Ethnopharmacological survey of Samburu district, Kenya

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ethnobotanical pharmacopoeia is confidently used in disease intervention and there is need for documentation and preservation of traditional medical knowledge to bolster the discovery of novel drugs. The objective of the present study was to document the indigenous medicinal plant utilization, management and their extinction threats in Samburu District, Kenya.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Field research was conducted in six divisions of Samburu District in Kenya. We randomly sampled 100 consented interviewees stratified by age, gender, occupation and level of education. We collected plant use data through semi-structured questionnaires; transect walks, oral interviews and focus groups discussions. Voucher specimens of all cited botanic species were collected and deposited at University of Nairobi's botany herbarium.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Data on plant use from the informants yielded 990 citations on 56 medicinal plant species, which are used to treat 54 different animal and human diseases including; malaria, digestive disorders, respiratory syndromes and ectoparasites.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The ethnomedicinal use of plant species was documented in the study area for treatment of both human and veterinary diseases. The local population has high ethnobotanical knowledge and has adopted sound management conservation practices. The major threatening factors reported were anthropogenic and natural. Ethnomedical documentation and sustainable plant utilization can support drug discovery efforts in developing countries.</p

Antibacterial and cytotoxic activity of Kenyan medicinal plants

Seven medicinal plant extracts traditionally used in Kenya, mainly for management of infectious conditions, were chosen and screened for their antibacterial activity against Gram-negative ( Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli ) and Gram-positive ( Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus ) bacteria. Antibacterial activity was tested using the broth dilution method. Harrisonia abyssinica and Terminalia kilimandscharica extracts showed significant activity against Gram+ and Gram- bacteria. The methanolic extracts of T. kilimandscharica bark and H. abyssinica bark and leaves showed minimum inhibitory activity against all tested bacteria, with minimal inhibitory concentrations ranging from 25-150 mg/mL. Ajuga remota and Amaranthus hybridus , which are lethal to brine shrimp nauplii, showed significantly lower antibacterial activity than those that were relatively non-toxic

Lewaso Aplea (66 years), The most revered and knowledgeable of the remaining traditional healers in Samburu District displaying, Sond

() and L.() during the field collection.<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Ethnopharmacological survey of Samburu district, Kenya"</p><p>http://www.ethnobiomed.com/content/4/1/14</p><p>Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2008;4():14-14.</p><p>Published online 23 May 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2412850.</p><p></p