Medicinal plants used in Malaria treatment by Prometra Herbalists in Uganda

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: The aimofthesurveywastodocumentmedicinalplantsusedin malaria treatmentbyPrometra(Promociondelamedicinatradicionalamazonica)TraditionalMedical Practitioners (TMPs)ofUgandaandforsearchofnewantiplasmodialherbalmedicines(HMs)forfurther phytochemicalanalysis. Materials andmethods: In thisstudy,semistructuredguidedopenandcloseendedquestionnaireswere used. FocusgroupdiscussionswereconductedandkeyinformantswerechosenwithintheTMPswho helped infurtherdiscussionsofhowtheherbalremedieswherecollected,preparedandadministered. Results: A samplesizeof51respondentswasrandomlyselectedamongtheTMPswiththehelpoftheir leader.86speciesdistributedover81generaand39familieswerereportedlybeingusedasherbal remedies inmalariatreatment.TheTMPsusesymptomslikehightemperature,shivering,amongothers in malariadiagnosisanindicationthattheyunderstandmalaria.Theyemphasizedtheuseofleavesand bark intreatmentbecausetheycanregenerateandthereforeensuresustainableuseofplantsratherthan the useofrootswhichwouldbedestructive.TheseTMPStreatandalsoadvisetheirpatientson preventivemeasuresagainstmalariaattackslikesleepingundermosquitonets,clearingbushesnear homesteads, amongotherswhichisanindicationthattheyhelpinthepreventionandmitigationof malaria incidencesandprevalenceintheareaswheretheylive.TheInformantConsensusFactor(FIC) valueof0.8demonstratedthattheTMPsofPrometra-Ugandatendtoagreewitheachotherintermsof the plantspeciestheyuseinmalariatreatmentanindicationofqualitycontrolinasfarasadministration of theherbalremedies. Vernoniaamygdalina Delile, Bidens pilosa L., Justicia betonica L. werehighlycited as beingusedinmalariatreatmentwithfrequenciesofmentionof38,28and25,respectively. Conclusion: TMPs ofPrometra-Ugandaunderstandandtreatmalariausingtheavailableplantdiversity from theirhugeforestandtheherbalgardenswithinBuyijaforest.Thehealersareverykeenatplant conservationwhichisagoodpractice.Specieslike Justica betonica may beinvestigatedfurtherfor antiplasmodial assaystojustifyitsefficacy.