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Medicinal Plants for Holistic
Health and Well-Being
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Medicinal Plants
for Holistic Health
and Well-Being
Edited by
Namrita Lall
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Contents
List of Contributors xi
Forewordxiii
1. Traditional Medicine: The Ancient Roots of Modern

Practice
Anna-Mari Reid, Carel B. Oosthuizen, Bianca D. Fibrich,
Danielle Twilley, Isa Anina Lambrechts, Marco Nuno de Canha,
Sunelle Rademan and Namrita Lall
1.1 The Use of Plants in Medicine: A Historic Tale 1
1.2 Traditional Medicine Is a Crucial Part of African Heritage 3
1.3 Traditional Medicine in South Africa 5
1.4 Development of Modern Herbal Preparations 7
References 10
2. Are Medicinal Plants Effective for Skin Cancer?

Danielle Twilley, Sunelle Rademan and Namrita Lall
2.1 Cancer 13
2.1.1 Carcinogenesis 14
2.1.2 Cancer Prevalence Worldwide 15
2.1.3 Cancer Prevalence in South Africa 15
2.2 The Fundamentals of the Skin and Skin Cancer 16
2.2.1 The Skin 16
2.2.2 Skin Cancer 16
2.2.3 The Ultraviolet Index 19
2.2.4 Conventional Treatments for Skin Cancer 20
2.3 Plants as a Source for Cancer Prevention and Treatment 20
2.3.1 Plant-Derived Compounds Currently Used for Cancer
Treatment20
2.3.2 Research on South African Plants for Novel Anticancer
Treatments20
2.3.3 Traditionally Used Plants From South Africa for
Cancer and Their Associated Symptoms 23
2.3.4 Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals 23
2.4 Scientific Results 46
v
vi Contents
2.5 Potential Plants and Natural Products With

Chemopreventive Activity Against Ultraviolet Radiation 60
2.6 Conclusion 62
References 63
3. Fighting the Inevitable: Skin Aging and Plants

Bianca D. Fibrich and Namrita Lall
3.1 The Inevitable: Aging 77
3.1.1 Aging Prevalence Worldwide 79
3.1.2 Aging Prevalence in Africa 80
3.1.3 Current Antiaging Approaches in Skin Care 80
3.1.4 Aging Is a Complex Biological Process With
Many Theories Surrounding It 87
3.1.5 The Enemy Enzyme, Elastase and Its Target, Elastin 89
3.2 Plants Used Traditionally to Prevent the Appearance
of Wrinkles 93
3.3 Products and Potential Plants With Elastase Inhibition 93
3.5 Conclusion 107
References 107
Further Reading 114
4. Exploiting Medicinal Plants as Possible Treatments

for Acne Vulgaris
Isa Anina Lambrechts, Marco Nuno de Canha and Namrita Lall
4.1 Acne Vulgaris 118
4.1.1 Propionibacterium acnes and the Skin 119
4.1.2 Pathogenesis of Acne 120
4.1.3 Androgens and Sebum Production 121
4.1.4 Hyperkeratinization 122
4.1.5 Proliferation of Propionibacterium acnes124
4.1.6 Inflammation 124
4.1.7 Acne Vulgaris Prevalence Worldwide and
in South Africa 127
4.2 Why Use Plants for the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris? 127
4.2.1 Plant Extracts Traditionally Used for the Treatment of Acne 132
4.2.2 Plant Compounds With Antiacne and
Antiinflammatory Activity 132
4.3 Essential Oils for the Treatment of Acne 132
4.3.1 Plant Essential Oils Traditionally Used and
Commercially Available for the Treatment of Acne 133
4.4 Scientific Reports on Plants Against Propionibacterium acnes 133
4.4.1 Antiinflammatory Activity of Leucosidea sericea137
4.4.2 Antiacne Formulations From Leucosidea sericea137
4.5 Conclusion 139
References 139
Contents vii
5. Medicinal Plants as Alternative Treatments for

Progressive Macular Hypomelanosis
Analike Blom van Staden and Namrita Lall
5.1 Progressive Macular Hypomelanosis 146
5.1.1 Melanogenesis and Progressive Macular
Hypomelanosis146
5.1.2 Causal Bacteria and Current Treatments 146
5.1.3 Melanin Production and the Role of
Tyrosinase149
5.1.4 Melanin Transfer and the Factors Involved 150
5.1.5 Prevalence of Progressive Macular
Hypomelanosis153
5.2 Medicinal Plants Used for Progressive Macular
Hypomelanosis and Other Hypopigmented Disorders 153
5.3 Plant Products for Hypopigmented Disorders
From Medicinal Plants 156
5.4 Compounds Stimulating Melanin Production 157
5.4.1 Terpenoids 157
5.4.2 Phenolics 158
5.4.3 Plant Hormones 161
5.5 Antibacterial Compounds 161
5.5.1 Terpenes 161
5.5.2 Alpha Acids 163
5.5.3 Phenolics 163
5.5.4 Chalcones and Flavonoids 165
5.5.5 Tannins 166
5.5.6 Xanthonoid 166
5.5.7 Phenylpropanoids 166
5.5.8 Alkaloids 167
5.5.9 Fatty Acids 168
5.7 Conclusion 172
References 172
6. The Role of Medicinal Plants in Oral Care

Dikonketso Bodiba, Karina Mariam Szuman and Namrita Lall
6.1 Introduction 184
6.1.1 Teeth, Gums, and Alveolar Bones 184
6.1.2 Saliva 185
6.2 Periodontal Diseases 185
6.2.1 Periodontitis 185
6.2.2 Dental Caries 190
6.2.3 Oral Candidiasis 192
6.3 Prevalence of Oral Diseases 193
6.3.1 Prevalence of Oral Diseases Worldwide 194
6.3.2 Prevalence of Periodontal Diseases
in South Africa 194
viii Contents
6.4 Current Treatments 194

6.5 Plants Traditionally Used for Oral Care 195
6.6 Plant Products Produced From Medicinal Plants 195
6.6.1 Toothpastes 195
6.6.2 Oral Rinses and Herbal Mouthwash 200
6.6.3 Toothbrush Sticks and Chewing Sticks 200
6.7 Reported Antibacterial and Antifungal Activity
of Medicinal Plants and Phytochemical Compounds 200
6.7.1 Heteropyxis dehniae Suess. 202
6.7.2 Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M. Perry 203
6.7.3 Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. 204
6.7.4 Cinnamomum verum J. Presl 204
6.7.5 Melaleuca alternifolia Cheel 205
6.7.6 Azadirachta indica A. Juss. 205
6.7.7 Euclea natalensis A.DC 205
6.7.8 Diospyros lycioides Desf. 206
6.7.9 Mentha longifolia L. 206
6.7.10 Zantedeschia aethiopica (L.) Spreng. 206
6.8 Conclusion 207
References 208
Further Reading 212
7. Can Medicinal Plants Provide an Adjuvant for

Tuberculosis Patients?
Carel B. Oosthuizen, Anna-Mari Reid and Namrita Lall
7.1 Tuberculosis 213
7.1.1 The Casual Organism 213
7.1.2 The Global Effect of Tuberculosis 215
7.1.3 The Treatment 215
7.1.4 Human Immunodeficiency Virus Coinfection
and Resistant Bacteria 217
7.1.5 Pathogenesis 219
7.1.6 Immune Response 222
7.1.7 Latent Infection and Biofilm Formation 225
7.2 Medicinal Plants Against Mycobacterium Species 228
7.3 South African Medicinal Plants 228
7.3.1 Background 228
7.3.2 Antimycobacterial Activity 236
7.3.3 Immune Stimulatory Activity 244
7.3.4 Hepatoprotective Activity 245
7.4 Product Development and Future Prospects 246
7.5 Conclusion 247
References 247
Contents ix
8. Medicinal Plants Used in the Treatment of Superficial

