TRADITIONAL MEDICINES AMONG THE EMBU AND MBEERE PEOPLES OF KENYA

TRADITIONAL MEDICINES AMONG THE EMBU AND MBEERE PEOPLES OF KENYA

Ethnobotanical information and traditional medicines were investigated and documented in Embu and

Mbeere districts, Eastern Province of Kenya. Oral interviews were obtained from over 100 herbalists, both men and

women aged between 40 and 80 years. All the herbalists interviewed were Christians and had little formal education.

Non-Christian herbalists were purported to combine herbal medicines with witchcraft and were not interviewed. Of

the 40 commonly used herbal plants 25 were used as multi-purpose medicinal plants (mpmp), while 15 were used to

treat one disease type. There was a correlation between the outpatient morbidity data at the local District hospital,

and the common incident diseases treated by the herbalists. Generally a decoction or infusion of the herb was

recommended for the treatment of internal or external condition of the patients. Malaria and typhoid were treatable

with a total of 15 and 12 plants respectively and were among the first two commonest diseases found in the study

area. Terminalia brownii was found to be the most used medicinal plant either alone or in combination with other

herbs. The second and third most utilized medicinal plants were Ovariodendron anisatum and Wurbugia ugadensis

respectively.

http://www.bioline.org.br/pdf?tc07009

Comments

More Than 50 Herbal Medicines Hold Possibility for Cancer Cure

More Than 50 Herbal Medicines Hold Possibility for Cancer Cure Researches explore the probability of some Chinese herbal medicines to be effective ingredients in making anticancer drugs. (Photo : Getty Images ) Medical experts and nutritionists have long acknowledged that fruits and vegetables contain anticancer properties. Mother Nature seemingly holds another key for cancer prevention and treatment . Chinese scientists learned that 57 kinds of medicinal plants commonly used in creating traditional Chinese medicine have anticancer components, reported Xinhua. Dai Shaoxing from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Beijing, however, said that additional research should be conducted to determine their full potential to cure cancer. The fruit of the medicinal plant Siraitia grosvenorii , for one, contains mogrosides, whose extract--the natural compound mogroside V--was tested for its antitumor effect and its probable capability to treat pancreatic cancer, accor...

Date palm, bitter kola, zobo top local herbal ‘cures’ for Yuletide blues

Date palm, bitter kola, zobo top local herbal ‘cures’ for Yuletide blues T 0 Comments Today is Christmas. The Yuletide is here again. The season is synonymous with over indulgence in alcohol, food and sex. Hangover, weight gain and sexually transmitted infections such as Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) become the order of the day. But scientists have validated bitter kola, date palm, zobo, grapefruit, among others as ‘cures’ for hangover and to prevent weight gain. They advise against unprotected sex and promiscuity, and recommend being faithful to one partner and the use of condom. CHUKWUMA MUANYA writes. THE temptation to drink and get intoxicated with alcohol is high especially during festive periods. The habit, however, comes with the resultant hangover. Hangover is the experience of various unpleasant physiological and psychological effects following consumption of alcoholic beverages, which can last for more than 24 hours. ...

Fwd: Medicinal Importance of Bitter Leaf (locally called ewuro)

Medicinal Importance of Bitter Leaf (locally called ewuro) Bitter leaf is a medicinal plant of the family Asteraceae. It is a small perennial shrub that grows in tropical Africa. Vernonia amygdalina is commonly called bitter leaf because of its bitter taste and it can be propagated either by cutting or seedling. Today, the plant is widely known throughout the continent and nearly 85% of Nigerians cultivates the plant due to its nutritional and medicinal values. It is locally called 'ewuro' in yorubaland. The leaves of the plant may be consumed either as a vegetable (macerated leaves in soups) or aqueous extracts as tonics for the treatment of various illnesses. In the wild, chimpanzees have been observed to ingest the leaves when suffering from parasitic infections. Many herbalists and naturopathic doctors recommend aqueous extracts for their patients as treatment for Emesis, nausea, diabetes, loss of appetite-induced abasia , dysentery and other gastro intestinal t...

African Medicinal Plants

Search This Blog