Journal of Plant Science and Biotechnology

Affiliation: Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

Dr. Zelna Booth is a qualified pharmacist with a PhD in Pharmacy (2025). She completed her Bachelor of Pharmacy degree in 2011 with distinction and went on to obtain a Master of Pharmacy in 2014, also with distinction. From 2015 to 2018, she worked in the South African public healthcare sector as a pharmacist, where she was responsible for the storage, control, and distribution of pharmaceuticals at district level. During this period, she contributed to the development of a central dispensing unit designed to improve patient accessibility and adherence to medicines. Currently, Dr. Booth lectures in the Bachelor of Pharmacy program at the University of the Witwatersrand within the Division of Pharmacy Practice. Her research focuses on South African traditional medicinal plants used in infectious diseases, with a specialization in the interactive antimicrobial and toxicity profiles of conventional antimicrobial agents in combination with Southern African traditional medicinal plants. Her PhD, entitled “Traditional medicine use in two public South African hospitals: Prevalence and interactive antimicrobial and toxicity studies for combinations with conventional antimicrobials”, provided critical insights into the interactions between traditional medicinal plants and conventional antimicrobials in the treatment of infectious diseases in South Africa. By combining epidemiological surveys with laboratory-based antimicrobial and toxicity interaction studies, her work offers foundational evidence to support the safe integration of traditional medicine into the broader healthcare system. This research aligns with the World Health Organization’s universal healthcare objectives and proposes a novel approach to addressing the escalating challenge of antimicrobial resistance in the country.