Prof. Namrita Lall
Namrita Lall is a Professor and NRF rated researcher in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at the University of Pretoria (UP) and holds the NRF/DST Chair in Plant health Products from Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS). She obtained her PhD in 2001 and currently leads a research group in the Medicinal Plant Sciences Programme.
Office: Plant Sciences Complex 3-39
Tel: +27 (0)12 420 2524
Email: [email protected]
Medicinal Plant Science Programme
The main vision of Professor Lall’s research is to better use South Africa's medicinal plants for the benefit of its people. The programme investigates the medicinal plants for tuberculosis, cancer, and skin-related diseases. Hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory effects of the plants are also evaluated.
The aim therefore, is not only the isolation and purification of pharmacologically relevant phytochemicals as new lead compounds, but also the investigation of complex extracts and semi-pure fractions to use in the medicinal plant industry related to the primary health care of people.
Professor Lall works closely with industry partners as well as traditional health practitioners for the commercialisation of new plant-based herbal products. Bioprospecting, ethical issues, intellectual property rights and benefit-sharing related to this process are some of the tasks of high priority.
DST/NRF South African Research Chair
Professor Lall holds a DST/NRF South African Research Chair from Indigenous Knowledge Systems as part of the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI). The goal of the Research Chairs initiative is to strengthen the research and innovation capacity of public universities. The key objectives that Professor Lall meets as part of this initiative include:
Read more about The South African Research Chairs Initiative
Patents
Professor Lall has been placed in the top 1% of the Essential Science Indicators list for publication citations in the discipline of Pharmacology and Toxicology. She has led the discovery of a number of medicinal plants with valuable biological activities, many of which have been patented. Prof Lall’s innovation has resulted in about 41 patents including 9 South African patents and 6 PCT patents of which 3 have been granted in the US, 2 in the European Union, 2 in the ARIPO states, and 1 in China, South Korea, Australia, India and Japan.
Extracts/Prototypes
A total of more than 30 prototypes/ products; resulting from Professor Lall’s lab have undergone extensive research and development (including in vitro validation, pre-clinical and clinical trials). Many of these prototypes have been patented and have even been licenced out to the manufacturers. Products to reduce hyperpigmentation, for acne, ageing, periodontal diseases have been commercialised nationally and internationally, whereas a separate complementary medicine that can be used against tuberculosis, or as an immune-booster, has been commercialised nationally.
Books and publications
To date, Professor Lall has co-authored over 200 research articles in peer-reviewed journals as well as 91 book chapters. Furthermore, she has edited 5 books on medicinal plants, with a 6th book in the pipeline.
Selected recent publications
Twilley, D., Reva, O., Meyer, D., Lall, N. (2022). Mupirocin promotes wound healing by stimulating growth factor production and proliferation of human keratinocytes. Frontiers in Pharmacology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.862112 13 (Impact factor: 5.988).
Loggerenberg, S. R., Twilley, D., De Canha, M. N., Meyer, D., Mabena, E. C., Lall, N. (2022). Evaluation of wound healing and antibacterial potential of Greyia radlkoferi Szyszyl. ethanolic leaf extract. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.806285. 13 Frontiers in Pharmacology. (Impact factor: 5.810).
Rummun, N., Payne, B., Blom van Staden, A., Twilley, D., Houghton, B., Horrocks, P., Li, W., Lall, N., Bahorun, T., Neergheen, V. S. (2023). Pluripharmacological potential of Mascarene endemic plant leaf extracts. Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology. 47, 102572. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcab.2022.102572 (Impact factor 4.259).
Jugreet, B.S.; Lall, N.; Anina Lambrechts, I.; Reid, A.-M.; Maphutha, J.; Nel, M.; Hassan, A.H.; Khalid, A.; Abdalla, A.N.; Van, B.L.; Mahomoodally, M.F (2022). In Vitro and In Silico Pharmacological and Cosmeceutical Potential of Ten Essential Oils from Aromatic Medicinal Plants from the Mascarene Islands. Molecules, 27, 8705. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27248705
Twilley, D., Thipe, V.C., Kishore, N., Bloebaum, P., Roma-Rodrigues, C., Baptista, P. V., Fernandes, A. R., Selepe, M, A., Langhansova, L., Katti, K., Lall, N. (2022). Antiproliferative activity of Buddleja saligna (Willd) against melanoma and in vivo modulation of angiogenesis. Pharmaceuticals. 15, 1497. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph15121497. (Impact factor 5.677).
