. MySQL database is used to work together with PHP for building database of the expert system. The system is web-based and can be reached from anywhere with Internet access. Results: The developed expert system gave recommendations on the skin problem treatment with Thai herbal recipes and Thai herbal cosmetics based on 416 rules derived from primary and secondary sources. The system had been tested by 50 users consisting of dermatologists, Thai traditional medicine doctors, and general users. The developed system was considered good for learning and consultation. Conclusion: The present work showed how such a scattered body of traditional knowledge as Thai traditional medicine and herbal recipes could be collected, organised and made accessible to users and interested parties. The expert system developed herein should contribute in a meaningful way towards preserving the knowledge and helping promote the use of Thai traditional medicine as a practical alternative medicine for the treatment of illnesses. Keywords : Rule-based expert system, Knowledge representation, Knowledge inference, User interface, Thai traditional medicine, Thai herbal recipes

Background: There is a hierarchical organisation of knowledge in the use of medicinal plants in communities. Medicinal use knowledge starts in thehome and is passed on to family members. Next in the hierarchy are neighbours, village elders and finally, traditional healers being the mostknowledgeable. For primary health care this hierarchy is actively followed in seeking remedies for ailments.Materials and Methods: This study was a survey of medicinal plant knowledge from family members of 1st year medical students registered atWalter Sisulu University. A total of 206 first year medical students participated in this study in 2010 and 2011.Results: Results revealed 47 species used as home remedies, 32% of which are food plants. Leaves and roots were reported as most commonly used. The top five ailments managed at home were gastrointestinal problems (25 plants), wounds (19 plants), respiratory tract problems (19 plants), infections, including sexually transmitted diseases (19 plants) and pain including headaches (19 plants). Chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer and reproductive ailments also formed a large group of diseases self-managed at home (29 plants).Conclusion: Family members hold knowledge of medicinal plant use. From this study, first year medical students were made aware of the relationship between common ailments and associated home remedies. This study forms a basis for further study of medicinal plants to validate theiruse as medicinal remedies.Key words: medicinal plants, home remedies, medical students, South Africa

In order to alleviate diabetic foot problems, patients sometimes seek complementary therapies outside the professional context. This paper describes the use of complementary remedies as a topical treatment for diabetic foot ulcers among Jordanians. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse written responses of 68 patients with diabetes who haveused complementary therapies to treat diabetic foot problems. These 68 persons represented a subgroup of the study population surveyed using a questionnaire, to the effect of investigating diabetic foot treatments provided in Jordan. Informants were recruited from eight healthcare facilities established in the southern part of Jordan plus from one hospitalestablished in the Jordanian capital. The study was approved by the Boards of Ethics of the participating healthcare facilities. Content analysis yielded the category “Complementary Therapies Used”, which included a range of household items (olive oil, sesame oil, honey, and vinegar), and also some indigenous Jordanian herbs (Wormwood, Myrrh, Caper, and Henna among others). The remedies were used either as a monotherapy or as mixtures, to the common goal of treating diabetic foot problems. Other interventions like Al-cowy were also sought from traditional healers. Educational campaigns are required to increase the awareness of patients and their families on possible hazards of unwise complementary therapy use. The decisions on the use of such therapies should be made in agreement with the attending healthcare professionals.

Background: Millions of women experience menopause every year, therefore the aim of this study is to determine the rates of application of alternative methods applied by women in order to reduce their complaints caused by menopause and alternative application methods. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out on 246 women in their menopausal period. The data was obtained by the researcher through face to face interviews during the home visits. During the collection of data, a questionnaire form by the researcher that was developed in accordance with the literature information was applied. Results: 37.4% of women were determined to use alternative methods to reduce their menopausal symptoms. In the consequence of statistical analysis, a significant relation was found between the menopausal complaints such as hot flashes, night sweats and sleeping problem and the use of alternative methods in order to reduce their menopausal complaints (p