Skin Infections: From Traditional Medicine to Herbal
Soap Formulations
Murunwa Madzinga, Quenton Kritzinger and Namrita Lall
8.1 Superficial Skin Infections 256
8.1.1 Common Superficial Fungal Infections (Mycoses) 257
8.1.2 Common Bacterial Skin Infections 259
8.1.3 Prevalence of Skin Infections Worldwide 259
8.1.4 Prevalence of Skin Infections in Africa 260
8.1.5 Current Treatments of Skin Infections 260
8.2 South African Plants Used in the Treatment of Bacterial
and Fungal Skin Infections 261
8.2.1 Elephantorrhiza elephantina (Burch.) Skeels
(Eland’s Bean) 262
8.2.2 Melianthus comosus Vahl (Honey Flower) 262
8.2.3 Dicoma anomala Sond. (Fever Bush) 263
8.2.4 Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. (Sausage Tree) 264
8.2.5 Ekebergia capensis Sparrm. (Cape Ash) 265
8.2.6 Diospyros mespiliformis Hochst. ex A.DC.
(African Ebony, Jackleberry) 265
8.2.7 Aloe ferox Mill. (Bitter Aloe) 265
8.2.8 Warburgia salutaris (G. Bertol.) Chiov. (Pepper-Bark,
Fever Tree) 267
8.2.9 Senecio serratuloides DC. (Two-Day Plant) 269
8.3 Herbal Soaps Infused With Plants Extracts 269
8.4 Conclusion 271
References 271
9. Garlic (Allium sativum) and Its Associated Molecules,

as Medicine
Carel B. Oosthuizen, Anna-Mari Reid and Namrita Lall
9.1 Introduction: Allium sativum and Its Historical
Relevance 277
9.2 Product Development 278
9.3 Research Findings of Garlic Extracts 278
9.3.1 Biological Properties 280
9.3.2 Nutritional Value 280
9.3.3 Antibacterial 286
9.3.4 Cardiovascular 286
9.3.5 Immune Stimulatory Effect 286
9.3.6 Cancer Treatment 287
9.3.7 Clinical Significance 288
9.4 Conclusion 289
References 290
x Contents
10. Maximizing Medicinal Plants: Steps to Realizing Their

Full Potential
Bianca D. Fibrich and Namrita Lall
10.1 Maximizing the Value of Medicinal Plants 297
10.1.1 Educate the Global Population About the Use
of Plants in Medicine 297
10.1.2 The Use of Medicinal Plants Stemming
From Ethnomedicinal Origin Needs to Be
Fully Understood and Scientifically Validated 298
10.1.3 Bridge the Gap Between Modern Western
Medicine and Traditional Medicine 298
10.1.4 Develop Sustainable Strategies for
Commercialization299
10.2 Concluding Remarks 299
Index301
List of Contributors
Isa Anina Lambrechts, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

Analike Blom van Staden, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Dikonketso Bodiba, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Bianca D. Fibrich, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Quenton Kritzinger, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Namrita Lall, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Murunwa Madzinga, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Marco Nuno de Canha, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Carel B. Oosthuizen, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Sunelle Rademan, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Anna-Mari Reid, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Karina Mariam Szuman, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Danielle Twilley, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
xi

Foreword
Yet another book about plants as medicine? Surely an overabundance of books

on the subject already exists? However, I am confident that this new title,
Medicinal plants for holistic health and well-being, is in a league of its own.
The promotion of plant-derived products to treat all kinds of maladies under the
banner of being “natural,” and therefore by implication safe and desirable to
use, is the order of the day. Unfortunately, claiming such health benefits without
proper scientific support has undeniably caused some reputational damage to
the noble idea of promoting plants as medicine. This new book by Prof. Lall
et al., however, is sure to not only bring much credibility to the scientific study
of plant medicines but would also contribute toward its promotion as an exciting
field of research, especially among students. The book is also special in that it
is a true team effort, conceived and written by a research leader of note and sev-
eral of her postgraduate students and colleagues. It is a celebration of the trials
and tribulations of scientific investigation, ultimately culminating in the excite-
ment and reward of discovering a new pharmacologically active compound or
of a new commercially released natural product that can be recommended with
confidence.
This publication also bears testimony to what can be achieved by a super-
visor and mentor of postgraduate students through sound and inspiring lead-
ership and much hard work. I met Namrita Lall when she was still a botany
student and was struck by her enthusiasm for her studies. Through hard work
and several years later, Namrita Lall is a distinguished professor in Medicinal
Plant Science at the University of Pretoria. She is truly passionate about eval-
uating the wonders of medicinal plants and not only values and respects avail-
able information on biocultural usage in her research but also takes it beyond
by proving the efficacy of plant-derived products and eventually developing
valuable pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical products. This is further sub-
stantiated by the various recognitions she has already received, including the
Distinguished Young Women in Science Award (2011) from the Department
of Science and Technology, South Africa, and more recently, the Order of
Mapungubwe (2014), South Africa’s highest civilian honor granted by the
President of the country, for achievements in the international arena that have
served the country’s interests.
Not only are we as humans dependent on green plants for our existence but
also, like all organisms, we share with them what Charles Darwin has aptly
referred to in a broad and metaphorical sense as the “Struggle for Existence.”
xiii
xiv Foreword
It always amazes that green plants, being essentially converters of radiant

energy from the sun into a chemical form that serves as potential food for innu-
merable consumers, still manage to exist out there. Their survival, in the face of
the threat of being consumed, is due in no small part to their remarkable ability
to create a defense arsenal of chemicals that far exceeds our own. Fortunately
some health threats faced by both plants and humans have broadly similar
causes, making plants excellent candidates to search for chemicals to serve our
own needs. Moreover, the chemical diversity in plants is so vast that they are the
ideal source for chemical prospecting to discover novel compounds for human
application. Through trail and error over millennia, much useful information
about the health benefits of plants has been discovered by humans of all cul-
tures. Such indigenous knowledge, though sadly fast disappearing if not already
extinct in many societies, provides a rich source of ideas for scientific studies
aimed at the development of safe and effective products for the pharmaceutical
and cosmetic industries. Using the ethnomedicinal approach as a point of depar-
ture not only saves a great deal of time and resources in modern drug discovery
but also encourages the forging of relationships between scientists and the com-
munities holding the key to invaluable traditional knowledge.
This accessible and well-illustrated book gives a clear, comprehensive,
and up-to-date introduction to the various usages and scientific validation of
medicinal plants against a selection of common health conditions from across
the globe. It brings together scientific studies conducted worldwide by scien-
tists and students, including Prof. Lall’s research team, and reports on several
leads derived from plants used for specific purposes in traditional medicine. It
provides a hands-on approach for evaluating the efficacy of medicinal plants
for various conditions. The book eloquently captures the excitement of under-
standing natural and social phenomena of plants as a valuable resource with
exceptional promise in the field of medicine. Current trends show increased
popularity of natural products over their heavily commercialized synthetic
counterparts. Many factors have spurred this popularity, including increased
perceived safety. However, the misconception that plants pose no hazardous
toxicity or other negative side effects needs to be corrected. Despite this, plants
hold many advantages. For instance, they often offer multiple benefits in the
treatment of a health condition and not only target specific symptoms.
True to its objectives and especially by endorsing the value of traditional
knowledge and the power of the scientific method, this book indeed succeeds in
highlighting the wonder of plants in holding solutions for many human health
problems. I highly recommend it to prospective students, teachers, and scientists
at all levels, to entrepreneurs, practitioners, and people working in the pharma-
ceutical and cosmeceutical industries, and to anyone else interested in medici-
nal plant science. It should prove, especially, useful to students embarking on a
research project and also to established researchers as information on the usage
of medicinal plants and the scientific validation thereof has been culled from
Foreword xv
various sources. Although the work is in the first instance aimed at an academic
audience, informed members of the public keen to learn more about the discov-
ery and testing of new medicines should also find it a highly informative read. I
would like to congratulate Prof. Lall and her team on a book I believe makes a
significant contribution to the field of modern drug discovery.
Abraham E. van Wyk

University of Pretoria
May 2017

Chapter 1
Traditional Medicine: The

Ancient Roots of Modern
Practice
Anna-Mari Reid, Carel B. Oosthuizen, Bianca D. Fibrich,
Danielle Twilley, Isa Anina Lambrechts, Marco Nuno de Canha,
Sunelle Rademan, Namrita Lall
University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Chapter Outline
1.1 The Use of Plants in Medicine: A 1.4 Development of Modern Herbal
Historic Tale 1 Preparations7
1.2 Traditional Medicine Is a Crucial References 10
Part of African Heritage 3
1.3 Traditional Medicine in South
Africa5
1.1 THE USE OF PLANTS IN MEDICINE: A HISTORIC TALE

