Natural Products, Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicines

Biography

Biography: Patrick Kisangau Daniel

Abstract

Medicinal plants and other High Value Multipurpose Plant species (HVMPs) are vital part of the ecosystem especially in the arid and semi-arid areas, providing a range of inter-related environmental, socio-economic and health benefits. Their survival is however threated by their over-exploitation from the wild. The purpose of this study was to identify and document ethno-medicinal practices of plants and other HVMPs in Kitui County in South Eastern Kenya. This included historical and socio-cultural processes, norms, taboos and beliefs that influence ethno-practices and use of ethno-medicinal agents in healthcare systems. Open and closed-ended household questionnaires and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were used to gather information from the community. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS version 20.0. A total of 120 household respondents were interviewed in eight locations, two for each of four sub-counties visited. It was found that half of the respondents (50%) sought medical services from the conventional health facilities while a significant number (36%) sought medical attention from traditional medicines, meaning that the traditional medical practices are still highly regarded in the county. Most of the medicinal plants were harvested by uprooting and debarking as reported by 52.5% and 24.2% of the respondents respectively. Thus, most of these medicinal plant species have become vulnerable to over-exploitation. Other HVMPs which have been highly over-exploited in the study area are the African Sandal wood (Osyris lanceolata), Melia volkensii, Dalbergia melanoxylon, Ximenia americana and Balanites aegyptiaca. There is a need to enhance sustainable utilization of these plant species which have high potential to support local livelihoods.