An ethnobotanical survey of plants used against host-seeking mosquitoes by communities in Mazowe and Shamva districts, Zimbabwe

Abstract

Background: There is a dearth of information on plants used to repel mosquitoes in many rural malaria-endemic communities in Zimbabwe. The objective was to assess and document the knowledge and usage customs of mosquito-repellent plants among the people of Mazowe and Shamva districts.Methods: Interviewer-administered questionnaires and key informant interviews were used to collect data on knowledge, perception, and practices concerning the use of mosquito-repellent plants against malaria-transmitting mosquitoes.Results: A total of 144 key informants, selected using snowball sampling, were interviewed between April and June 2023. A total of 53 plant species from 29 families consisting of 33 (62%) native and 20 (38%) exotic plants were listed. The relative frequency of citation (RFC) values ranged from 0.01 to 0.97, the highest being for Lippia javanica (Burm.f.) Spreng (0.97) and Ocimum incanum L (0.71). Fabaceae (17%) and Asteraceae (11%) were the most represented families. Leaves (43%) were the most commonly utilized parts while burning plant parts to produce smoke (57%), hanging plants inside rooms (21%), and application of plant extracts on the skin (21%) were the most common methods of application. Amongst the plants with high RFC values, it appears five have not been ethnobotanically studied for mosquito repellency in the country. Conclusion:The communities in Mazowe and Shamva districts have substantial ethnobotanical knowledge of mosquitorepellent plants. Ethnobotanical knowledge gathered in this study provides us with many new potential plants for follow-up research for the development of plant-based mosquito repellents.