Plants have been around longer than mankind; naturally, they would be one
of the first resources exploited for their medicinal value. In ancient times,
the etiological agents of disease were unknown to man, and hence the use of
plants as medicinal sources became the product of trial and error, ultimately
unveiling valuable medicinal plants. The resulting knowledge of this trial and
error formed the root system from which modern medicine would eventually
stem. The earliest records of plants used in medicine date back 5000 years to
a Sumerian clay slab describing 12 recipes for drug preparation, referring to
over 250 plants! Even more interestingly, it describes plants still commonly
used in modern times such as the poppy and mandrake (Petrovska, 2012). The
Mandrake, Mandragora officinarum, contains the alkaloid hyoscine, respon-
sible for the use of Mandrake in Greek medicine as a surgical anesthetic. The
presence of this powerful hallucinogenic alkaloid is what led to the association
of the Mandrake with the supernatural (Carter, 2003). The effects of the man-
drake, supernatural or not, are what led to the incorporation of mandrake as a
Medicinal Plants for Holistic Health and Well-Being. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-812475-8.00001-9
Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 1
2 Medicinal Plants for Holistic Health and Well-Being
medicinal plant into many additional rituals and traditional medicine practices.
The popularity of mandrake and the legends surrounding its use extend beyond
medicine into the world of film, where it was interestingly incorporated into the
popular film, Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets.
Although difficult, the World Health Organization (WHO) has harnessed the
characteristics and elements of traditional medicine, drawing from descriptions
as far back as the evidence allows even to modern traditional medicinal prac-
tices, to formulate a definition, which describes traditional medicine as “a holistic
term encompassing diverse health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs
incorporating plant, animal and/or mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies,
manual techniques and exercises applied singularly or in combination to maintain
well-being, as well as to treat, diagnose or prevent illness.” Ultimately and more
simplistically, traditional medicine refers to any form of indigenous healthcare
system with ancient roots, cultural bonds, trained healers, and a theoretical con-
struct. Examples include Ayurveda, Unani, Kampo, Shamanism, and traditional
Chinese medicine (Fabricant & Farnsworth, 2001). The use of plants in medi-
cine by specific ethnic groups is termed ethnobotanical medicine (Farnsworth,
1994a,b). A medicinal plant is thus any plant with alleged medicinal value that is
used by Western standards or which contains components that are used as drugs
(Laird & Kate, 2002). In industrialized countries, adaptations of traditional or eth-
nobotanical medicine are termed “Complementary” or “Alternative” medicines
where complementary medicine refers to the use of medicinal plants in conjunc-
tion with a Western medicinal treatment, and alternative medicine refers to the use
of a medicinal plant or plant-based medicine in place of Western medicine (WHO,
2003). Western medicine is distinguished from traditional medicine by the fact
that it considers only ailments of the physical body, based on the principles of
technology, science, knowledge, and clinical analysis developed in Northern
America and Western Europe (Richter, 2003).
Medicinal plants and plant-derived medicines are used globally to treat
various ailments. In modern society, these medicines are not only used by tra-
ditional cultures but are also gaining popularity under Western civilization.
Currently there is a trend in natural alternatives as a source of new commercial
products to synthetic chemicals. Although the use of plants as medicine is often
underestimated, awareness of the active components of plants, which enable
them to perform healing functions, needs to be increased. These active compo-
nents, called phytochemicals, exist as they are required by the plant itself for
specific functions. Generally, these phytochemicals are classified as secondary
metabolites as they are not crucial for the survival of the plant but rather render a
secondary beneficial function that provides the plant with a selective advantage.
More than 100,000 such secondary metabolites have been isolated and charac-
terized, many of which have been implemented as active ingredients in common
medicines or have provided a basis for the development of synthetic actives that
are incorporated into medicines (Rates, 2001).
More than 50% of drugs that are clinically used in the world are derived
from natural products and their derivatives, with 25% being from higher plants.
Traditional Medicine: The Ancient Roots of Modern Practice Chapter | 1 3
When considering ∼250,000 higher plant species globally, only 10,000 have
documented medicinal uses, of which only 150–200 are actually incorporated
into Western medicine (McChesney, Venkataraman, & Henri, 2007), it becomes
increasingly evident that plants possess a great potential avenue for exploration.
The WHO considers 252 drugs “basic” 11% of these (∼28) originate exclu-
sively from plants, with a significant amount of the remaining synthetic drugs
being derived from natural precursors (WHO, 2003). This further exemplifies
the importance of plants in healing, across both pharmaceutical and cosmeceuti-
cal industries. The vast amount of plants that have yet to be explored outlines
the importance of research in medicinal plants, and when considering what has
been accomplished with what knowledge we do possess, it becomes very clear
that the possibilities are endless and much to be sought after (Verpoorte, 1998).
Natural and herbal medicines have shown their potential over syn-
thetic drugs by mostly having fewer side effects and lower levels of toxicity.
Pharmacologically natural medicines have also shown their importance in their
use as starting material for drug synthesis or directly as therapeutics. Natural
medicines can also function as models for pharmacologically active compounds
that may possess higher activity and less toxicity than their synthetic counter-
parts (Verma & Singh, 2008).
Not only do plants serve as potentially great alternatives to synthetic drugs
and therapies, but natural plant-based therapies have also become increasingly
popular, setting the benchmark for a more natural and safe platform. Reasons
for this increased popularity include inefficiencies or hazards posed by conven-
tional synthetic therapies, adverse side effects, affordability, and accessibility.
Folk medicine and increased ecological awareness recently have also encour-
aged the idea that natural products may be less harmless (Rates, 2001).
1.2 TRADITIONAL MEDICINE IS A CRUCIAL PART

OF AFRICAN HERITAGE
Traditional medicine, on the African continent, dates back ∼4000 years. It was
once the sole medicinal system; however, even in recent times for some, it
remains the dominant system with an estimated 80% of the African Member
States population use traditional medicine as a primary source of health care.
Africans have used traditional medicine for hundreds of years as a form of
health care. In South Africa it is estimated that there are ∼27 million individu-
als who use traditional medicine. It has been calculated that from these indi-
viduals who use traditional medicine, they use it ∼4.8 times/year, which equates
to an average of about 157 g of plant material for each treatment and 750 g/
year. In South Africa, indigenous plants are mainly used and this equates to
∼20,000 tons being used each year from at least 771 plant species that have been
recorded. There are a range of plant parts used, which are collected from forests,
grasslands, woodlands, and thickets (Fig. 1.1; HST, 2015).
The WHO estimates that of the plants harvested for medicinal use, about
86% of the plant parts harvested results in death of the plant, which has a huge
impact on sustainability. The decrease in availability of plants increases the

time taken to find these plants and increases cost of the material. Common
plants such as Scilla natalensis (Fig. 1.2) cost about R53/kg and scarce plants
such as Salacia kraussii can reach up to R4,800/kg. There is also a big trade
in plants from South Africa with neighboring countries such as Zimbabwe and
Mozambique (HST, 2015).
3%
6%
10% 27%
Bark
Roots
Bulb
13% Whole plant

Leaves and stems
Tubers
Combinaon of parts
14% 27%
FIGURE 1.1 Percentage of plant parts used in traditional medicine in South Africa (HST, 2015).
FIGURE 1.2 Scilla natalensis, a commonly used medicinal plant traded at approximately
R50/kg (Shebs, 2007a,b).
1.3 TRADITIONAL MEDICINE IN SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa has much to be explored as it is one of the richest temperate flora
globally, comprising 24,000 specific and infraspecific taxa from 368 plant fami-
lies. More than 10% of the Earth’s vascular plant flora is offered by Southern
Africa on less than 2.5% of its total surface area (Germishuizen & Meyer,
2003). South Africa, being one of the richest centers of plant biodiversity, has
an excellent historic research base to begin with, gathered from a long history of
traditional medicine implementing ∼5700 different plant taxa (out of 24,000), of
which 3000 are medicinally recognized (Mulholland, 2005).
Some popular South African plants often used include Aloe ferox, also
commonly known as the bitter aloe, Kaapse aalwyn, or umhlaba (Fig. 1.3A).
Traditionally it has been reported to be used as a laxative, for conjunctivitis,
eczema, arthritis, and stress and hypertension and is now sold commercially as a
laxative. An interesting medicinal plant reported to have many uses traditionally
is Boophone disticha, commonly referred to as gifbol, bushman poison bulb or
leshoma. Dried outer scales are used as a dressing for boils, septic wounds, and
postcircumcision wounds. It is also thought to draw out pus. Mild decoctions
are prepared for relief from headaches, eye conditions, weakness, and abdominal
complaints, while stronger decoctions are used as hallucinogens and sedatives.
Interestingly, examination of a 2000-year-old Khoisan mummy revealed scales
(A) (B) (C)
(D) (E) (F)
FIGURE 1.3 A few popular medicinal plants reported in folk medicine for their use in treat-
ing various conditions, from skin conditions to stomach complains and infections. (A) Aloe ferox,
bitter aloe (Shebs, 2009), (B) Cinnamomum camphora, the camphor tree (Starr & Starr, 2009),
(C) Datura stramonium, thornapple (Zell, 2009), (D) Harpagophytum procumbens, devil’s claw
(Pidoux, 2005), (E) Hypericum perforatum, St John’s wort (Blanc, 2011), and (F) Sutherlandia
frutescens, cancer bush (Humert, 2009).
of the bulb to be used for mummification purposes. Catharanthus roseus, the

