Herbal medicine used for the treatment of diarrhea and cough in Kampala city, Uganda

Abstract

Background Globally, diarrheal and respiratory diseases are among the main causes of mortality and morbidity. In Uganda, cities are facing proliferation of trade in herbal medicines (HM), including those for diarrhea and/or cough. Information on the economic, and the ethnopharmacological aspects of these HM is scarce, deterring the sector from achieving optimal capacity to support national development. We profiled the anti-diarrhea and/or anti-cough HM, and the basic economic aspects of HM trade in Kampala city, to support ethnopharmacological knowledge conservation and strategic planning. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 65 herbalists using semi-structured questionnaires. This was supplemented by an observational survey using a high-resolution digital camera. Data were collected following the guidelines for research on HM, established by Uganda National Drug Authority, and World Health organization. Results Eighty-four plant species from 41 families were documented. Fabaceae and Myricaceae had the highest number of species (9, 10.7% each). Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck was the most commonly cited for cough, with a relative frequency of citation (RFC) of 1.00, and its relative medical importance was not significantly different from the other top 5 species except for Azadirachta indica A.Juss (RFC = 0.87). Entada abyssinica A. Rich (RFC = 0.97) was the most cited for diarrhea. Trees (34, 40.5%) were mostly used, and mainly harvested from wild habitats (55.2%) in 20 districts across Uganda. These HM were mainly sold as powders and concoctions, in markets, shops, pharmacies, and roadside or mobile stalls. The highest prices were Uganda Shillings (UGX) 48,000 ($13.15)/kg for Allium sativum L, and UGX 16,000 ($4.38)/kg for C. limon. All participants used HM trade as a sole source of basic needs; majority (60.0%) earned net monthly profit of UGX. 730,000 ($200) ≤ 1,460,000 ($400). The main hindrances to HM trade were the; disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 65, 100%), and the scarcity of medicinal plants (58, 89.2%). Conclusion There is a rich diversity of medicinal plant species traded in Kampala to treat diarrhea and cough. The HM trade significantly contributes to the livelihoods of the traders in Kampala, as well as the different actors along the HM value chain throughout the country.

Anticancer Medicinal Plants Used by Residents in the Elgon Sub-region, Eastern Uganda

“…In contrast, earlier studies in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and Indonesia revealed a female predominance in the herbal industry. These ndings may have been in uenced by the cultural contexts of the two studies as well as the nature of the diseases being studied; for instance, their study concentrated on toothpaste herbs, which are more popular among women [33,34]. According to [34] ndings in the Kampala district, the majority of participants elderly( 51 to 55), which is older than the ideal and admirable range of 31 to 45 for the continuation, expansion, and sustainability of the herbal business and endangers its existence [35].…”

Global evidence on the potential of some Ugandan herbal medicines to mitigate antibiotic resistance: a systematic review and meta-analysis from 1996 to 2021

“…We report a total of sixty-one original scienti c studies that investigated the antibacterial e cacy of E. abyssinica, C. pyrrhopappa, M. foetida, C. citrinus, C. limon, and C. exuosus globally, and published the ndings online from the year 1996 to 2021. The consideration of these plants in this meta-analysis was inspired by their high frequencies of a citation for the treatment of diarrhea and/or cough in Uganda (35)(36)(37)43,44,(113)(114)(115). These species were also found to be used in the management of many more ailments across the world.…”

“…Most of them(35,57.4%), were published from the year 2007 to 2017, and the minority in 1996 to 2006 (5, 8.2%). The studies were found in 23 countries across all continents except North America; mostly in Africa and Asia(27,44.3% each) (Fig.2). India had the majority of the eligible studies (14, 23.0%), followed by Cameroon (6, 9.8%), and South Africa (5, 8.2%).…”

“…The use of some herbal medicines in the management of diseases potentially caused by these bacteria points to the possibility that such plants possess antibacterial potency; they can therefore provide clues for the discovery of new antibacterial drugs. Some of the plant species that are frequently used against cough and/or diarrhea in Uganda include; Entada abyssinica, Citrus limon, Momordica foetida, Cymbopogon exuosus, Callistemon citrinus, and Conyza pyrrhopappa among others (35)(36)(37)39,43,44). Some of these plants have been reported to exhibit in-vitro bactericidal activity (45-50), but the evidence, especially against drug-resistant bacteria remains unclear since the studies are scattered across a few countries.…”

Anticancer Medicinal Plants Used by the Natives in the Elgon Sub-region, Eastern Uganda

“…Additionally, in Kampala and Kaduna State in Nigeria, respectively, Walusansa et al [30] and Onwudinjo et al [31] noted that the majority of herbalists were older than the desirable age range of 31-45 years, emphasizing this potential risk factor for this industry's demise. In addition, most of the participants had just nished elementary school (X 2 = 66.7805, 95% Cl = 71.474-109.522%, P < 0.0001) and were of low literacy class.…”