| Peer-Reviewed

Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants in Mwala Sub-County, Machakos County, Kenya

Received: 25 September 2018     Accepted: 23 October 2018     Published: 13 November 2018
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

Studies on traditional use of medicinal plants can provide leads towards discovery of pharmaceutical drugs for treatment of both human and livestock diseases. This study sought to identify and document the use of medicinal plants by residents of Mwala Sub-county in Machakos County, Kenya. The research employed cross-sectional research design where simple random sampling was used to select the households to be sampled. A sample size of 61 households was used for the study and data collected by use of semi-structured questionnaires. Voucher specimens were collected, pressed, dried, mounted and identified at the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) Herbarium. Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) were used for data analysis and results presented in the form of tables and graphs. The study focused on identifying medicinal plants used, diseases treated, parts of the plant used, and methods of preparation and routes of administration. Research findings documented a total of 51 plants species from 31 families used to treat 38 different disease conditions in the study area. The commonly used plant species was Aloe secundiflora (11.1%) while Malaria (19.8%) was the most cited disease. The most used plant parts were the leaves (52.8%) and bark (19.4%). About 75.4% of the respondents acquired knowledge on medicinal plant use through apprenticeship from relatives. With the stocks of medicinal plants declining in the area, there is need for conservation, domestication and better management of key medicinal plants. Additionally, documentation of the indigenous knowledge is necessary to ensure intergenerational benefits from the herbal medicines.

Published in Journal of Diseases and Medicinal Plants (Volume 4, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.jdmp.20180404.12
Page(s) 110-119
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2018. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Bio Piracy, Indigenous Knowledge, Ethnobotany, Conservation