Madagascar periwinkle or isisushlungu has traditionally been used to treat dia-
betes; however, two alkaloids present within the plant are commercially avail-
able for the treatment of cancer in combination with chemotherapy. The camphor
tree, Cinnamomum camphora, has been reported to be used traditionally for the
treatment of heart conditions, colds and fevers, respiratory complaints such as
pneumonia, inflammatory conditions, infections, diarrhea, and hysteria (Fig.
1.3B). Topical applications act as a counterirritant and antiseptic. The thornapple,
Datura stramonium has traditionally been used for pain associated with boils,
gout, abscesses, rheumatism, asthma, wounds, and as a hypnotic, and aphrodi-
siac (Fig. 1.3C). Commercially, alkaloids from this plant are used for the treat-
ment of motion sickness, Parkinsonism as well as eye drops. Harpagophytum
procumbens, the devil’s claw or sengaparile, is traditionally used in the treatment
of arthritis, rheumatism, digestive complaints (Fig. 1.3D). Pharmacologically it
has been confirmed as an analgesic and antiinflammatory agent. St John’s wort,
Hypericum perforatum has been used for diarrhea, gout, rheumatism, and as an
antidepressant (Fig. 1.3E). Oily extracts may be topically applied to wounds.
Pharmacological evaluation has revealed H. perforatum to act as an antidepres-
sant and antimicrobial agent. The cancer bush, Sutherlandia frutescens, has com-
monly been used in the Cape region of South Africa for the treatment of cancers
and stomach complaints (Fig. 1.3F). Topically it has also been applied to ailments
concerning the eye as well as wounds, and it has also been noted to be effective in
the treatment of colds and influenza, varicose veins, chicken pox, piles, liver prob-
lems, inflammation, and backache. It has been attributed anticancer activity too.
For the provision of health care and medicine, many options exist within
South Africa ranging from Western medicine, Western fringe practitioners, self-
treatment, pharmaceuticals, faith healing, and traditional medicine (Dauskardt,
1990). Traditional medicine is a network of knowledge strongly supported by
many individuals. It is therefore, very valuable for the information that is known
to be passed on for many generations. Many modern Western medicines owe
their existence due to the exploitation of all the components and structures of
active substances that form part of medicinal plants.
South African traditional medicine is strongly associated with the use of
herbs and multiremedies that are bestowed by the traditional healer known as
a “sangoma” or “izinyanga” with strong spiritual components (Richter, 2003).
Traditional healers may be divided into diviner-mediums (diviner-diagnostician)
and herbalists (healers) (Jolles & Jolles, 2002). The differences between these
divisions can be highlighted when considering the roles of each; for example, the
diviner or isangoma diagnoses the patient generally through a spiritual means,
therefore, serving as a communication medium between the patient and ances-
tral powers. This may be achieved through a trance state or through the throw-
ing of bones (Dauskardt, 1990). The herbalist, or inyanga, is trained through an
apprenticeship with an established herbalist and provides the correct herbs to
be used for treatment. Although theoretically they appear easily distinguished,
various sets of legislation, the history of South Africa and the encroachment of
Western medicinal practices have blurred the lines separating the roles between
these two (Richter, 2003).
The history of investigating the phytochemical potential of plants in South
Africa can be attributed to the importance of stock farming, the risk that many
diseases posed toward the stock farming industry, and the catastrophic effects
this could have on the economy. Diseases such as “slangkop” poisoning, “stywe
siekte,” “vermeersiekte,” and “gifblaar” poisoning resulted in the deaths of
livestock due to their grazing on poisonous plants (Marais, 1944; Rindl, 1924;
Theiler, 1911; Vahrmeyer, 1982). For that reason, halfway through the 20th
century, extensive research was done to understand the nature of these deaths.
However, it was only in the 1990’s that a noticeable shift occurred in the field
of research that wished to explore the use of traditional medicine and plants
in the development of many products from pharmaceuticals to cosmeceuticals
(Mulholland, 2005).
Several collaborative efforts between research organizations and traditional
healers have found hundreds of plant species with the potential for drug devel-
opment. Medicinal plants have played a major role in the traditions and lives of
many people all over the world and from all walks of life. Plants that were used
medicinally by various people and tribes had initiated the development of tradi-
tional healthcare systems such as Ayurveda and Unani, which have formed a key
part of mankind for thousands of years (Gurib-Fakim, 2006). Today the medicinal
importance of higher plants is still recognized with natural products and their
derivatives having a 50% share of all drugs in clinical use (Gurib-Fakim, 2006).
1.4 DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN HERBAL PREPARATIONS

The development of modern herbal preparations involves many steps, namely
identification of the plant material, authentication, collection, testing, standard-
ization, processing, and finally, marketing. Each step has been developed in
response to questions and concerns surrounding the use of herbal products.
The identification of medicinal plants may be through traditional knowl-
edge systems (ethnopharmacology), on the basis of their plant family or through
random selection. While random selection is somewhat inefficient in terms of
time and resources, selecting a plant based on the traditional knowledge or
plant family is more effective. Selection based on the plant family would be
based on literature revealing other members of the plant family showing some
medicinal value. The ethnomedicinal approach provides the greatest advantage
above the aforementioned methods in that, it gives specific information about
a specific species. Utilizing such methods, however, may lead to problems
when moving forward into the second step of herbal production, authentication.
This is because misidentification of the plant material may occur, especially
in instances where closely related species exist. In such instances, a trained
taxonomist is employed to correctly identify the plant species. The implications
of misidentification may be severe where toxic plants are concerned and have
implications in the treatment of the condition in question, showing no activity
and ultimately being considered an ineffective treatment.
Once the correct plant material has been identified as authentic, material
should be collected for testing. Collection should be sustainable, a lot of con-
troversy has arisen surrounding the use of medicinal plant parts that cannot be
harvested sustainably, such as roots. The material collected for testing may then
be comprised of only plant parts, which have previously been reported on, or
may be nonselective. For the plant material to be tested, a plant extract needs
to be formulated. This is to concentrate the phytochemicals present within the
plant material and ensure homogeneity in the sample to be tested. The plant
may be extracted using water or organic solvents such as ethanol. Extraction
may be through a variety of different mechanisms, including maceration,
reflux, solid phase extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction. The extraction
and concentration step may result in the concentration of phenolic or acidic
compounds, and the effect of these on other active compounds present in the
extract should be taken into consideration (Panichayupakaranant, 2011, Chap.
25). The mixture is then put through a filter such that the solvent containing
the phytochemicals is separated from the plant pulp. The phytochemical solu-
tion is then allowed to dry such that all the solvents are evaporated to dryness,
yielding a sticky syrup or powder of concentrated phytochemicals for testing.
Authentication of the material as well as quality control, qualitative, and quan-
titative phytochemical determination should be carried out at all steps, that is to
say on the fresh, dried, and powdered plant material as well as on the prepared
extract (Panichayupakaranant, 2011, Chap. 25). The consequences involved
with not adhering to these important parameters is firstly and most obviously
the production of an unstandardized herbal formulation, with diminished or no
efficacy, as well as increased potential for toxicity or adverse side effects when
consumed (Panichayupakaranant, 2011, Chap. 25). Although an unstandardized
herbal formulation may hold reduced efficacy as a disadvantage, standardiza-
tion of all of the components that go into an herbal formulation should also
confirm the absence of adulterants that may be added to enhance the efficacy
without the consumer being aware of it. It is very important for the components
to be specifically listed as the addition of adulterants do not give a clear indica-
tion of the medicinal value of the herbal formulation as an individual entity and
may pose side effects to the consumer further down the line if, for example, the
adulterant in question poses its own contraindications. This is different from a
pure compound in that it is a cocktail of multiple molecules within the plant
material.
Although whole extracts containing a phytochemical cocktail often offer the
benefit of targeting more than one step in the pathogenesis or progression of
any given condition, often also acting as a valued antioxidant, the application is
somewhat limited due to the introduction of a vast number of variables that need
to be considered. The specificity and target-orientated application of a single
compound allow treatment to exist in a much more comfortable realm, with a