The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency of complementary and alternative medicine usage in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients living in the eastern part of Turkey. In this study a descriptive design was used. The study was conducted with 216 patients who were present at the clinic. Data were gathered by the researchers in a comfortable setting through questionnaire method using the data collection form developed by the researcher. Individualised questionnaire-based interviews were also conducted among the 216 adult patients. The questionnaire included demographic information, clinical information, use of conventional therapies, and complementary and alternative therapy. According to the findings obtained in this research, the frequency of CAM use among Turkish COPD patients (72.1%) was close to the highest levels reported in the literature.Key words: Complementary and alternative therapy, COPD, Turkey

The study explored the perceptions, knowledge and attitudes of patients, health workers and traditional healers about the use of traditional medicine and Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART). The study explored the perceptions, knowledge and attitudes of patients, health workers and traditional healers about the use of traditional medicine and Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART), using an exploratory qualitative design in two provinces of South Africa: an urban township health facility in the Western Cape, and a rural district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) with antennal HIV rate of 32% and 28%’respectively. In-depth interviews were conducted with 14 participants: six HIV patients on ART and using Traditional Medicine(TM), two doctors, two nurses and four traditional healers. Two focus group discussions - one at each site - were held with community health workers who work with HIV-positive patients (Western Cape [5] and in KZN [4]). Patient said to have used Traditional Healing Practices (THP) before they were diagnosed with HIV, and some who have been diagnosed with HIV continue using TM in conjunction with ART and/or Cotrimoxazole prophylaxis. Patients preferred not to disclose THP to health professionals because of lack of support and understanding. Patients utilize THP because of family expectations, privacy and confidentiality, especially when they have not disclosed their HIV status. Healthcare professionals had strong negative opinions about THP, especially for HIV-positive patients. Traditional healers supported the patient’s rationale for THP use. This study revealed a need to better understand factors involved in patients’ choosing to use THP concurrently with ART.

Previous studies have reported that majority of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment-naïve patients use traditional medicine(TM). Given that TM use is ubiquitous in South Africa especially for chronic conditions, there is a potential for ARV non-adherence and serious drug interactions among patients with HIV/AIDs who use TM. The motivating factors for TM use in HIV/AIDS patients on ARV and prophylaxis treatment have not been well defined in South Africa. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, facilitators, predictors, and types of TM used among persons living with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral treatment. The study was a cross-sectional survey which involved 100 participants enrolled at ARV clinics in two South African provinces. Univariate and bivariate analyses were performed to assess the relationships between variables and potential predictors of TM. Sixteen percent of participants on ARV reported TM use. Seventy-nine percent used TM prior to a diagnosis of HIV. Participants were more likely to use TM if they were from a rural province, female, older, unmarried, employed, had limited education, or were HIV-positive for less than five years. TM users reported utilizing herbal or medicinal mixtures that were claimed to heal all conditions. This study provides insights into the treatment modalities selected by patients with HIV/AIDS in South Africa who are receiving ARV. This study revealed that less than 20% of participants co-used TM and ARV. However, close to 80% of participants utilize TM before contracting HIV, which is in keeping with approximate estimates by the WHO.

In many South African communities, Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs) are significant participants within a plural health care system. For several years, it has been argued that this role, especially in the context of HIV/AIDS, has not been fully optimised and THPs continue to operate outside the formal biomedical sector, where the latter forms the central means by which public health campaigns are delivered and implemented. In our previous research, we have shown that this separation of the biomedical and traditional sectors perpetuates a low level of understanding of HIV by THPs with adverse consequences for patients and the overall health care system. In this study we investigated whether biomedical/traditional division could be transformed through the involvement of THPs in the distribution of barrier microbicides; the latter are presently under investigation as a means of preventing HIV infection. We concluded that THPs could provide a willing and effective distribution network for the gel-based microbicides; given the large number of THPs and their patients, such a distribution strategy would ensure that microbicides are accessible and adopted relatively quickly within the target communities of the HIV prevention campaigns.Keywords: Traditional Health Practitioners, HIV, AIDS, prevention, microbicides

