An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the Nandi people in Kenya

Jeruto, Pascaline; Lukhoba, Catherine; Ouma, George; Otieno, Dennis; Mutai, Charles

doi:10.1016/j.jep.2007.11.041

Cited by 157 publications

(92 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…A number of plants are used ethnomedically in the management of breast cancer and some have been documented (Kareru et al, 2007;Ochwangi et al 2014). The plant extracts under this study: Combretum tanaense (Combretaceae), Fagaropsis angolensis (Rutaceae), Hydnora abyssinica (Hydnoraceae), Launaea cornuta (Asteraceae), Prunus and Uvariodendron anisatum (Annoanceae) have been africana (Rosaceae), Spermacoce princeae (Rubiaceae) reported in the literature to manage cancer (Kareru et al, 2007;Kokwaro, 2009;Jeruto, et al, 2008Jeruto, et al, , 2011Kigen et al, 2013;Ndwigah et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anticancer activities and safety evaluation of selected Kenyan plant extracts against breast cancer cell lines

Jared¹,

Nicholas²,

Wachira³

et al. 2018

J. Pharmacognosy Phytother.

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Breast cancer is a leading cause of deaths among women suffering from cancer in Kenya. The current study was done to determine anticancer activities of medicinal plant extracts against breast cancer cell lines (HCC 1395 and 4T1). Vero cells were used for evaluation of safety of extracts. Thiazoly blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used in this study. Reference drugs were 5 fluorouracil and cyclophosphamide. Extract concentrations that inhibited growth of cell growth by half (IC 50 ) were estimated using GraphPad prism version 7 and 90 % of extracts showed anticancer activities. Methanol extracts of Uvariodendron anisatum, Fagaropsis angolensis, Combretum tanaense, Hydnora abyssinica and water extract of F. angolensis exhibited remarkable anticancer activities (IC 50 ˂ 30 µg/ml). Methanol extracts of F. angolensis and H. abyssinica demonstrated high selectivity index (SI ≥3). Evaluation for safety, indicated that about 64% of the extracts under this study were non-toxic (CC 50 ˃100 µg/ml). Findings from plants in this study support folklore claims. Phytochemical analysis, bioassay guided fractionation and toxicity studies are underway on extracts of C. tanaense, F. angolensis, H. abyssinica and U. anisatum.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anticancer activities and safety evaluation of selected Kenyan plant extracts against breast cancer cell lines

Jared¹,

Nicholas²,

Wachira³

et al. 2018

J. Pharmacognosy Phytother.

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“…The use of spider plant to cure malaria and anemia respectively by the Fon and the Mahi were previously reported in southern Benin (Allabi et al 2011;Yetein et al 2013). Medicinal uses of the species were also reported in other parts of the world including India (Bala et al 2010;Shanmugam et al 2012), Uganda (Oryema et al 2010), and Kenya (Jeruto et al 2008). The use of the species as a medicinal plant across several sociolinguistic groups in Benin suggests its proven efficacy.…”

Section: Factors Influencing the Use Andmentioning

confidence: 84%

Drivers of Management of Spider Plant (Gynandropsis gynandra) Across Different Socio-linguistic Groups in Benin and Togo