References
[1] Hamilton, A. (2002) Curriculum development in applied ethnobotany. Proceedings of the workshop on curriculum development in applied ethnobotany, Nathiagali, pp 91–9.
[2] World Health Organization (2002). Traditional medicine – growing needs and potential. WHO Policy Perspectives Med., 2: 1–6. Retrieved on 05/03/2018 from http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/es/d/Js2293e/.
[3] Taylor, J. L. S., Elgorashi, E. E., Maes, A., Van Gorp, U., De Kimpe, N., Van Staden, J., Verschaeve, L., (2003). Investigating the safety of plants used in South African traditional medicine: testing for genotoxicity in the micronucleus and alkaline comet assays. Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 42, 144–154.
[4] Wanzala, W., Zessin, K. H., Kyule, N. M., Baumann, M. P. O., E Mathias, E. & Hassanali, A. (2005). Ethnoveterinary medicine: a critical review of its evolution, perception, understanding and the way forward. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 17 (11):119.
[5] Okigbo, R. N., Anuagasi C. L. & Amadi J. E. (2009). Advances in selected medicinal and aromatic plants indigenous to Africa. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research 3: 086-095.
[6] National Institute of Health (NIH). 1994. Office of alternative medicine – Fact sheet No.7- June 1994. www.aegis.com/pubs/cdc_fact_sheets/1994/cdc 94033.html.
[7] Abebe, D. (1996). The development of drug research. Ethiopian Health Natural. Res. Institute News Letter., 1: 5-6.
[8] Amuka O, Mulei JM, Gatwiri BP. A Brief Ethnbotanical Survey of Some Medicinal Plants Used by the Kanjoo Community in Meru County, Kenya. Adv Biotech & Micro. 2017; 5 (1): 555654. DOI: 10.19080/AIBM.2017.05.555654.
[9] Kisangau, D. P. & Herrmann, T. M. (2007). Utilization and conservation of medicinal plants used for primary health care in Makueni district, Kenya, International Journal of Biodiversity Science and Management, 3:3, 184-192.
[10] Wandago, B, & Chemonges, M. (2006). The impact of governance and regulatory frameworks in sustainable use of dryland resources; case study of Mukogondo and Mt. Kenya ecosystems, Kenya. Proceedings of the regional workshop on sustainable use of drylands biodiversity (RPSUD) held at Hotel Impala, Arusha Tanzania 7th -9th June 2006 3-8.
[11] Jeruto, P., Lukhoba, C., Ouma, G., Otieno, D., & Mutai, C. (2008). An Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the Nandi people in Kenya. Journal of Ethno pharmacology, 116 (2), 370-376.
[12] Kala, C. P. (2005). Indigenous uses, population density, and conservation of threatened medicinal plants in protected areas of the Indian Himalayas. Conservation Biology, 19 (2), 368-378.
[13] Dharani, N., & Yenesew, A. (2010). Medicinal Plants of East Africa: An illustrated guide. Najma Dharani in association with Drongo Editing and Publishing, Sterling publishers Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi, India.
[14] Sindiga, I. (1995). African ethno medicine and other medical systems. Traditional medicine in Africa, 9966-46.
[15] Cox, P. A. (2000). Will tribal knowledge survive the millennium? Science, 287 (5450), 44-45.
[16] Wekesa, C., Ndalilo, L., Ongugo, P., Leley, N., and Swiderska, K. (2015). Traditional knowledge based innovations for adaptation and resilience to climate change: the case of coastal Kenya.
[17] Berkes, F., and Turner, N. J. (2006). Knowledge, learning and the evolution of conservation practice for social-ecological system resilience. Human Ecology, 34 (4), 479-494.
[18] Kalayu, M, Gebru., T. & Teklemichael, T. (2013). Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by Indigenous people of Gemad District, Northern Ethiopia. www.plantsjournal.com.
[19] Bussmann, R. W. (2006). Ethnobotany of the Samburu of Mt. Nyiru, South Turkana, Kenya. Journal of Ethno biology and Ethno medicine, 2 (1), 1.
[20] Kigen, G. K., Ronoh, H. K., Kipkore, W. K., & Rotich, J. K. (2013). Current trends of traditional herbal medicine practice in Kenya: a review. African Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2 (1), 32-37.
[21] Bisiker, L., Jenkins, R., Kanui, K. & Musembi, C. (2011). Pain and its management in a traditional rural community in the Eastern Province of Kenya. Journal of Alternative Medicine Research 2, 51–60.
[22] Wagate, C., Mbaria, J., Gakuya, D., Nanyigi, M., Kareru, P., Njuguna, A., Gitahi, N., Macharia, J. & Njonge, F., (2009). Screening of some Kenyan medicinal plants for antibacterial activity. Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 103, 650–652.
[23] Gebremedhin, R. E., Tewedros, A. D., Lidet, B. T. and Daniel, F. B. (2015). Ethnoveterinary medicinal plants: Preparation and application methods by traditional healers in selected districts of southern Ethiopia; Vet World. 2015 May; 8 (5):674-84.
[24] Biamah, E. K. (2005). Coping with drought: Options for soil and water management in semiarid Kenya. Tropical Resource Management Papers, No. 58. Wageningen University and Research Centre (Wageningen UR).
[25] Karuma A. N., Charles, K. K., Gachene,, Balthazar M. Msanya, Peter., W. Mtakwa, Nyambilila Amuri & Patrick T. G. (2015). Soil Morphology, Physico-Chemical Properties and Classification of Typical Soils of Mwala District, Kenya. International Journal of Plant & Soil Science 4 (2): 156-170, 2015; Article no.IJPSS.2015.017 ISSN: 2320-7035.
[26] http://www.tropicos.org.
[27] Torres-Avilez, W., de Medeiros, P. M., & Albuquerque, U. P. (2016). Effect of Gender on the Knowledge of Medicinal Plants: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : eCAM, 2016, 6592363. http://doi.org/10.1155/2016/6592363.
[28] Marsha, B. Q. & Robert, J. Q. (2007). Modernization and medicinal plant knowledge in a Caribbean horticultural village, medical anthropology quarterly, Vol 21 (2); 169-192.
[29] Jansen, P (1981). Spices, Condiments and Medicinal plants in Ethiopia, Their Taxonomy and Agricultural Significance. Centre for Agricultural Publishing and Documentation, Wageningen.
[30] Kaingu, C. K., Oduma, J. A. and Kanui, T. I. (2011). Practices of traditional birth attendants in Machakos District, Kenya. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 137 (1), 495-502.
[31] Nagata, J. M., Jew, A. R., Kimeu, J. M., Salmen, C. R., Bukusi, E. A. &Cohen, C. R. (2011). Medical pluralism on Mfangano Island: use of medicinal plants among persons living with HIV/AIDS in Suba District, Kenya. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 135 (2), 501 - 509.
[32] Maunguja A. B. (2016). Assessment of Plant Diversity and Utilization of Wild Medicinal Species by HouseholdsProximate to ArabukoSokoke Forest in Kilifi County of Kenya. Retrieved on 10/06/2018 from http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke:8080/bitstream/handle/11295/97469/Bakari_%20Thesis.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y.
[33] Kisangau DP, Thora Martina Herrmann, Lyaruu HVM, Hosea KM, Joseph CC, Masimba ZH (2011). Traditional Knowledge, Use Practices and Conservation of Medicinal Plants for HIV/AIDS Care in Rural Tanzania. Ethnobot. J. 9:43-57.
[34] Owuor, B. O. and Kisangau, D. P. (2006). Kenyan medicinal plants used as antivenin: a comparison of plant usage. Journal of ethnobiology and ethno medicine, 2 (1), 1.
[35] Nanyigi, M. O., Mbaria, J. M., Lanyasunya, A. L., Wagate, C. G., Koros, K. B., Kaburia, H. F., Munenge, R. W. & Ogara, W. O. (2008). Ethno pharmacological survey of Samburu district, Kenya. Journal of Ethno biology and Ethno medicine, 4 (1), 1.
[36] Kimondo, J., Marion, J., Mutai, P. & Njogu, P. (2015). Ethnobotanical survey of food and medicinal plants of the Ilkisonko Maasai community in Kenya. Retrieved on 18/10/2018 from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874115301720?via%3Dihub.
[37] Pacifica, B., Nyanchongi, B and Masai, R. (2018). Ethnobotanical Survey Of Medicinal Plants Used For Treatment Of Malaria By Kipsigis People In Kericho County, Kenya. IOSR Journal of Pharmacy and Biological Sciences (IOSR-JPBS) e-ISSN:2278-3008, p-ISSN:2319-7676. Volume 13, Issue 4 Ver. VI (Jul – Aug 2018), PP 24-30 www.iosrjournals.org.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Caleb Mutwiwa, Brian Rotich, Matthaeus Kauti, Jafford Rithaa. (2018). Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants in Mwala Sub-County, Machakos County, Kenya. Journal of Diseases and Medicinal Plants, 4(4), 110-119. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jdmp.20180404.12