Folk medicinal practitioners form the first tier of primary health-care providers to most of the rural population of Bangladesh. They are known locally as Kavirajes and rely almost solely on oral or topical administration of whole plants or plant parts for treatment of various ailments. Also about 2% of the total population of Bangladesh are scattered among more than twenty tribes residing within the country’s borders. The various tribes have their own tribal practitioners, who use medicinal plants for treatment of diseases. The objective of the present survey was to conduct an ethnomedicinal survey among the Kavirajes and tribal practitioners to determine which species of plants belonging to the Verbenaceae family are used by the practitioners. The Verbenaceae family plants are well known for constituents having important bio-active properties. The present survey indicated that 13 species belonging to 8 genera are used by the folk and tribal medicinal practitioners of Bangladesh. A comparison of their folk medicinal uses along with published reports in the scientific literature suggests that the Verbenaceae family plants used in Bangladesh can potentially be important sources of lead compounds or novel drugs for treatment of difficult to cure debilitating diseases like malaria and rheumatoid arthritis.Keywords: Verbenaceae, folk medicine, Bangladesh, medicinal plantsdoi: 10.4314/ajtcam.v8i5S.15

This study was conducted to find out the frequency of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use that could lead to troubles in patient health and in applied standard therapy protocols when used improperly, which method is used, the reasons for use and from which resources the information about this topic were obtained. A questionnaire consisting of 28 questions was applied to 195 patients with cancer diagnosis by a face-to-face interview. The obtained data were assessed with SPSS 11.5 program. Out of 195 cancer patients, 100 (51.3%) were using CAM and 48.7% (n=95) were not. The most commonly used agent was nettle (72%). This was followed by herbal teas (21%), grape molasses (20%) and black seed (20%). The frequency of CAM use was found higher in those under age 50, in literate people, in those working during the diagnosis stage and having disease at the later stage. While CAM was commonly recommended by friends and relatives of the patients (73%), this ratio was only 5% for health professionals. While 51.3% of all patients were gathering information about CAM, 75% of those actually using CAM gathered information about it. Whilst information was gathered mostly from the relatives of patients and tamperers (47%), it can be gathered from physicians only with a ratio of 10%. Cancer patients use CAM and they gather information mainly from unreliable sources rather than physicians. Although the primary information source should be physicians, the ratio for this was very low (10%). We suggest that physicians should spend more time in gathering correct information and sharing them with their patients for a better guidance.Keywords: Complementary medicine, alternative medicine, complementary therapies, cancer.doi: 10.4314/ajtcam.v8i4.21

Use and opinion of herbs among medical students of Imo State University Nigeria was assessed. Information on herb use, indication and opinion from returned self-administered questionnaire was analyzed. A total of 114 students (91.2%) of 125 responded. 32 (28.1%) students had used herbs before, a significant proportion being males (OR 3.7). Herbal tea was the most popular herb used; maintaining good health and treating malaria were the only indications (50% each). Most students (>90%) believe herbs to be harmful, and generally unsafe especially in pregnancy. Most students (73%) who had used herbs consider them effective in treating hypertension or diabetes mellitus (OR 3.5 & 6.0 respectively). Most students (89.1%) believe there's a lot of misinformation about herbs. Most students view use of herbs with skepticism. Inculcating study of herbs in medical curriculum will provide better information on herbs.

Self-treatment for eye diseases is very common in most developing countries yet there has been little investigation of such attitudes and practices. In many settings, people do not proceed beyond self-treatment and do not receive care from either traditional healers or Western eye care providers. Visual impairment and blindness can be the result. We conducted population-based survey of use of eye care services and self-treatment in two districts of Malawi. Adults were administered a detailed interview regarding their use of eye care services (Western and traditional as well as self-treatment) and their knowledge and use of traditional eye medicines. Self-treatment was defined as use of either Western or traditional medicines by the individual for their most recent eye condition. Only eye conditions that were considered severe by the study subjects were correlated with treatment options. Interviews were carried out among 800 adults in the study areas. Self-treatment was reported for the last episode of eye disease by 39.8% of the study population. Factors associated with self-treatment included sex, religion and socioeconomic status. Even though 76.8% of the respondents reported treatment from the health center or hospital to be the least expensive option, many opted for self-treatment first. Among those opting for self-treatment 72% used traditional eye medicines. Even among cases that individuals considered to be quite severe (these included cataract, trachoma and conjunctivitis), self-treatment was the option of choice in 22.2% of cases.Key words: eye diseases, Malawi, self-treatment, traditional eye medicine, health service utilization