drastically lowered number of variables when compared to a whole extract and
far fewer biological implications, especially for consumption as a medicine.
Scientific testing is a crucial part of validating the traditional uses associated
with the plants concerned. It normally involves a target-specific approach in
certain conditions, closely examining the biological pathways involved and the
effect of the plant sample on this pathway. Often, more than one test will be per-
formed to evaluate the total activity of the plant sample. In this step toxicity and
the adverse side effects of medicinal plants in plant-based formulations com-
pared to synthetic counterparts are evaluated to determine the viability of the
plant sample in any given application. Drew and Mayers (1997) classify adverse
effects of an herbal formulation as being the result of the intrinsic characteristics
(phytochemistry) of the sample or extrinsic factors (which may be the result of
processing and manufacturing). For samples showing toxicity the therapeutic
efficacy should be determined to determine if the benefit outweighs the cost and
by how much. Samples showing a low therapeutic efficacy where the risk of
increased adverse side effects exists should be discouraged. Depending on the
method of administration, the active components may be incorporated into the
medicine either as a pure compound or in the crude extract form as a cocktail
containing multiple phyto-constituents. In the instance of compound isolation,
the structure of the compound should be identified and checked for batch-to-
batch consistency. In the instances where the crude extract is utilized, batch-to-
batch consistency is attained through the metabolomic fingerprint of the species
or via the identification of biomarkers, which are molecules that are associated
with the compound of interest. The formulation of a standardized medicine thus
involves both quantitative and qualitative phytochemical analysis.
Generally, two types of standardizations exist, either which aim to quantify
the pure compound within an extract or the identification of a single or multiple
actives within the extract. The efficacy of the pure compound needs to be evalu-
ated versus the crude extract. The activity may differ greatly as the presence of
other components in an extract may enhance or diminish the activity of the com-
pound because the total value of a biological system is not always the sum of its
components. Testing of the medicine also includes clinical trials to substantiate
the scientific claims. Once it has gone through these steps and remains a good
sample, the sample needs to be processed. Processing refers to the processing
of the plant material into the form in which it is to be consumed (tablet, cream,
ointment, syrup, tea, etc.) and includes cleaning the material and the removal of
biological contaminants that may be present. The removal of heavy metals that
may be toxic is also crucial in this step. Marketing, of course, is the final step
and includes advertising the product to the relevant consumer. At this point, the
medicine may be considered commercialized.
Although a great leap for nature, the commercialization step is not with-
out hurdles. Upscaling of growing the plant requires the use of arable land for
production. In Agro-countries, which focus a great majority of their resources
on farming and the production of valuable crops aimed at diminishing world

hunger, a balance needs to be struck to include medicinal plants. Obtaining
the necessary permits and presenting the sustainability is also a great hurdle.
The addition of medicinal plant farming does present great opportunity in terms
of job creation, especially for unskilled labor abundant in third world coun-
tries. Not only are jobs created but employees providing this “unskilled labor”
also gain valuable training surrounding the agricultural practices involved in
growing medicinal crops, and also present opportunity for growth into a more
skilled labor zone for more advanced steps in the production such as standard-
ization. When implemented in the correct communities, commercialization of
the medicinal plant crop allows for economic growth at the very basis of a com-
munity, instead of the traditional trickle down economics in which the rich get
richer. Although modern medicine and traditional medicine both have a com-
mon goal, the general health of the population, traditional medicine, and the use
of plants as a medicine should be done at a low-cost low-return level, where this
form of medicine remains both easily accessible and affordable to the greater
proportion of the population.
The benefits of natural products remain the fact that they offer complex
phytochemical mixtures exhibiting great structural complexity and biological
potency readily available for investigation (Panichayupakaranant, 2011, Chap.
25). The chapters that follow discuss a specific condition as well as the use of
plants in its treatment, using traditional medicine as the basis for plant selection
and validating these uses scientifically.
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engaged in certain criminal enterprises with some leading spirits of
the underworld. Also he made no mention of the anonymous letter.
For the present he kept all this in reserve.
Needless to say that Richard was much astounded at these
revelations, especially at the fact of the imposture of young Archie
Brookes, with Mrs. Morrice’s connivance, and the loss of the
important memorandum relating to the safe.
“You have not told anything of this to Miss Sheldon,” was his first
comment. “Or, if you have done so, it would be under the seal of
secrecy, as otherwise she would have taken me into her confidence.”
“No, I have not said a word to Miss Sheldon,” was Lane’s answer.
“To tell you the truth, Mr. Croxton, in our profession we are not too
prone to make confidantes of women. We respect their good and
noble qualities, but we distrust their impulsiveness, their incapacity to
keep a secret where secrecy is of vital importance.”
Croxton was bound to agree with this general estimate. Women
were by temperament unfitted to be the coadjutors of men in
transactions of this special nature.
“Now, I have told you that Mr. Morrice asked me to allow him to be
joined in this investigation, and I consented because it did not seem
to prejudice your interests in any way, the aim of both being to
discover the guilty party. Now, it seems to me that the time has
arrived, or will very shortly be approaching, when it will be my painful
duty to inform him of his wife’s singular conduct in passing off this
young man, brought up by the woman Alma Buckley, as her nephew.
Before doing so, there is one contingency which we ought to
anticipate, although I consider it a very unlikely one. Is Mr. Morrice
himself a party to the deception? Is he already aware of it, and has
acquiesced in it from some motive satisfactory to himself? From your
close association with him, you must be well acquainted with his
character, his habits of thought, his views of what are right and
wrong. Do you think it likely that he would from any motives be a
consenting party to such a fraud?”
And Richard’s answer was emphatic. Rupert Morrice was one of
the whitest men he had ever known, abhorrent of deceit and
chicanery in any form, high-minded and honourable to a fault, just a
little intolerant perhaps of weakness in others. Even in his business
life, his notions of rectitude were considered by those who knew him
best almost quixotic, and in private life his code of morality was just
as stringent. Even if he loved his wife with a passionate devotion, he
would never have tacitly suffered such a thing as this. And
everybody knew that while he treated Mrs. Morrice with the utmost
respect and consideration, ardent love played no part in their
relations. They made no pretence at being other than a very ordinary
couple who jogged along placidly enough.
After a little further conversation the interview terminated, leaving
the two men mutually pleased with each other. Lane thought that
Richard seemed a very straightforward, transparent sort of young
fellow with whom it was very difficult to associate a criminal
enterprise of such depth and cunning. And Dick recognized in the
detective a sound, solid man, with great gifts for his difficult task,
neither optimistic nor pessimistic, but holding the just mean between
the two extremes.
Lane was impressed by the shrewdness of the young man’s
remark when they parted. “If you can find who has got that
memorandum, you will discover the actual thief. I don’t believe in Mr.
Morrice’s theory of it having passed into the hands of the dustman.”
“Neither do I, Mr. Croxton. Well, good-bye for the present. I think
for the moment we will say nothing about these happenings to Miss
Sheldon. It is not because I wish to keep her in the dark, for I am
sure she is a good and noble girl. But for the moment, except to
those actually concerned, secrecy is imperative. A chance word, a
chance look, even a gesture might convey a warning where I do not
wish it to be conveyed. You understand.”
Yes, Richard thoroughly understood. He hated to keep anything
from his beloved Rosabelle, who had stood by him so staunchly in
these dark hours. But the detective was right, women cannot control
their feelings like men, especially where their deepest emotions are
concerned.
Lane had perhaps been more frank in his statement of the facts
than illuminating in his deductions from them, if indeed he had
suffered himself to draw from them any deductions of a very positive
nature. But the young man felt much more cheerful after that visit.
He felt quite sure that if the detective had started with suspicions of
him, he had dropped them by now, or his manner could not have
been so cordial. He was certain that was not assumed.
This keen and patient investigator had certainly made a series of
remarkable discoveries, it was almost impossible that nothing would
result from them. It was easy to see that he was not a man who
would tell you what was passing in his mind till the decisive moment
for revelation had come. No doubt, in his own quiet way, he was
drawing his net tighter and tighter. Would he draw it so closely at the
end that the real criminal could not escape from its meshes? And
would he, Richard Croxton, be rehabilitated in the sight of all men?
Would the day come when Rupert Morrice would ask his pardon for
his unjust suspicions, his harsh treatment, for having branded the
son of his old sweetheart as a thief?
On his return from Petersham to his office, Lane found Sellars
waiting for him by appointment. To this keen-witted young man he
detailed the three fresh incidents that had occurred in so short a
space—the conversation between Mrs. Morrice and her supposed
nephew, overheard by Rosabelle; the fact that Sir George was under
the close observation of Scotland Yard, the further startling fact that
Archie Brookes had been brought up in the home of Alma Buckley.
He wound up with the information that he had dispatched an
anonymous letter to Rupert Morrice, the contents of which he trusted
would induce the financier to start a searching investigation on his
own account.
“By Jove, that was a fine idea, Lane, and got you out of an
awkward situation,” said Sellars in a tone of admiration. “If he finds
what, no doubt, we expect him to find, there will be trouble in
Deanery Street. For, although I can’t pretend to know very much
about him, he strikes me as just the kind of man who could be as
hard as nails in certain circumstances.”
“Yes, I should say it was so,” Lane agreed. “Young Croxton, with
whom I had a long talk to-day, tells me that he is the soul of honour
and rectitude, that he has no toleration of wrong-doing in others,
being so exempt from weaknesses himself. He gives me that
impression too—the sort of man who would sacrifice his own son if
he thought justice demanded it.”
Sellars had no petty jealousy of the other man’s superior powers in
the line in which Lane was a master, and he, comparatively
speaking, only a promising pupil. But he did occasionally fancy that
he could see a point which the master, perhaps through
carelessness, had overlooked. He thought he saw one now.
“That’s not quite true, is it? He firmly believed in young Croxton’s
guilt, believes in it still from what you have told me. But he didn’t
prosecute him. Not quite such a hard nut as we think him, perhaps.”
But Lane was not to be worsted in argument by his nimble-minded
young pupil. “I didn’t say he was out for revenge, only for justice. He
satisfied justice by turning him out of the house and ruining his
career. And he did that in spite of the fact that he passionately loved
the mother.”
“Yes, I see your point. Perhaps he may shield his wife in the same
way, or rather a different way, keep up the appearance of a happy
couple in public, and treat her as a stranger in private. Well, the next
important move on the board is the meeting with Miss Buckley—that
information you have just got ought to give me a point in the game,
anyway.”
CHAPTER XVIII
MRS. MORRICE’S DRESS
W HEN Rupert Morrice received that anonymous letter, which