et al. 2018

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We investigated the relationships between the cultural importance of spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra), a neglected leafy vegetable in West Africa, and the different management regimes of the species among six socio-linguistic groups in Benin and one in Togo. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 428 respondents. Cultural significance and management indices were used to quantify the importance of the species for each respondent. In addition to food uses, G. gynandra was used to cure 42 different diseases. A regression tree analysis revealed that the cultural importance and level of management of the species were strongly associated with ethnicity, gender, and to a lesser extent to age, education, income, and land tenure. Socio-linguistic groups with similar cultural background had convergent perceptions of the cultural importance of the species and described similar management practices. An analysis of farmers' willingness to change their current management practices revealed that migration, market opportunities, and external intervention might significantly affect future management decision-making processes. We discuss community-oriented approaches to upscale the species cultivation in the region. Our study highlights how cultural importance influences current and future management intensity and illustrates how ethnobotanical research can guide research for development strategies to enact positive changes in communities' management of traditional leafy vegetables.Nous avons étudié les relations entre l'importance culturelle du Caya blanc (Gynandropsis gynandra), un légume-feuille négligé en Afrique de l'Ouest, et les différents régimes de gestion de l'espèce au sein de six groupes socio-linguistiques au Bénin et un au Togo. Des entretiens semi-structurés ont été menés auprès de 428 informants. Des indices d'importance culturelle et de gestion ont été utilisés pour quantifier l'importance de l'espèce pour chaque informant. En plus des utilisations alimentaires, G. gynandra a été utilisé pour soigner 42 maladies différentes. Une analyse par arbre de régression a révélé que l'importance culturelle de l'espèce était fortement associée à l'ethnicité et au genre, et dans une moindre mesure à l'âge, l'instruction, le niveau de revenu et le mode de faire-valoir de la terre. Les groupes sociolinguistiques culturellement proches ont eu des perceptions convergentes de l'importance culturelle de l'espèce et décrit des pratiques de gestion similaires. Une analyse de la volonté des agriculteurs de modifier leurs pratiques de gestion actuelles a montré que la migration, les opportunités de marché et l'intervention extérieure pourraient affecter les futurs processus décisionnels de gestion. Nous avons discuté des approches axées sur la communauté pour améliorer la production de l'espèce dans la région. La présente étude souligne comment l'importance culturelle influence l'intensité de la gestion actuelle et future et illustre comment la recherche ethnobotanique peut guider les stratégies de recherche pour le dévelo...

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“…Compared to other parts of the country, many people use traditional herbal medicine in the treatment of human and livestock diseases (96%). For example, in South Nandi district in Kenya only 50% of the people resort to traditional medicine as primary healthcare (Jeruto et al, 2008). This can be attributed to the very weak health care infrastructure in the area and very low income of the population compared to other regions.…”

Section: Questionnaire: Use and Threatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Agave sisalana and Ziziphus abyssinica were used to treat burns. Moreover, among the Nandi community in Kenya, common colds and flu are treated by plants such as Schefflere volkensii and Nuxia congesta whereas malaria is treated by Terminalia spinosa (Jeruto et al, 2008). In the Samburu community (Fratkin, 1996) there are many medicinal plants species used for treatment of human and livestock diseases (Bussmann 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity of Medicinal Plants and Anthropogenic Threats in the Samburu Central Sub-County of Kenya

Gafna¹,

Dološ²,

Mahiri³

et al. 2017

Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med

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Background: Traditional herbal medicine has been a constant source of substances for curing and preventing a variety of ailments. Biodiversity of medicinal plants and effects of human activities on availability of traditional herbal medicine have continuously received just a cursory treatment. This study sought to determine the biodiversity of medicinal plants and evaluate the effects of human activities on availability of traditional herbal medicine among the Samburu pastoral community in Kenya. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire survey was addressed to 195 randomly stratified household respondents in four villages in Samburu Central Sub-county. Transect walks were carried out in the four villages to determine the diversity of the medicinal plants. Voucher specimens of the medicinal plant species were deposited at Kenyatta University Herbarium. Results: The species richness comprised of 19 medicinal plants, majority of which grew in the wild but were threatened by human activities. 56% of the households reported that fire incidences highly affected availability of traditional herbal medicine, 50% reported that grazing of livestock moderately affected availability of traditional herbal medicine, 46% reported that building and construction activities moderately affected availability, while 43% and 40% reported that firewood collection and growing of crops respectively lowly affected availability of traditional herbal medicine among the Samburu people. Conclusion: Most of the Samburu people use traditional herbal medicine. However, majority of the medicinal plants are threatened by anthropogenic factors. This has led to the continued decline of traditional herbal medicine. There is, therefore need to adopt management strategies that enhance the conservation of these valuable natural resources.

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An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the Nandi people in Kenya

Cited by 157 publications

References 10 publications

Anticancer activities and safety evaluation of selected Kenyan plant extracts against breast cancer cell lines

Anticancer activities and safety evaluation of selected Kenyan plant extracts against breast cancer cell lines

Drivers of Management of Spider Plant (Gynandropsis gynandra) Across Different Socio-linguistic Groups in Benin and Togo

Diversity of Medicinal Plants and Anthropogenic Threats in the Samburu Central Sub-County of Kenya

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