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is garnering increasing interest and acceptance among the general population throughout the world. The use of CAM by cancer patients is very common in China. The referenced English literature has no rural community-based study from China on this subject. This study was conducted to define the prevalence, pattern of use, and reasons for using CAM by cancer patients at Zhejiang University Teaching Hospital Zhuji Hospital (ZUTH-ZJH), China. Face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire were used to determine the use of CAM by cancer patients. All consenting cancer patients were interviewed as they presented at the Department of Surgical Oncology of ZUTH-ZJH, from September 2009 to February 2010. One hundred and twenty one patients were interviewed; 64 (52.9%) were males and 57 (47.1%) were females. One hundred and thirteen patients (93.4%) have used CAM at some time during their current cancer illness, fifty two (46.0%) are female and sixty one (54.0%) are male patients; 8 (6.6%) patients have not used any form of CAM. Chinese medicine (73.5.0%) was the most commonly reported CAM modality. Over 71.7% of those who used CAM were satisfied, only 28.3% were disappointed. Twenty eight users (24.8%) did not see any benefit from the CAM, but eighty one patients (71.7%) could describe some specific benefits. Only one patient will use orthodox medicine instead of CAM in the future, almost all patients will continue to use CAM in the future. CAM use is very common amongcancer patients in local area of China. Most users obtain the expected benefits, and adverse events are uncommon. It is imperative that oncologists should explore the use of CAM with their cancer patients and work towards an integrated model of health-care provision. This knowledge will enable oncologists to better counsel the patients.Key words: complementary and alternative medicine, cancer, China

Ethnomedicine has gained a lot of recognition in post-independence Zimbabwe and yet little research on anti-fertility medicines has been done. Information on plants used as anti-fertility medicines was obtained by interviewing women, men, traditional healers and traditional midwives in urban Harare and surrounding rural areas of Mvurwi, Seke and Chiweshe. The use of 31 species belonging to 17 families for antifertility purposes is described. This survey forms a basis to initiate a study into the efficacy and toxicology of plants used by Zimbabwean women as traditional anti-fertility medicines.Key words: antifertility; Zimbabwe; postcoital anticonceptive; abortifacient; contraceptive.

The purpose of this study is to assess patients consulting full-time traditional health practitioners (THPs) and the practice of THPs after they had been trained on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/ Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) prevention and care. The sample included 222 patients interviewed when exiting a THP\'s practice (n=17) in purposefully chosen two urban sites in KwaZulu-Natal. Results indicate that at post training evaluation the majority of the THPs were involved in HIV/STI management and most had low levels of HIV risk practices at the workplace. Major self-reported reasons for consulting the THP included a complex of supernatural or psychosocial problems, chronic conditions, acute conditions, generalized pain, HIV and other STIs. Overall, patients including HIV positive (n=18) patients had moderate knowledge of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART). A number of HIV positive patients were using traditional medicine and ART concurrently, dropped out of ART because of side effects and were using traditional medicine for HIV. Keywords: Patients, traditional health practitioners, HIV/AIDS management, KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaAfrican Journal of Trad, Comp and Alternative Medicine Vol. 5 (4) 2008: pp. 370-379

The Gwandara people of Sabo Wuse in Niger State, Nigeria are the original inhabitants of Wuse in Abuja Municipal Area Council. They were resettled at this present location of Sabo Wuse from Wuse in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja when the seat of government moved from Lagos to Abuja 30 years ago. Sabo Wuse still remains relatively a remote settlement and their lifestyle unchanged. They still depend to a large extent on their traditional knowledge of medicinal plants to treat ailments. Ethnobotanical survey was conducted to identify and document methods traditionally utilized for treatment of mental illness and to expand the quality and quantity of information for research and development especially in the area of new drug discovery and development. About sixty seven (67) Traditional Medicine Practitioners were interviewed orally with use of questionnaire. From our survey, various methods were found to be used by the traditional medicine practitioners to treat mental illness and associated disorders. These include music, incantations and medicinal plants in various formulations – decoction, powder, infusion – which are administered in various ways like fumigation, inhalation, bathing, steaming and drinking. Eighteen plant species belonging to twelve different families were documented to be included in these therapies. In conclusion, there is an array of plants used locally to treat mental illness and it is recommended that such surveys should be funded and leads for drugs to treat mental illness obtained from such, at the same time documenting our indigenous knowledge. Keywords: mental illness, indigenous knowledge, ethno- medicinal plants. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines Vol. 4 (2) 2007: pp. 211-218