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Caleb Mutwiwa; Brian Rotich; Matthaeus Kauti; Jafford Rithaa. Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants in Mwala Sub-County, Machakos County, Kenya. J. Dis. Med. Plants 2018, 4(4), 110-119. doi: 10.11648/j.jdmp.20180404.12

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Caleb Mutwiwa, Brian Rotich, Matthaeus Kauti, Jafford Rithaa. Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants in Mwala Sub-County, Machakos County, Kenya. J Dis Med Plants. 2018;4(4):110-119. doi: 10.11648/j.jdmp.20180404.12

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.jdmp.20180404.12,
      author = {Caleb Mutwiwa and Brian Rotich and Matthaeus Kauti and Jafford Rithaa},
      title = {Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants in Mwala Sub-County, Machakos County, Kenya},
      journal = {Journal of Diseases and Medicinal Plants},
      volume = {4},
      number = {4},
      pages = {110-119},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jdmp.20180404.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jdmp.20180404.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jdmp.20180404.12},
      abstract = {Studies on traditional use of medicinal plants can provide leads towards discovery of pharmaceutical drugs for treatment of both human and livestock diseases. This study sought to identify and document the use of medicinal plants by residents of Mwala Sub-county in Machakos County, Kenya. The research employed cross-sectional research design where simple random sampling was used to select the households to be sampled. A sample size of 61 households was used for the study and data collected by use of semi-structured questionnaires. Voucher specimens were collected, pressed, dried, mounted and identified at the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) Herbarium. Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) were used for data analysis and results presented in the form of tables and graphs. The study focused on identifying medicinal plants used, diseases treated, parts of the plant used, and methods of preparation and routes of administration. Research findings documented a total of 51 plants species from 31 families used to treat 38 different disease conditions in the study area. The commonly used plant species was Aloe secundiflora (11.1%) while Malaria (19.8%) was the most cited disease. The most used plant parts were the leaves (52.8%) and bark (19.4%). About 75.4% of the respondents acquired knowledge on medicinal plant use through apprenticeship from relatives. With the stocks of medicinal plants declining in the area, there is need for conservation, domestication and better management of key medicinal plants. Additionally, documentation of the indigenous knowledge is necessary to ensure intergenerational benefits from the herbal medicines.},
     year = {2018}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants in Mwala Sub-County, Machakos County, Kenya
    AU  - Caleb Mutwiwa
    AU  - Brian Rotich
    AU  - Matthaeus Kauti
    AU  - Jafford Rithaa
    Y1  - 2018/11/13
    PY  - 2018
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jdmp.20180404.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.jdmp.20180404.12
    T2  - Journal of Diseases and Medicinal Plants
    JF  - Journal of Diseases and Medicinal Plants
    JO  - Journal of Diseases and Medicinal Plants
    SP  - 110
    EP  - 119
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2469-8210
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jdmp.20180404.12
    AB  - Studies on traditional use of medicinal plants can provide leads towards discovery of pharmaceutical drugs for treatment of both human and livestock diseases. This study sought to identify and document the use of medicinal plants by residents of Mwala Sub-county in Machakos County, Kenya. The research employed cross-sectional research design where simple random sampling was used to select the households to be sampled. A sample size of 61 households was used for the study and data collected by use of semi-structured questionnaires. Voucher specimens were collected, pressed, dried, mounted and identified at the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) Herbarium. Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) were used for data analysis and results presented in the form of tables and graphs. The study focused on identifying medicinal plants used, diseases treated, parts of the plant used, and methods of preparation and routes of administration. Research findings documented a total of 51 plants species from 31 families used to treat 38 different disease conditions in the study area. The commonly used plant species was Aloe secundiflora (11.1%) while Malaria (19.8%) was the most cited disease. The most used plant parts were the leaves (52.8%) and bark (19.4%). About 75.4% of the respondents acquired knowledge on medicinal plant use through apprenticeship from relatives. With the stocks of medicinal plants declining in the area, there is need for conservation, domestication and better management of key medicinal plants. Additionally, documentation of the indigenous knowledge is necessary to ensure intergenerational benefits from the herbal medicines.
    VL  - 4
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Department of Environment and Resources Development, Chuka University, Chuka, Kenya

  • Department of Environment and Resources Development, Chuka University, Chuka, Kenya

  • Department of Environmental Science & Technology, School of Environment and Natural Resources Management, South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU), Kitui, Kenya

  • Department of Environment and Resources Development, Chuka University, Chuka, Kenya

  • Sections