Ethnopharmacological relevance: Xysmalobium undulatum (Uzara) is a traditionally used medicinal plant from South Africa. It found its way into European research in the early 20th century and is widely used as a remedy against diarrhoea. The purpose of this study was to explore the circumstances of knowledge transfer and early research into phytochemistry and therapeutic potential of Xysmalobium undulatum.
Results: The drug was brought to Europe through a former soldier, Wilhelm Heinrich Adolph Hopf (1887-1929). Some details about his life are provided here the first time, as well as some aspects of early research on the drug, which has mainly been done at the University of Marburg, Germany.
Keywords: Hopf; Uzara; Wilhelm H.A.; Xysmalobium undulatum.
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