Ethnobotanical information and traditional medicines were investigated and documented in Embu and Mbeere districts, Eastern Province of Kenya. Oral interviews were obtained from over 100 herbalists, both men and women aged between 40 and 80 years. All the herbalists interviewed were Christians and had little formal education. Non-Christian herbalists were purported to combine herbal medicines with witchcraft and were not interviewed. Of the 40 commonly used herbal plants 25 were used as multi-purpose medicinal plants (mpmp), while 15 were used to treat one disease type. There was a correlation between the outpatient morbidity data at the local District hospital, and the common incident diseases treated by the herbalists. Generally a decoction or infusion of the herb was recommended for the treatment of internal or external condition of the patients. Malaria and typhoid were treatable with a total of 15 and 12 plants respectively and were among the first two commonest diseases found in the study area. Terminalia brownii was found to be the most used medicinal plant either alone or in combination with other herbs. The second and third most utilized medicinal plants were Ovariodendron anisatum and Wurbugia ugadensis respectively.

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and disabling disease resulting in disabilities in young and middle-aged persons. In this study,researchers explored the effect of yoga techniques on physical activities and sexual function among some Iranian women with MS.Materials and Methods: In this study, 60 Iranian women with multiple sclerosis (MS) were placed in two equally divided control and case groupsthrough random selection to assess pre- and post- effects of yoga exercises on their physical activities and sexual satisfaction levels. Women in case group were offered a series of yoga training and exercises for 3 months, which consisted of 8 sessions per month for 60 to 90 minutes at each session. Yoga training program included the 3 principles of slow motions (Hatayoga), respiratory exercises (Pranayama) and centralization to control mind via meditation, expansion and stasis (Rajayoga). After 3 months both groups were surveyed using the initial questionnaire to evaluate and compare findings with the base-line data.Results: Researchers found significant statistical difference in physical activity and sexual satisfaction levels among the women in case group(P=0.001).Women in case group showed improvement in physical ability while women in control group manifested exacerbated symptoms.Conclusion: Yoga techniques may improve physical activities and sexual satisfaction function of women with MS.Key Words: Yoga; Multiple sclerosis; Quality of life; Sexual satisfaction

Background: Considerable research has been conducted on acupuncture worldwide. This study chronologically examined the changing features and research fronts of acupuncture and elucidated the differences among the six most productive countries. Methods: Bibliographic coupling is a powerful tool for identifying the research fronts of a field. Acupuncture-related publications worldwide and from the six most productive countries during 1983–2012 were retrieved from the Science Citation Index Expanded and Social Science Citation Index. To form the research fronts, the 100 most highly cited papers (HCPs) were clustered in terms of references shared. Results: The United States had the highest proportion of HCPs. The effectiveness of acupuncture in areas such as relieving neck and back pain, migraines and headaches, and knee osteoarthritis symptoms was a predominant topic. Initially, the endogenous opioid peptide system was the primary research focus in the acupuncture mechanism research; however, during 1993–2012, researchers focused more on the functional magnetic resonance imaging of brain activity. In addition, acupuncture use and prevalence, the attitudes of health practitioners, and the effects of expectancy and belief were also major topics. Researches from Western countries, including the United States, England, and Germany, showed more interest in clinical trials and economic- and ethics-related studies, whereas those from East Asian countries including China, Japan, and South Korea focused more on mechanism research. Conclusion: Western countries dominated the research fronts of acupuncture. The patterns of the research fronts varied worldwide, indicating continuity and innovation in research in each country.

