👩⚕️ Summary
Zelna Booth is a passionate academic lecturer and registered pharmacist at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. With a strong foundation in pharmacy and a research focus on traditional medicinal plants and antimicrobial interactions, she champions integrative healthcare approaches. Having completed her PhD on the interaction of traditional medicines with conventional antimicrobials, she aims to bridge indigenous knowledge systems with modern pharmaceutical sciences to improve patient outcomes.
🎓 Education
Zelna obtained her Bachelor of Pharmacy (with distinction) in 2011, followed by a Master of Pharmacy (also with distinction) in 2014. Her academic journey culminated in a PhD, with a dissertation focused on the prevalence and antimicrobial interactions of traditional medicine in South African hospitals. Her academic rigor reflects a deep commitment to healthcare innovation rooted in cultural relevance and scientific validation.
💼 Professional Experience
Currently a lecturer in the Division of Pharmacy Practice, Zelna actively mentors postgraduate students, leads research projects, and engages in curriculum development. She has contributed to academia through local and international presentations, authorship in reputable journals, and consultancy roles such as the PharmApprentice initiative with Aspen Pharmacare. Her leadership includes academic representation on the PSSA Southern Gauteng committee.
📚 Academic Citations
With a Scopus h-index of 2 and Author ID: 56152911800, Zelna has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and a book chapter on natural products combating antimicrobial resistance. She is also an active reviewer for respected journals like the South African Pharmaceutical Journal and Journal of Ethnopharmacology.
🛠️ Technical Skills
Her expertise spans pharmaceutical microbiology, pharmacognosy, antimicrobial resistance, toxicity assays, and in vitro combination interaction studies. She is adept at integrative medicine research and applying laboratory insights to clinical and public health frameworks.
👩🏫 Teaching Experience
Zelna has supervised 12 postgraduate students to successful degree completion and has presented research at over 10 national and 2 international conferences. She contributes significantly to pharmacy education, focusing on evidence-based practice, pharmacology, and student mentorship.
🔬 Research Interests
Her primary interests include interactive antimicrobial efficacy analysis, indigenous medicinal plants, toxicological safety, antimicrobial resistance, and integrative healthcare systems. She advocates for evidence-based synergy between traditional healing and modern medicine to tackle global health challenges.
Publications
Conventional Antimicrobial and Medicinal Plants from a Traditional Medicine Market in South Africa: An Interactive Antimicrobial and Toxicity Study
- Authors: Zelna Booth, Sabiha Essack, Sandy van Vuuren
- Journal: Antibiotics
- Year: 2025
Toxicity and antimicrobial interactions with conventional antimicrobials of commonly traded medicinal plants from Faraday muthi market (Johannesburg, South Africa)
- Authors: Zelna Booth, Gugulethu Khumalo, Sandy Van Vuuren
- Journal: South African Journal of Botany
- Year: 2024
The pattern of antibiotic utilisation among intensive care unit patients hospitalised in a Gauteng (South African) provincial tertiary hospital: Comparing findings before and during COVID-19
- Authors: L. Spinickum, Zelna Booth, S. Leigh-de Rapper
- Journal: South African Medical Journal
- Year: 2024
Impact of Illegible Prescriptions on Dispensing Practice: A Pilot Study of South African Pharmacy Personnel
- Authors: Zelna Booth
- Journal: Pharmacy
- Year: 2022
Can rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) tea have an effect on conventional antimicrobial therapies?
- Authors: Hübsch, Z.; Van Vuuren, S.F.; Van Zyl, R.L.
- Journal: South African Journal of Botany
- Year: 2014