arrived by the last post of the day on which it had been
dropped in a City pillar box, and was brought to him in his study, his
first impulse was to throw it in the fire. Like all men in prominent
positions, whose success in life is bound to raise up enemies, he
had in his time received many of these waspish and stinging
epistles.
But on second thoughts he resolved that he would reflect a little
before he finally dismissed it from his mind. It was a very brief
epistle, but it contained a most definite suggestion. And something in
the exceedingly positive wording of it conveyed the impression that
the anonymous writer knew a good deal of what was going on in the
financier’s household.
“Sir,—You are a man of such scrupulous integrity
yourself, that you are apt to believe all those associated
with you are possessed of similar high-mindedness. The
last thing a prudent man should do is to put a blind trust in
those of his own household, for it will be in these that he
will most often be bitterly disappointed. I have reason to
know that Mrs. Morrice has for a long time past been
spending large sums of money in a certain direction,
which could not possibly be defrayed out of your
allowance to her, generous as it is. I would advise you to
make an inspection of the costly jewels you have given
her, and satisfy yourself that they have not been tampered
with. If my suspicions turn out to be wrong, I shall much
regret having disturbed you and suspected an innocent
woman. But I think it my duty to tell you what I know.
“A Well-Wisher.”
There was, of course, no clue to the identity of the writer, the
ingenious author of this very plain-spoken epistle had seen to that.
The envelope was one of a common make and pattern, it bore a
certain City postmark, like thousands of other letters posted at the
same time in the same neighbourhood; the paper was a sheet torn
from one of the thousands of letter-pads in common use. It did not
even possess the slight clue of a water-mark.
Morrice thought that even the astute Lane himself would never be
able to trace it to its sender, if he were to take it to him. But, of
course, he had no intention of doing this. He was a very reticent man
in all things appertaining to his private affairs, and a slur cast upon
the woman who bore his name was an affront to himself.
It is possible that in ordinary circumstances he would have
dismissed the matter from his mind, deeming it the work of some
hidden enemy who, in his desire to annoy him, had chosen this way
of wounding him in his tenderest relations; for if he was not deeply in
love with his wife, as he had been with Richard Croxton’s mother, he
was fond of her in a calm, steadfast way, he was proud of her social
qualities, he was grateful to her for her ready obedience to all his
wishes.
But recent events had rendered him very distrustful and
suspicious; and the wording of the letter was very positive. One of
the sentences in it was strangely significant: “I have reason to know
that Mrs. Morrice has for a long time past been spending large sums
of money in a certain direction.” He was advised to examine the
costly jewels he had given her with a view to seeing that they had
not been tampered with.
It would seem, assuming that there was any truth in the innuendos
it contained, that it must be written by somebody who had an
intimate knowledge of Mrs. Morrice. For a moment it flashed across
him that from motives of revenge Richard Croxton had written it to
stir up strife between the husband and wife. It could not be
Rosabelle, she was too fond of her aunt, and besides, if she wanted
to do her an injury, he was certain the girl was too high-minded to
make use of such a shameful weapon as an anonymous letter.
Probably it might have come from a discharged servant who chose
this method of wreaking his or her spite.
But Morrice could not remember that any servant had been
discharged for several years past. It was such a comfortable service
that those who entered it stayed till natural circumstances brought
about a severance of the relations.
Ought he not to show it to his wife, and accept the denial of the
accusation which she would be sure to make? Had he not been
rendered doubting and embittered by these recent happenings, that
is just what he would have done. But the discovery of Richard
Croxton’s unworthiness, for he still believed in his guilt, in spite of the
doubting attitude of Lane, had rendered him morbidly suspicious of
everybody, with perhaps the single exception of Rosabelle.
And yet, and yet, it could not be true. It would be absurd to pretend
that their marriage had been one of ardent or romantic affection;
neither of them had made any pretence of such to the other. He was
tired of celibacy, he wanted somebody to be the mistress of his
home, possibly to give him an heir. She, on her side, was quite
naturally attracted by his wealth, by the position he could give her.
But because a woman is swayed in her choice by worldly
advantages, it does not follow that she is a person of dishonourable
impulses.
After a good deal of rather perturbing reflection, he came to the
conclusion with regard to this letter that, while he would not attach
undue importance to it, he would not definitely ignore it. And certainly
he would not follow what a few months ago would have seemed a
natural impulse, go to her and show her the letter, and say in his
blunt, straightforward way: “You see what it suggests. Is it a lie or a
truth?”
He happened at this time to be very busy on one of those big
financial schemes which had made his house so famous, and
although at no particular moment was the incident entirely removed
from his mind, it was greatly overshadowed by the almost incessant
calls upon his time and thoughts in connection with this huge foreign
loan. He thought of it, as it were, only to put it aside to a more
convenient season.
A trifling incident brought it back to his recollection in full force.
They were attending a big function at a certain ducal house to which
all the élite of London had been invited. At such an important
gathering every woman would naturally wish to appear her best, to
wear her smartest clothes, to don her most valuable jewellery. Mrs.
Morrice was as proud of her appearance as most women, she would
certainly not wish to be outshone by her neighbours.
For some days past the two women had talked of this function,
had discussed who was likely to be invited and as likely excluded,
and settled what they were going to wear. Rosabelle had ordered a
new frock for the occasion and was much surprised that her aunt
had not done the same, but was going in one that had already done
her good service.
This entertainment was fixed to take place a few days after she
had overheard that suspicious conversation in the boudoir. The girl
thought she understood now the reason of her aunt’s economy, not
only on this particular occasion but for a long time past. The money
which would have gone to her dressmaker in the ordinary course
had been diverted in the direction of Archie Brookes, to pay his
pressing debts, to enable him to avert disgrace for the time being.
Rosabelle thought it rather a pity her aunt should not have made
some special effort for such a unique affair; she thought she owed it
to her husband to maintain her position in a proper manner. Still, if
she was not going to assume any striking raiment, she would
certainly put on the most magnificent of her jewels, and these, no
doubt, would carry her through.
There was one very valuable pearl necklace which she was wont
to assume at magnificent functions like the present ducal reception,
and in a conversation the day before it took place, Rosabelle
carelessly remarked to her aunt that she supposed she would wear it
when the evening arrived.
Mrs. Morrice had appeared to hesitate before she answered.
When she did, she spoke in an indifferent tone, and, to the girl’s
quick ears, it seemed that the indifference was assumed.
“I suppose I shall, my dear, but I haven’t really made up my mind,
probably shan’t do so till the last minute. I might put on something a
bit newer. I have worn it so often, everybody who knows me has
seen it dozens of times.”
A painful thought crossed Rosabelle’s mind and gave her an
inward shiver, but on reflection she dismissed it. Her aunt’s fondness
for her nephew might lead her to stint herself in many ways to enable
her to minister to his extravagances, but surely she would not go to
any desperate lengths.
But that hesitation, the assumed indifference of her manner, were
very strange. This particular necklace was far and away the most
exquisite and costly thing in her collection, which was pretty
extensive. She had other necklaces of varying value, but nothing that
was so suitable to such an important occasion.
Mrs. Morrice was the last to come down, the other two had been
ready for some little time and were waiting for her in the hall. To the
girl’s surprise, she wore a necklace of considerable value, but only
about half that of the gem of the collection. Again Rosabelle felt that
curious sensation that there was some hidden significance in the
fact.
Morrice was not, as a rule, very observant of woman’s dress. But
to-night, for some reason or another, he seemed to scrutinize his
wife very keenly. His eyes travelled over her frock till they reached
the comparatively modest article of jewellery. Then he spoke:
“This is not a new dress for the occasion, is it?”
Mrs. Morrice answered in a low voice that it was not, that she had
worn it once before and that she thought it suited her extremely well.
This was a falsehood, for Rosabelle had seen her aunt in it half a
dozen times.
“I thought I recognized it,” was her uncle’s comment, and the girl
thought there was a rather hard inflexion in his voice, as if he were
not too well pleased. He touched the necklace lightly with his finger.
“This doesn’t seem quite good enough for such a grand occasion.
Why didn’t you put on the big birthday one?” He always called it this
because it had been one of his birthday presents to her.
His wife gave much the same answer that she had given to
Rosabelle. She had worn it so often, everybody knew it. She was
getting just a little bit tired of it herself, and would give it a rest for a
little time.
Rosabelle, watching her uncle keenly, saw a hard look come over
his face, a look which she knew denoted displeasure not unmixed
with suspicion. What could have caused it? Was it possible he
suspected anything? Of course, she knew nothing of the anonymous
letter. He said no more, however, and the small party trooped out to
the waiting car.
But something in his wife’s manner had not satisfied him, and he
was now on the watch. Two days after, husband and wife were to
attend a big dinner-party. In the afternoon when he came home he
went into Mrs. Morrice’s boudoir, where she and Rosabelle were
sitting together.
“Oh, Lettice, I only just wanted to say I wish you particularly to
wear the ‘birthday’ pearls to-night.”
Rosabelle looked up, just a little startled. His tone was not quite so
hard as it had been the other night, but it was certainly not his
ordinary one.
She turned her glance rather anxiously to her aunt. But Mrs.
Morrice seemed perfectly at her ease, as she answered: “Certainly,
Rupert, if you wish it, although I think they are just a little
overpowering for to-night.”
So she came down in the “birthday” pearls when it was time to
start and Rosabelle, who did not accompany them, was very
relieved. Whatever suspicions her uncle had formed, he would be
free of them now.
But that was just what Morrice was not. Subtly influenced by the
anonymous letter, he thought he had noticed an evasiveness in his
wife’s manner on the night of the ducal entertainment when she had
given her reasons for not wearing her most valuable necklace.
There was only one way in which he could be satisfied, and that
way he was going to take as soon as he could find an opportunity.
When he once took a thing in hand, he never rested till he got to the
bottom of it, being of a determined, not to say a dogged nature.
The opportunity came one morning when Mrs. Morrice started
early to lunch with an old friend, living some forty miles out of
London. Her maid had been given a holiday till five o’clock, the hour
at which her mistress proposed to return, for she was a very kind
and considerate employer and frequently showed these small
kindnesses to her servants. The coast was clear.
He went upstairs to her dressing-room. The more valuable articles
were kept in a safe which had once been used by him, and of which
he possessed a duplicate key, unknown to his wife.
Quickly he took the pearl necklace in its case, and put it in a small
bag which he had brought up with him for the purpose, then went
downstairs, feeling in his honest and upright heart, rather like a thief
himself. But, as a matter of fact, he could not rest till he had
convincingly tested the truth of that anonymous letter.
He hailed a taxi and drove to a shop, a high-class jeweller and
gem-merchant in the neighbourhood of St. James’s to whom he was
not known personally as he was at so many Bond Street
establishments. He asked to see the proprietor in his private room
and asked him his fee for giving him his opinion on what was
supposed to be a very fine pearl necklace.
In a very short time he was in possession of the information he
sought. The pearls were pronounced to be splendid imitations, likely
to deceive anybody except an expert, but worth as many shillings as
the original necklace had cost pounds.
His face set like a grim mask, he returned to Deanery Street and
replaced the sham gems in the safe. The anonymous letter had told
the truth, the writer of it had evidently known what had been going on