Medicinal plants have been used in healthcare since time immemorial. Studies have been carried out globally to verify their efficacy and some of the findings have led to the production of plant-based medicines. The global market value of medicinal plant products exceeds $100 billion per annum. This paper discusses the role, contributions and usefulness of medicinal plants in tackling the diseases of public health importance, with particular emphasis on the current strategic approaches to disease prevention. A comparison is drawn between the ‘whole population’ and ‘high-risk’ strategies. The usefulness of the common-factor approach as a method of engaging other health promoters in propagating the ideals of medicinal plants is highlighted. The place of medicinal plants in preventing common diseases is further examined under the five core principles of the Primary Health Care (PHC) approach. Medicinal plants play vital roles in disease prevention and their promotion and use fit into all existing prevention strategies. However, conscious efforts need to be made to properly identify, recognise and position medicinal plants in the design and implementation of these strategies. These approaches present interesting and emerging perspectives in the field of medicinal plants. Recommendations are proposed for strategising the future role and place for medicinal plants in disease prevention.Keywords: Medicinal Plants, Prevention, Strategy, Primary Health Care

Background: This paper attempts to describe the multi-dimensional perceptions of mganga/waganga (Kiswahili: traditional healers) by members of their constituencies, patients, government health officials and religious leaders in Mombasa, Kenya. It also seeks to investigate how these conceptions and perceptions influence the relationships between traditional healers and other stakeholders in the delivery of public healthcare services in Mombasa. Materials and Methods: A qualitative approach consisting of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions was employed and 43 research participants were interviewed during the period of two months in the summer of 2010. Data were recorded (video and audio), transcribed, and analyzed using the constant comparison method. Results: Findings indicate that varied opinions and interpretations of mganga influence both the decision-making process of the patient and the provision of healthcare by the healer. High tensions exist between mganga and other actors, and furthermore, such perceptions seem to evidence themselves in the government’s support for waganga, as well as the delineation of healthcare services—whereby certain stakeholders and participants are relegated to specific tasks. Conclusions: This research builds upon the growing body of knowledge on how African patients—in general and Kenya in particular—and healers inhabit a multifaceted arena of healing in order to effectively negotiate their positions and needs to make complex decisions involving care, contingent upon local economic, social, cultural, and religious factors.

Background: Poverty, inadequacy of health services, shortage of health workers, infectious diseases scourges, rampant shortage of drugs and equipment in existing health facilities make traditional medicine an important component of healthcare in Africa, especially in oral health care. This review was done to document the role of African traditional medicine in oral health care delivery in order to provide a comprehensive documentation, identify research gaps, and suggest perspectives for future research.Materials and Methods: Available references or reports in English and French on the use of African traditional medicine in oral health care were consulted from published scientific journals, books, reports from national, regional and international organizations, theses, conference papers and other grey materials. Literature was searched on international online databases such as Pubmed, MEDLINE, Science Direct, Scopus and Google using the MeSH words “Traditional medicine or healer”, “oral health”, “dental caries”, “dental”, “primary oral health care’ and “medicinal plants”.Results: Contemporary African communities operate a pluralistic health system whereby highly sophisticated biomedical health care co-exists and even competes with traditional medical practices. Though most patients opt for dual consultations, the introduction of biomedicine has never replaced traditional indigenous medicine and traditional healers are consulted for several reasons making dual treatment a common occurrence in many communities. Factors such as the lack of health care workers, inequalities in the health sector due to socio-cultural and socio-economic disparities prevent people from patronising both health care systems. Therapeutic methods used by African traditional healers include herbalism, psychotherapy, simple surgical procedures, rituals and symbolism. The types of medications used by traditional healers were classified as preventive and prophylactic medications. Some practices of traditional healers included tooth extractions with medicinal plants and also in other practices resulting in exposure to blood; practices involving the use of shared instruments had been reported to be responsible for the transmission of HIV/AIDS. Other harmful practices include gemectomy, uvulectomy and different forms of infant oral mutilations.Conclusion: Traditional healers provide dental care, but their work was not integrated with that of a dentist. Traditional healers have special qualities that make them highly effective in primary oral health care therefore making them inevitable stakeholders in primary oral health care delivery. The research gaps in this review include the integration of traditional medicine into the oral health care systems of many African countries and the evaluation of the treatment outcomes of traditional medicine in dental care.Key words: Review, African traditional medicine, oral health.