Ethnomedicine of the Kagera Region, north western Tanzania. Part 2: The medicinal plants used in Katoro Ward, Bukoba District

Abstract

BackgroundThe Kagera region of north western Tanzania has a rich culture of traditional medicine use and practices. The dynamic inter-ethnic interactions of different people from the surrounding countries constitute a rich reservoir of herbal based healing practices. This study, the second on an ongoing series, reports on the medicinal plant species used in Katoro ward, Bukoba District, and tries to use the literature to establish proof of the therapeutic claims.MethodologyEthnomedical information was collected using Semi-structured interviews in Kyamlaile and Kashaba villages of Katoro, and in roadside bushes on the way from Katoro to Bukoba through Kyaka. Data collected included the common/local names of the plants, parts used, the diseases treated, methods of preparation, dosage, frequency and duration of treatments. Information on toxicity and antidote were also collected. Literature was consulted to get corroborative information on similar ethnomedical claims and proven biological activities of the plants.ResultsThirty three (33) plant species for treatement of 13 different disease categories were documented. The most frequently treated diseases were those categorized as specific diseases/conditions (23.8% of all remedies) while eye diseases were the least treated using medicinal plants (1.5% of all remedies). Literature reports support 47% of the claims including proven anti-malarial, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory activity or similar ethnomedical uses. Leaves were the most frequently used plant part (20 species) followed by roots (13 species) while making of decoctions, pounding, squeezing, making infusions, burning and grinding to powder were the most common methods used to prepare a majority of the therapies.ConclusionTherapeutic claims made on plants used in traditional medicine in Katoro ward of Bukoba district are well supported by literature, with 47% of the claims having already been reported. This study further enhances the validity of plants used in traditional medicine in this region as resources that can be relied on to provide effective, accessible and affordable basic healthcare to the local communities. The plants documented also have the potential of being used in drug development and on farm domestication initiatives.

Traditional knowledge on wild and cultivated plants in the Kilombero Valley (Morogoro Region, Tanzania)

“…3). This result is in agreement with similar studies carried out in the Morogoro region [18] and other areas of Tanzania, where Leguminosae, Compositae and Solanaceae were among the most aboundant families [13, 16, 18]. In comparison with previous studies [13, 16, 18], the present data revealed a large presence of Lamiaceae, probably due to the widespread coltivation of this plant family (e.g., Ocimum tenuiflorum L., O. gratissimum L.) around the villages.…”

“…This result is in agreement with similar studies carried out in the Morogoro region [18] and other areas of Tanzania, where Leguminosae, Compositae and Solanaceae were among the most aboundant families [13, 16, 18]. In comparison with previous studies [13, 16, 18], the present data revealed a large presence of Lamiaceae, probably due to the widespread coltivation of this plant family (e.g., Ocimum tenuiflorum L., O. gratissimum L.) around the villages. Data evidenced the absence of plants belonging to the Rubiaceae family, as instead previously detected in other studies in the Morogoro region [18]; this was most probably due to the lack of forest areas nearby the studied villages and to the fact that most plants were collected in grassland and shrub areas, where this family is rarely present.…”

“…Data evidenced the absence of plants belonging to the Rubiaceae family, as instead previously detected in other studies in the Morogoro region [18]; this was most probably due to the lack of forest areas nearby the studied villages and to the fact that most plants were collected in grassland and shrub areas, where this family is rarely present. Of all recorded species, 38.1% were trees, 38.1% herbs, 13.6% shrubs, 6.8% climbers, 2.5% palms and 0.8% succulent plants, which is again in accordance with previous studies which detected a large prevalence of tree species [5, 13]. Of the 118 identified species (Table 1), 67 were collected in the wild, 47 were cultivated and 4 were both cultivated and spontaneous, such as Tamarindus indica L. Overall, 52% of the reported useful species were exotic plants, while the remaining 48% were native plants.

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“…The traditional medical treatments are mainly based on herbal remedies, using sometimes many different species mixed together [4, 12]. Except for a few plant species that grow inside or close to the villages, most of the used species are collected in forest areas [13]. …”

“…Previous ethnobotanical studies have been conducted in Tanzania with the main purpose to investigate ethnomedicinal knowledge of local healers [9, 12, 13, 16–18], but only few have been carried out in the Morogoro region [5, 19, 20]. Some studies were also aimed at obtaining general ethnobotanical knowledge, including plant uses other than medicinal ones [5, 21].…”