scholarly journals Medicinal Plants of the Maasai of Kenya: A Review

Plants ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jedidah Nankaya ◽  
Nathan Gichuki ◽  
Catherine Lukhoba ◽  
Henrik Balslev

The use of medicinal plants for treatment of humans and animals is entrenched in the Maasai culture and traditional knowledge related to it is passed on from one generation to the next. A handful of researchers have in the past decades documented this knowledge. No single study has documented medicinal plant uses of the Maasai community as a whole. This review provides a consolidated database of the diversity and uses of medicinal plants among the Maasai in Kenya. The study will help conserve traditional medicinal plant knowledge that is valuable for the development of modern medicine. Relevant information on medicinal plants used by the Maasai of Kenya was extracted from journals, books, M.Sc., and Ph.D. dissertations. We found evidence of 289 plant species used by the Maasai of Kenya in traditional medicine. Most species were used to treat health conditions in the categories gastrointestinal and respiratory system disorders. The most used families were Leguminosae, Asteraceae, Malvaceae, Euphorbiaceae, and Lamiaceae. Medicines were commonly prepared as a decoction and administered through oral ingestion, with roots reported to be the preferred plant part for medication. The Maasai preference for roots compared to other plant parts may be unsustainable and could threaten species availability in the future.

Author(s):  
M.S. Wankhade and M.N. Bokhad

Ethnomedicinal surveys can potentially bring out many different clues for the development of safe, effective and inexpensive indigenous remedies. Present study has been focused on Banjara tribe of Mantha tahesil district Jalana of Maharashtra, India. Banjara tribes in this area have been using number of plants in their traditional medicine. The ethnomedicinal survey brought to light 51 medicinal plants belonging to 32 families distributed in 23 genera used very commonly by this Tribe. The different plant parts like stem, leaves, fruit, flower, bark, root, seed and pod were used by this tribal community. The plants were identified with relevant information and are documented with their botanical name, family, local name, parts used, mode of preparation and uses. Documenting the indigenous knowledge through ethnobotanical studies is important for the conservation and utilization of biological resources and for the wale fare of human being.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofia Zank ◽  
Natalia Hanazaki

We investigated the knowledge of medicinal plants in two areas proposed for the creation of protected areas for sustainable use in the city of Imbituba (SC). In this study, we analyzed the influence of gender, form of learning, and modern medicine on medicinal plant knowledge while also reflecting on the relationship of this knowledge toin situconservation. Data collection was conducted through structured interviews, free listings, guided tours, and collection of botanical material. 197 species of medicinal plants belonging to 70 botanical families were recorded. Gender and the form of learning were factors that significantly influenced the similarity of the knowledge of medicinal plants among the informants. We also observed the existence of a therapeutic pluralism among key informants. Local medicinal plant knowledge emphasizes the importance of strategies to create protected areas of sustainable use as a way to ensure the maintenance of traditional lifestyles and associated local knowledge.


2021 ◽  
pp. 50-59
Author(s):  
Karma Sherub ◽  
Bhagat Suberi ◽  
Purna Prasad Chapagai ◽  
. Penjor ◽  
Kelzang Jurmey ◽  
...  

Medicinal plants are one of the most affordable and accessible method available for the treatment of various ailments and diseases by the local people. In this regards, the study aimed to document the ethno-medicinal knowledge of plants used by the local people of Dagana district of Bhutan. Data were collected between June and November of 2020 using semi-structured interviews from the local people, following snowball sampling.  The study documented 74 medicinal plant species, used for treating 30 different body ailments and diseases. Maximum number of species (14) was used in treating cut/body wounds and commonly used plant parts was leaves (30 species). Current study area was found to be rich in ethno-medicinal knowledge, but equally threatened with declining practices and management of resources. Thus, appropriate conservation of resources and preservation of traditional knowledge is required.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodney Moffett