in his household.
CHAPTER XIX
MISS ALMA BUCKLEY
M ISS ALMA BUCKLEY did not seem at all anxious for that
interview so desired by young Sellars. He had written her a
very polite letter, forwarded by her obliging agent, stating that he
wished to see her for a few minutes on a private matter which it was
difficult to enter into by correspondence, and inviting her to name a
day and hour suitable to herself. He had found out that she was
appearing nightly at certain suburban music-halls, and judged from
this fact that she would appoint a morning or an afternoon.
He waited three days for an answer, but as none came, he
dispatched a second missive expressing his fear that his first had
miscarried, and begging the favour of a reply by return.
By return it came, a very brief and curt note but well-expressed,
written in the third person. “Miss Buckley has to acknowledge the
receipt of two letters from Mr. Sellars, asking for an interview on a
private matter. She has no knowledge of the writer, and before
granting his request, would like to know the nature of the business
on which he is desirous of seeing her.”
Obviously not an ill-educated person to whom the use of the third
person would have presented numerous pitfalls. Sellars did not relish
the tone of her letter at all, and did not quite know how to proceed.
He could probably gain admittance by pretending he was engaged in
some professional enterprise in which he would be glad of her co-
operation. But he would have to abandon that attitude when he got
there, and most certainly arouse her resentment by admitting that it
was a trick to enable him to steal a march upon her. He would then,
in all probability, be unceremoniously bundled out.
Miss Buckley dated her letter from No. 5 Elvenden Mansions, Kew
Bridge, evidently a block of flats. He thought the best way would be
to take direct action by calling there without preliminary
announcement, trusting to luck to find the lady at home and willing to
admit him. He arrived there about twelve o’clock on the morning of
the day after that on which he had received her somewhat brusque
letter.
He thought this would be a judicious hour. Professional ladies he
had always understood were not early risers, they preferred the day
to be well-aired before they got up. In the afternoon they probably
rested to prepare themselves for the arduous duties of the evening.
He found the place quite easily—a very extensive block of flats of
respectable appearance, the rentals of which he thought would be
neither cheap nor expensive, just suitable to persons of moderate
means.
Miss Buckley opened the door herself, it was very likely she did
not keep a resident servant. She was a comely, good-looking woman
of an unrefined type, looking much younger than her years, which
Sellars, piecing together the information he had gathered at
Brinkstone, put in the region of fifty. She had a very brilliant
complexion, obviously the result of very careful art. She was a trifle
inclined to stoutness, but not by any means unbecomingly so, and
she had a very pleasant expression. Perhaps she was only brusque
when she took a pen in her hand.
As she surveyed him, taking in every detail of his immaculate get
up and elegant appearance, a twinkle appeared in her rather bold,
blue eyes, and she smiled broadly.
“I don’t think you need tell me who you are,” she said in a jolly,
rather loud voice. “I’ll lay five to one to anybody who likes to take me
on that you’re Mr. Sellars.”
This was quite a breezy reception, better than the young man had
hoped for. Miss Buckley was evidently not a mincing person nor
inclined to finnicking speech.
Sellars made his best bow, removing his hat with a grace
peculiarly his own. “I compliment you on your penetration, Miss
Buckley, you have guessed at once. I ran up here on the chance of
finding you in, as I am leaving London very shortly, and I didn’t want
to waste time in needless correspondence. Now that I am here, I
hope you won’t be so cruel as to turn me away.”
The music-hall artist looked at him not unkindly, he was a very
personable young fellow, and possessed charming manners.
She opened the door a little wider. “Well, I suppose I ought to send
you to the right about, but then you’d only pester me with more of
your polite letters. So come in, and let me know what it is you want
of me.”
She led the way into a very daintily-furnished little sitting-room, the
greater portion of which was taken up with a semi-grand piano on
which she, no doubt, practised the vivacious songs that found favour
with her public. A cheerful fire burned in the grate. A fair sized round
table stood in the centre, and on this was a good sized cake and a
decanter of port wine.
“I couldn’t make much of a show at breakfast this morning,” she
explained candidly to her visitor. “Some of us were keeping it up a bit
last night late. So I’m just picking a little bit now, as I don’t have my
meal till five. The profession’s very awkward for meals. Now before
you start, Mr. Sellars, try a glass of this port. I’ve had one and I’m
going to have another—doctor’s orders, you know.” She laughed her
loud, genial laugh, and again the twinkle came into the big, blue
eyes.
Sellars hastened to get on friendly terms with her by cheerfully
accepting her hospitality, and found the port very excellent. It was
evident that Miss Buckley, although a very small light of the
profession, was by no means forced to practise rigid economy. All
the furniture was elegant and costly. A handsome bronze clock and
candelabra adorned the mantelshelf, which was hung with elegant
rose-pink drapery. In a word, her surroundings were much more
refined than herself.
Yes, there was no doubt she was very comfortably off. And there
was every reason she should be, he reflected. The retired builder,
her father, must have had a decent income which, no doubt, he had
left entirely to her, she was hardly ever out of an engagement, so his
club acquaintance had told him, and she would get a decent salary
from her profession, even if she was only a star of small magnitude.
When they had drunk to each other’s health, for the lady insisted
upon this ceremony being observed, Miss Buckley came to
business, speaking in a brisk tone that rather suggested the writer of
the brusque letter.
“And now, Mr. Sellars, please tell me the reason that has brought
you into this remote part of the world. Judging by what I’ve seen of
you so far, I should say you were more likely to be found in Bond
Street and Piccadilly than the wilds of Kew.”
While they had been drinking their port and chatting discursively,
the keen eyes of Sellars had been taking in the details of the dainty
little apartment. Most particularly had he directed his attention to the
half-dozen photographs on the rose-pink covered mantelpiece. Two
of them he recognized at once as those of Sir George Clayton-
Brookes and young Archie Brookes. A third was that of a young girl
of about eighteen or nineteen years of age, in which he thought he
could trace some resemblance to the present handsome and
dignified Mrs. Morrice. Ah, if only his old friend Dobbs were here he
could have told him at once. One thing was very evident, there was
no portrait of the Mrs. Morrice of the present day amongst the
collection.
After putting her question, Mrs. Buckley looked at the young man
very keenly while awaiting his reply. He did not answer at once, but
rose from his chair, walked to the mantelpiece, took a leisurely
survey of the photographs and then turned to the music-hall artist.
“I see you have the likenesses of two men I know a little of, Miss
Buckley, Sir George Clayton-Brookes and his nephew. I should say
your memories must often carry you back to the old days in the little
village of Brinkstone.”
In spite of the self-possession engendered by so many years of
facing big audiences, the woman could not help giving a start of
surprise which did not escape the keen eyes of Sellars.
“What in the world do you know about Brinkstone?” she asked in a
hard voice. Her jollity had gone for the moment, she was the sharp,
alert woman of the world, ready to keep a close watch on her words,
more disposed to ask questions than answer them.
Sellars left the mantelpiece and sat himself on the chair opposite
her, putting on a very ingenuous expression of countenance.
“I know rather a lot,” he said pleasantly. “Shortly before Christmas
I took a fancy to run down there, and I put in a few very agreeable
days. I was engaged on some literary work, and I found it very quiet
and peaceful. There I made the acquaintance of a very delightful old-
world sort of fellow who had seldom stirred beyond the confines of
his native village—the head waiter, as he is now, one Dobbs. I am
sure you can’t have forgotten dear old Dobbs, Miss Buckley?”
The lady breathed a little hard. He guessed that she had half a
mind to tell a lie, disclaim all knowledge of the little village of
Brinkstone and its inhabitants, but she was afraid to because she
was not sure how much he knew.
“Perhaps I have, perhaps I haven’t. And how does it concern you,
Mr. Sellars, whether I know him or not?”
But Sellars did not answer her question, he put one himself.
“The portrait of that very pretty girl—am I not right in saying it is
one of your girl friend—Lettice Larchester?”
Again he saw that she was strongly tempted to tell a lie, to give
him another name as the original of that charming picture, and that
she refrained for the same reason.
“You seem to know all my friends, apparently. Can you tell me the
other three?” she inquired in a voice of heavy sarcasm.
“I am afraid I cannot, they do not interest me in the least,” he said
easily. “Well, to resume about good old Dobbs. In the evenings when
he was clearing the dinner things, we used to have long chats
together, a drop of whisky set his tongue going nineteen to the
dozen, and he told me lots of things about Brinkstone people.”
“Must have been very interesting, I’m sure,” said the lady, with
something like a snort. She helped herself to another glass of port,
but did not offer one to Sellars.
“It was extremely interesting,” agreed Sellars in his calm, placid
way. “I don’t know when I ever listened to a more delightful recital of
village annals. I heard all about the rather lurid doings of that
remarkable family, the Brookeses, the father and the three brothers
of whom Sir George is now the sole survivor. And equally absorbing,
the history of Miss Larchester and her derelict father, and last the
story of your arrival at Brinkstone and your subsequent friendship
with the young lady in question. Old Dobbs had a great tenderness
for her, he used to grow quite lyrical in his descriptions.”
“You went down there, of course, to spy out all this,” remarked
Miss Buckley in contemptuous tones. “I take it you are really a
detective, although I must say you haven’t got the cut of one. Well,
Mr. Sellars, what is it you want with me? Please come to the point.”
“I am not exactly a detective, not professionally I mean, only just a
rather curious person. I am very anxious to know something of the
career of your pretty friend Miss Larchester, after she left the little
village.”
And then Miss Buckley spoke. It was evident she had been
thinking pretty quickly while the young man was talking, and had
made up her mind what sort of a story she was going to tell.
“I have known Sir George on and off since the Brinkstone days, he
mixes a good deal with artists; I knew his nephew through him when
he brought him over from Australia and adopted him. I met Lettice
Larchester a few times in London—they seemed to be getting poorer
and poorer. Then suddenly they drifted away and I never heard any
more of her.”
Sellars was silent for a long time. “Then it comes to this,” he said
presently, “you won’t tell me anything of your old friend.”
“I have nothing to tell,” said the woman obstinately.
“You do not know whether she is dead or alive?” persisted Sellars.
“And if alive, whether she is married or single.”
Again the same obstinate answer. “I know nothing, and now, Mr.
Sellars, I think it is time to end this interview.”
The young man was chagrined at the negative result of his visit.
The only thing he was certain of was that Mrs. Morrice had certain
secrets in her past life which this woman was resolved to guard
jealously. Also she had told a deliberate lie about Archie Brookes in
saying that her acquaintance with him had dated from his arrival
from Australia.
“I will trouble you no more on that subject, Miss Buckley. Are you
disposed to be more frank with me on the subject of Archie
Brookes?”
She shrugged her shoulders impatiently. “My good man, will you
have the kindness to go. I know hardly anything of him except that
he is Sir George’s nephew and came over here a few years ago from
Australia.”
Sellars looked her straight in the face. “And that, pardon me for my
rudeness, is not a fact. When Sir George adopted him, he took him
from your home, and at that time he was occupying a commercial
post in the City.”
And this time the shaft went home. The woman dropped her eyes,
and a tell-tale flush spread above the rouge on her painted cheek.
But she recovered herself quickly, walked to the door and flung it
open. “For the second and last time, Mr. Sellars, I request you to
bring this interview to a close.”
He moved after her, speaking as he went. “I am sorry our
acquaintance ends so abruptly. One last word—if a certain person
would give you a handsome sum to disclose what you do know
about these two people, would you be induced to speak?”
And for the last time came the defiant answer: “I should be taking
your money under false pretences. I have no information to sell.”
CHAPTER XX
RUPERT MORRICE SENDS FOR LANE
L ANE was as chagrined as Sellars himself when he learned the

