Medicinal plants used by traditional healers in Sangurur, Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya

Abstract

Background:Although herbal medical products are still widely used in Kenya, many of the medicinal plants used by traditional medical practitioners (TMPs) have not been documented, despite several challenges that are now threatening the sustainability of the practice.Objective:To document the medicinal plants and healing methods used by TMPs in a region of Kenya with several recognized herbalists for potential research.Materials and Methods:Semi-structured interviews, group discussions, and direct observations were used to collect ethnopharmacological information. The participant's bio-data, clinical conditions treated, methods of treatment, medicinal plants used, methods of preparation and administration, and dosage forms were recorded.Results:A total of 99 medicinal plants and 12 complementary preparations employed in the treatment of 64 medical conditions were identified. The most widely used plant was Rotala tenella which was used to treat nine medicinal conditions; seven each for Aloe tweediae and Dovyalis abyssinica; and six each for Basella alba and Euclea divinorum. The plants belonged to 55 families with Fabaceae family being the most frequently used (10), followed by Apocynaceae and Solanaceae, each with six species, respectively. We identified plants used to determine the sex of an unborn baby and those used to treat several conditions including anthrax and cerebral malaria and herbs used to detoxify meat from an animal that has died from anthrax. Of special interest was R. tenella which is used to prevent muscle injury.Conclusions:We have documented several plants with potential therapeutic effects. Further research may be conducted to determine their efficacy.SUMMARY The medicinal plants used by traditional healers in a community which still practices herbal medicine in Kenya were documented. A total of 99 medicinal plants and 12 complementary preparations employed in the treatment of 64 medical conditions were identified. Further research may be carried out in order to determine their therapeutic efficacies. Abbreviations Used: Fic: Informant consensus factor, Nur: Number of use reports in each category, Ns: Number of reported species, TMPs: Traditional medical practitioners.

Medicinal Plants and Their Traditional Uses in Local Communities around Cherangani Hills, Western Kenya

“…This can be linked to the influence of formal education as it was observed that illiterate informants had an upper hand in medicinal plants knowledge as compared to their tertiary level counterparts. Exposure of younger people to modern education and lifestyle has led them to prefer western medical treatment over traditional medicine hence despising medicinal plant treatments compared to those unexposed and uneducated [70].…”

“…The results between male and female informants were almost equal. The lowest age of informants was 15 and the highest 85 years, with the highest modal class being(66)(67)(68)(69)(70)(71)(72)(73)(74)(75) years, representing 30.8%. The frequency of other age class include, 15-25 (1.3%), 26-35 (3.9%), 36-45 (6.4%), 46-55 (12.8%), 56-65 (19.2%), 66-75 (30.8%), >76-85 (25.6%) (Table 1).…”

Ethnomedical Survey of the Plants Used by Traditional Healers in Narok County, Kenya

“…Examples of these include paclitaxel, an antitumour drug developed from the bark of T. brevifolia [10], the antimalarial drug artemisinin from Artemisia annua [11], digoxin from Digitalis lanata , atropine from Atropa belladona, aspirin from Filipendula ulmaria, and several other drugs. However, despite the widespread use of medicinal plants in Kenya, several have not been documented [4, 12]. The main aim of this research was to document the medicinal plants used by the Maasai community in Narok County, one of the regions in Kenya whereby the practice of herbal medicine is still widespread for future research.…”

Antifungal Activity of Euclea divinorum Root and Study of its Ethnobotany and Phytopharmacology

“…In Kenya, the decoction or infusion of E. divinorum root are used to induce or augment labor [14]. Fruits are chewed to treat abdominal upsets, skin, kidney and respiratory disorders [15]. In Ethiopia, urine retention is treated by root decoction of E. divinorum [16] while the leaves are used to treat malaria, leprosy, gonorrhea, syphilis and tapeworm [17].…”