As a Mosotho I believe this publication assists in documenting the deep indigenous knowledge of our forefathers and helps preserve the proud tradition of the Basotho Nation. Dr Chris Nhlapo Vice-Chancellor, Cape Peninsula University of Technology This publication is an important contribution to the documentation of medicinal plant use by the Basotho. It contains a comprehensive list of known medicinal plants, their up-to-date scientific names, their vernacular names, as well as their uses. This book will appeal to experts, as well as to readers who are unfamiliar with traditional medicinal plant uses. Professor Ntsamaeeng Moteetee Department of Botany and Plant Technology, University of Johannesburg


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Torres-Avilez ◽  
Patrícia Muniz de Medeiros ◽  
Ulysses Paulino Albuquerque

Knowledge of medicinal plants is not only one of the main components in the structure of knowledge in local medical systems but also one of the most studied resources. This study uses a systematic review and meta-analysis of a compilation of ethnobiological studies with a medicinal plant component and the variable of gender to evaluate whether there is a gender-based pattern in medicinal plant knowledge on different scales (national, continental, and global). In this study, three types of meta-analysis are conducted on different scales. We detect no significant differences on the global level; women and men have the same rich knowledge. On the national and continental levels, significant differences are observed in both directions (significant for men and for women), and a lack of significant differences in the knowledge of the genders is also observed. This finding demonstrates that there is no gender-based pattern for knowledge on different scales.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-53
Author(s):  
Sovia Santi Leksikowati ◽  
Indah Oktaviani ◽  
Yanti Ariyanti ◽  
Atika Dalili Akhmad ◽  
Yeni Rahayu

This study aims to inventory the diversity of biological resources of medicinal plants utilized by Lampung tribe in West Lampung Regency. Data obtained through semi-structured interview methods and observation. Medicinal plants used by Lampung tribe in West Lampung Regency were 50 species which were divided into 22 families. The most used plant parts were leaves (43.55%). Types of diseases that can be treated include swollen wound, scabies, fever, headache, achy body, sprue, dry cough, clear eye medication, kill diseases or poisons from food, stomachache, diarrhea, chronic ulcer, gastricache, bloated, heal wound, dry wound, cold, boils, back pain, wasp stung, taken to cure postpartum, wipe, cough with phlegm, tooth braces, heal baby's belly button, busela, prevent gray hair, bathe the baby, facilitate breastfeeding, reduce sprains after massage, and appendicitis. Processing of medicinal plants by boiling is the most used method (28.38%). The majority of medicinal plants are used by drinking (33.33%).


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Auemporn Junsongduang ◽  
Onuma Nabundit ◽  
Pimrudee Chinnawong ◽  
Wattana Tanming ◽  
Henrik Balslev

Abstract Background: Local knowledge of herbal medicine in rural communities is rich. This part of cultures plays an important role in societies where knowledge of indigenous medicine and folk healing has been passed down from generation to generation. Most of the knowledge was never written down and much such knowledge has disappeared over time when it was presented orally and through memorization. The objective of this study was to compile knowledge related to medicinal plants used by Tai Lao traditional healers in Roi et province and identify their explicit use in order to preserve the useful wisdom for the people. Methodology: In this study we identify and document medicinal plants and associated ethnobotanical knowledge held by 14 traditional Tai Lao healers. They were selected by snowball and purposive sampling and questioned using semi-structured interviews. Interviews about their knowledge, covered their training, the ailments they treated, the techniques they used, their methods of preparation and, in addition, several healing sessions were observed. During walks in the fields, we searched for the medicinal plant with help from the healers to review and document their availability at each locality and in different habitats around the villages. Use Values (UV) were calculated to estimate the importance of each medicinal plant and Informant Agreement Ratios (IAR) were calculated to understand how widely known the uses were among the healers. Results: We found 146 species of medicinal plants in 127 genera and 60 plant families that were used for medicinal purposes by the 14 traditional healers interviewed. The family with most medicinal plants was Fabaceae (12 spp., 8%) followed by Poaceae (9 spp., 6%) and Zigiberaceae (8 spp., 5%). The most important and widely used medicinal plants were the sedge Cyperus rotundus (UV=0.71) followed by the dicot tree Salacia dongnaiensis (UV=0.64) and the palm Borassus flabellifer (UV=0.42). The most common preparation method was decoction, which was done for 99 species (68%) followed by grinding with water to produce a drink for 29 species (20%). The 14 healers together used medicinal plants to treat 53 specific conditions. Itching had the highest informant agreement ratio (IAR) value among the specific conditions with 0.33 (4 use-reports, 3 spp.). The general category of digestive system disorders had an informant agreement ratio (IAR) value of 0.35 (57 use-reports, 37 spp.) and this category of treatments also had the highest degree of consensus. The most common life form among the medicinal plants was trees (56 spp., 38%), followed by herbs (41 spp., 28%). The medicinal plants were mostly collected in homegardens (60 spp., 41%). The most commonly used plant parts for medicine was the stem which was used for almost half of the species (69 spp., 48%), followed by the roots (54 spp., 37%). The age of the Tai Lao healers varied from 26–87 years. All of them were male. Their age and educations were not correlated with the number of known medicinal plants. The highest number of known medicinal plants was held by a 70 years old healer (55 spp.). Conclusion: Considering the richness of the healers’ pharmacopeia, and the fact that their profession is not being perpetuated, this study points to the urgent need to document the traditional knowledge from the old herbalists before it disappears with the last practitioners in the rural communities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Dr. T. Kumaran