Devkota, H. P., Paudel, K. R., Lall, N., Tomczyk, M., & Atanasov, A. G. (2022). Editorial: Pharmacology of Plant Polyphenols in Human Health and Diseases. Frontiers in Pharmacology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.945033
Ho, K., Efrat, N., Schreiber, K. L., Vo, P. H., De Canha, M. N., Blom Van Staden, A., Payne, B. D., Oosthuizen, C. B., Twilley, D., Lei, Z., Sumner, L. W., Brown, C. R., Lall, N., Lin, C. (2022). Assessing anti-inflammatory activities and compounds in Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). Agriculture 11, 936. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12070936. (Impact factor 2.315).
Lambrechts, Isa A., Velaphi C. Thipe, Kattesh V. Katti, Vusani Mandiwana, Michel Lonji Kalombo, Suprakas Sinha Ray, Rirhandzu Rikhotso, Arno Janse van Vuuren, Tenille Esmear, and Namrita Lall (2022). Targeting Acne Bacteria and Wound Healing In Vitro Using Plectranthus aliciae, Rosmarinic Acid, and Tetracycline Gold Nanoparticles. Pharmaceuticals 15, no. 8: 933. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph15080933. (Impact factor: 5.677)
Loggenberg, S. R., Twilley, D., De Canha, M. N., Meyer, D., Lall, N.. (2022). The activity of Aloe arborescens Miller varieties on wound-associated pathogens, wound healing and growth factor production. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2022.04.010 (Impact factor 2.315).
Marizé Nel, Analike Blom van Staden, Danielle Twilley, Carel B. Oosthuizen, Debra Meyer, Siva Kumar, Masilamani E. Sobhia, Judey Pretorius, Namrita Lall. (2022). Potential of succulents for eczema-associated symptoms. South African Journal of Botany. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2022.03.030. (Impact factor 2.315).
Twilley, D., Reva, O., Meyer, D., Lall, N. (2022). Mupirocin promotes wound healing by stimulating growth factor production and proliferation of human keratinocytes. Frontiers in Pharmacology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.862112 13 (Impact factor: 5.810).
Loggerenberg, S. R., Twilley, D., De Canha, M. N., Meyer, D., Mabena, E. C., Lall, N. (2022). Evaluation of wound healing and antibacterial potential of Greyia radlkoferi Szyszyl. ethanolic leaf extract. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.806285. 13 Frontiers in Pharmacology. (Impact factor: 5.810).
Lymperis, P., Tomou, E.M., De Canha, M.N., Lall, N., Skaltsa, H. (2022). Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacology of Elegia Species: A Review. Scientia Pharmaceutica. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/scipharm90010004 90(1), 4 (Impact factor: 3.429).
Books edited by Prof Lall
Medicinal Plants for Holistic Health and Wellbeing 2017. (ISBN: 9780128124758).
Underexplored potentially therapeutic plants from Sub-Saharan Africa 2020. (ISBN: 9780128168141).
Aquatic Plants: Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Applications 2020. (ISBN: 9780367518462).
Medicinal Plants for Cosmetics, Health and Diseases 2022. (ISBN: 9781003108375).
Medicinal Plants from Sub-Saharan Africa - Undiscovered Therapeutic Potential 2024. (ISBN: 9783031649035)
Research Networking Societies
The African Phytomedicine Scientific Society
The African Phytomedicine Scientific Society (APSS), which was founded by Prof. Lall and a few of her students, aims to stimulate and facilitate the interaction of African researchers in the field with the intention to foster the scientific development of the continent within the area of ethnopharmacology and natural products research.
The main purpose of this group is to facilitate the communication and interaction of the network members. It is intended to share relevant information (i.e., scientific event information, call for fellowships), provide the possibility for personal and professional exchange and stimulate collaboration (laboratory and equipment sharing).
