CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL OF AFRICA • Vol 23, No 9, October 2012
476
AFRICA
Professor Andries Jacob Brink, FRCP (London), FACC (USA), Dr Sc Med, Stellenbosch
29
August 1923 – 17 October 2012
It is with great regret that we
announce the death of our editor-
in-chief, Prof Andries Brink,
former dean of the Medical
Faculty and head of Cardiology
at
Tygerberg
Hospital,
University of Stellenbosch,
and previously the president
of the South African Medical
Research Council.
Prof Brink was among the
modern pioneers who brought
South African cardiology to the
attention of the medical community worldwide. He achieved
this through his original research, and later in his career, by
creating opportunities for others to conduct research, which
enhanced patient care throughout our continent.
In South Africa, he was a founder of the Faculty of Medicine,
University of Stellenbosch, first president of the South African
Medical Research Council and a driving force in establishing
the South African Heart Foundation. He also contributed
significantly to the development and subsequent success of more
than 25 organisations, including the South African Medical
and Dental Council, the South African Council for Scientific
Research (CSIR), the Prime Minister’s Scientific Advisory
Council and the Council of the University of Stellenbosch.
Prof Brink’s many achievements were recognised by
academic institutions, professional organisations and societies.
These honours included an honorary doctorate from the
University of Stellenbosch, the Havenga prize from the Suid
Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns, the Claude
Leon Harris merit award, the South African Decoration for
Meritorious Service and the Wellcome Trust gold medal.
Throughout his career, Prof Brink was a prolific author of
many widely cited scientific articles. Additionally, he was a
passionate believer in the academic development of Afrikaans
as a modern medical language. After more than two decades of
intense work, this resulted in the publication with co-workers of
the authoritative
Woordeboek vanAfrikaanse Geneeskundeterme
,
which at last provided healthcare professionals and patients with
the comprehensive medical terminology now used throughout
South Africa.
More recently Prof Brink dedicated himself to bringing
cardiology in Africa to a global audience. As always he
led from the front. In 1990, he founded the
Cardiovascular
Journal of South Africa
,
which he was determined from the
outset should be ‘world class’. As a result of the standards he
set, the Journal achieved full Medline recognition within 10
years. Then, as South Africa became a member of the African
cardiology community, Prof Brink, with the support of the
Pan-African Society for Cardiology, opened this Journal to the
African continent, providing another unique contribution to the
development of medical education in Africa.
For nearly seven decades, Prof Brink’s tireless energy,
dedication to scientific excellence and innovative spirit inspired
generations of cardiologists. We will always be immensely
proud of this Journal as one of the unique achievements of a
remarkable man.
The editors and editorial team
Editorial
Cardiotoxicity of plants in South Africa
PIETER VAN DER BIJL (jun), PIETER VAN DER BIJL (sen)
The floral kingdom of southern Africa comprises well over 30 000
species of higher plants, many of which have the potential to be
toxic to animals and humans.
1,2
Livestock losses due to poisoning
by plants have been significant over the years and have prompted
extensive research efforts. Although there is a considerable body of
information in the veterinary field, there is a paucity of published
data on human poisoning in South Africa.
3
While poisoning in
livestock and humans is mainly accidental (e.g. confusing toxic
with edible species, contamination of foodstuffs, for example by
mycotoxins and other toxin-elaborating organisms, or perhaps
overwhelmingly by medicinal use of plants in traditional medical
practice), it may be deliberate.
The medicinal benefits of plants were recognised by the
Egyptians and Romans who used an extract of
Urginea maritima
as diuretic, cardiotonic, expectorant and emetic.
4
Furthermore, the
medicinal value of
Digitalis purpurea
(
foxglove, which contains
cardiac glycosides) was reported by William Withering in 1785
after observing that patients with dropsy (cardiac failure) could be
treated by using an extract from this plant.
5
The use of plant-derived materials is widespread in the practice
of traditional medicine in South Africa. It has been estimated
that approximately 80% of the South African population consult
traditional healers regularly.
6
Traditional medicines (
muti
)
are
usually administered orally or as an enema by traditional healers.
Laboratory analyses of
muti
have shown that these medicines
often consist of aqueous plant materials, such as roots, bark stem
or leaves, sometimes mixed with metallic salts, mushrooms and
insects.
5
Plant components are sometimes pulverised or sliced