result of that interview with Alma Buckley, for he had rather
pinned his hopes on it. The great majority of people who engaged in
wrong-doing were corruptible, as he had found by long experience.
This middle-aged music-hall artist was a striking exception.
“Drawn into crooked paths by accident perhaps,” he commented,
“and makes loyalty to her pals her first principle or, equally probable,
is too well paid by the other side to consider it worth while treating
with us.”
He rose and paced the room, a sign with him of unusual mental
activity. “Well, now, it is needless to say, I am very grievously
disappointed, I looked for some good results, and the worst of it is,
we have given ourselves away. In another twenty-four hours our
friend the baronet and Mrs. Morrice will know of your visit, and will be
on their guard.”
Sellars agreed. “That is inevitable. Unless she happened to speak
the truth when she said that she knew nothing of Mrs. Morrice and
did not know whether she was dead or alive.”
“That’s a lie like the other about Archie Brookes,” replied the
detective grimly. “I don’t think I’ve told you before, but I have had
Mrs. Morrice under observation by one of my best men for a little
time. During that period she has paid two visits to the Kew flat. Alma
Buckley is a useful friend in many ways, although she is not an
official one and doesn’t show up at Deanery Street—and no doubt,
she gets well paid for her services. It won’t be very long now before
we shall have to open the eyes of the master of the house.”
He was pacing up and down the room with very vigorous strides
now, his physical energy reflecting his mental activity. In that keen

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