APSS LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theapssnetwork/
APSS Twitter: @theAPSSnetwork
APSS email: [email protected]
The International Society for Ethnopharmacology
ISE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13843911/
ISE Twitter: https://x.com/ISE_Ethnopharm
ISE email: [email protected] (ISE Secretary)
Short Courses
Natural Products from Plants for Medicine, Cosmetics and Agriculture :2025
The Natural Products from Plants for Medicine, Cosmetics and Agriculture short course provides practical and theoretical skills to researchers and indigenous knowledge holders who are interested in the discovery of new natural products from plants. The intention is to create a multidisciplinary and collaborative course that incorporates plant science, phytochemistry, pharmacology, plant pathology as well as formulation development to aid in the shift of medicinal plant research from bench to shelf.
Course duration: 12 May-30 November 2025 & contact sessions: 15-17 September
Course fees: R8000 (blended) and R5000 (online only)
Online Profiles
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Postdoctoral Fellows
Dr Danielle Twilley
ORICD - https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6701-5547
ResearchGate - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Danielle_Twilley2
Google Scholar - https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=6qQFp3wAAAAJ&hl=en
Dr Marco Nuno De Canha
ORICD - https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9237-2279
ResearchGate - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Marco_De_Canha
Google Scholar - https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=MV9vxSYAAAAJ&hl=en
Dr Anna-Mari Reid
ORICD - https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4552-4022
ResearchGate - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anna_Mari_Reid
Google Scholar - https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=g90v3ZUAAAAJ&hl=en
Postgraduate Students
Dr Bianca Payne
Project Title - “ A wrinkle in time; the effect of various extracts of Persicaria senegalensis of the maintenance of the dermal matrisome in photoageing skin”
ORCID - https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9901-0932
ResearchGate - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Bianca_Fibrich
PhD Candidates
Jacqueline Maphutha
Project Title – “Inhibition of VEGF in human malignant melanoma through the upregulation of PTEN using a bioactive compound isolated from HF-EtOH”
ORCID - https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6468-630X
ResearchGate - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jacqueline_Maphutha
Marize' Nel
Project Title - “Potential mode of action of Juncus lomatophyllus gold nanoparticles against symptoms associated with eczema”
ORCID - https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3347-6836
ResearchGate - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Marize_Nel
Samantha Rae Loggenberg
Project Title - “Investigating the antimetastatic activity of medicinal plants against breast cancer”
ORCID - https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8521-9463
ResearchGate - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gugulethu_Radebe2
Brandon Alston
Project Title - “The evaluation of Medicinal plants against targets associated with COVID-19”
ORCID - https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2943-688X
ResearchGate - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Brandon-Alston-2
Jonathan Seaman
Project Title - “The antibiofilm potential and therapeutic adjuvant properties of Salvia aurea and Sphedamnocarpus pruriens, against a model organism Mycobacterium smegmatis”
ORCID - https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5505-3773
ResearchGate - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jonathan_Seaman2
Bianca Diedericks
Project Title - “Antitubercular activity of 7-methyljuglone-loaded poly-(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles”
ORCID - https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1707-3201
ResearchGate - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Bianca-Diedercks
MSc Students
Rochelle de Kock
Project Title - “The feasibility of synthetic oleanolic and ursolic acid in combination for drug development against melanoma”
ORCID - https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3428-8458
ResearchGate - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rochelle_De_Kock
Andile Marima
Project Title – “Exploring the anti-inflammatory potential of selected African orphan crops” ORICID - https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5159-2419
Alexander Quinn Paulsen
Preliminary Project Title – “An exploration into the dual action of biologically active South African dye plants”
ORCID - https://orcid.org/0009-0006-5339-5589
ResearchGate - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alexander-Paulsen-3?ev=hdr_xprf
Karabelo Theledi
Project title – “The antihistamine effects of medicinal plants”
ORCID - https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4222-3803?lang=en
Elizabeth Jean Wildy
Project Title – “Investigating the anticancer activity of medicinal plants against colon cancer”
ORCID – https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0081-5612
ResearchGate – https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Elizabeth-Wildy
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