Medicinal plants have been used to treat illness and disease for thousands of years. Bioactive principles present in medicinal plants attribute to the therapeutic efficacy and it can be incorporated into modern medicine systems for the development of newer drug formulation for therapeutic ailments. Even now they are economically important, being used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, perfumery, and food industries. Screening of medicinal plants for antimicrobial activities and phytochemicals is important for finding potential new compounds for therapeutic use. In the present review, an attempt has been made to congregate the traditional, phytochemical, and pharmacological studies done on an important medicinal plant Annona muricata. Cyclo hexapeptides, acetogenins, annonaceous acetogenins were the major phytochemical compounds studied from this medicinal plant. The fruit is of economic value and hence cultivated and used widely as edible food. The plant possesses the major pharmacological activities includes Anti-viral activity, Anti-oxidant Activity, Larvicidal activity, Anti-inflammatory activity, Antipediculicidal activity, Anti-bacterial activity, and wound healing. It also has an anti-carcinogenic and cytotoxic effect.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-27
Author(s):  
Sipriana Dogomo ◽  
Rosye H.R. Tanjung ◽  
Suharno Suharno

Plants are widely used by the community as traditional medicine in an effort to maintain health. The purpose of this study was to determine the diversity of plant species used as traditional medicines and how to use them by the Mee Tribe in Kamuu District, Dogiyai Regency, Papua. The study was conducted in December 2018-July 2019. The method used in this study was a qualitative method with observation, interview, and documentation. The research showed that are 59 species of plants from 30 families that are used as medicinal plants by the Mee Tribe community. The community uses medicinal plants by: without processing 38 species, boiling 10 species, burning 7 species, and more than one way 4 species. The plant parts used are: stem (14 species), fruits (7 species), flowers (3 species), leaves (20 species), bark (2 species), tubers (1 species), and more than one part (12 species). The most widely used part of medicinal plants is leaves (33.89 %). Key words: medicinal plant, Mee, community, Dogiyai


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Sangay Tenzin ◽  
Pema Tendar

This paper documents the medicinal plant species in wetlands of the Eastern Himalayan Highlands of Gasa District, Bhutan. A random quadrat sampling method was used to assess the presence-absence of species. The study was conducted at Khatoed and Khamaed gewogs (blocks), Gasa District between January and December 2018. Identification of medicinal plant species and families were done in consultation with a botanist at the herbarium in Thimphu and volumes of Flora of Bhutan were referred. Based on the published and authentic scientific literature, information on medical uses of plant parts was collected. A total of 74 species of medicinal plant species in the wetlands, distributed in 69 genera and 43 families have been recorded. The study suggests preserving invaluable wetland medicinal plants and integrating ethno-medicinal practices in our lives.


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