Documentation of indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants used to manage common influenza and related symptoms in Luwero district, central Uganda

Katuura, Esther; Omujal, Francis; Tumusiime, R. H.; Nabukalu, D; Boyer, Robert

doi:10.5897/jmpr2016.6193

Cited by 8 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…e resounding interest in this study area arises from the previous study conducted on environmental contamination of several water sources with heavy metals [53]. In this community, the use of herbal medicines was in agreement with related studies in central Uganda [4], demonstrating their importance to Ugandans. Heavy metals, i.e., Cu and Fe, which provide health benefits to humans, were found in significantly low concentrations when compared to the WHO limits for herbal medicines for human use (Table 1).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…where EDI = estimated daily intake, C = heavy metal concentration, and BW = body weight as previously described [53]. IR is the ingestion rate and this was 0.25 L/day and 0.75 L/day in Ugandan children and adults for Vernonia amygdalina, respectively [4]. Body weight for Ugandan children and adults of 15 kg and 70 kg, respectively, was used [53].…”

Section: Modelling Of Estimated Daily Intake Of Heavy Metals Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most herbal medicines are only used with the application of basic indigenous knowledge by the local community who lack pharmacological knowledge and this predisposes locals to toxic effects arising from unknown harmful elements in the plants [2]. e traditional plant Vernonia amygdalina is widely used in local communities of Africa (including Uganda) for home-based treatment of noncancer health conditions against bacterial and protozoal infections [3,4], but detailed pharmacological knowledge and information on the presence of elements that could be toxic to humans is scarce. e most notable elements present in most medicinal herbs and vegetables are heavy metals such as lead (Pb), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd) [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Plants with higher concentrations of heavy metals above these limits are regarded as being unsafe for human consumption and pose major public health risks [2]. is was important since herbal plants are commonly used to manage various ailments in developing countries including Uganda [4,[39][40][41][42].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most of the people in the herbal manufacturing and consumption industry rely on indigenous knowledge and lack access to information on pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of most herbal therapies [41,45,46]. Studies in Uganda recommend that phytochemical investigations are necessary to determine active compounds in herbal medicines [4]; however, policy to support this remains weak. Most of the therapeutic uses of the documented herbal plants provide only basic data [1] with no conclusive toxicological analysis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Consumption of Raw Herbal Medicines Is Associated with Major Public Health Risks amongst Ugandans

Ssempijja

Kasozi

Eze

et al. 2020

Journal of Environmental and Public Health

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Background. Community consumption of herbal plants in developing countries is a common practice, however, scarcity of information on their physiochemical composition is a major public health concern. In Uganda, Vernonia amygdalina is of interest in rural communities due to its therapeutical action on both bacterial and protozoal parasites, however no studies have been conducted to assess the heavy metal concentrations in traditional plants used in alternative medicine. The aim of the study was to establish concentrations of heavy metals in Vernonia amygdalina, model the estimated daily intake (EDI), and assess both the non-cancer-related health risk using the target hazard quotient (THQ), and the risk related to cancer through the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for the Ugandan population. Methods. Leaves of Vernonia amygdalina were collected from 20 georeferenced villages and processed into powder in the laboratory using standard methods. These were then analyzed in the laboratory using an atomic absorption spectrometer for lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), cadmium (Cd), and nickel (Ni). Concentrations were compared against the World Health Organization (WHO) limits. The EDI, THQ, and ILCR were modelled and significance was measured at 95% confidence. Results. The study showed that mean ± SEM concentrations of heavy metals were highest in the order of Cr, 121.8 ± 4.291 ppm > Ni, 84.09 ± 2.725 ppm > Zn, 53.87 ± 2.277 ppm > Pb, 40.61 ± 3.891 ppm > Cu, 28.75 ± 2.202 ppm > Fe, 14.15 ± 0.7271 ppm > Co, 7.923 ± 0.7674 ppm > Cd, 0.1163 ± 0.005714 ppm. Concentrations of Pb, Cr, Zn, Co, and Ni were significantly higher than the WHO limits. The EDI was significantly higher in children than in adults, demonstrating an increased risk of toxicity in children. The THQ and ILCR were over 1000 times higher in all Ugandans, demonstrating the undesirable health risks following oral consumption of Vernonia amygdalina due to very high Cr and Ni toxicities, respectively. Conclusion. Consumption of raw Vernonia amygdalina was associated with a high carcinogenic risk, demonstrating a need to enact policies to promote physiochemical screening of herbal medicines used in developing countries against toxic compounds.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Modelling Of Estimated Daily Intake Of Heavy Metals Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Consumption of Raw Herbal Medicines Is Associated with Major Public Health Risks amongst Ugandans

Ssempijja

Kasozi

Eze

et al. 2020

Journal of Environmental and Public Health

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Isolation and characterization of compounds in ethanolic extract of Albizia coriaria (Welw ex. Oliver) leaves: a further evidence of its ethnomedicinal diversity

2022

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Background Albizia coriaria Welw ex. Oliver (A. coriaria) is one of the treasured medicinal plants in Africa. In continuity of our study verifying the claim of using its leaves for managing bacterial diseases and oxidative stress-mediated complications in Ugandan traditional phytomedicine, we characterized its most active (ethanolic) extract using ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thin layer chromatography, column chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Results UV–Vis absorption peaks occurred between 338 and 664 nm, which indicated the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids and terpenoids. FTIR spectrum of the extract indicated the presence of O–H, C=O and aromatic–C=C which confirmed the presence of alcohols, carboxylic acids and aromatics in the extract. Four known bioactive triterpenoids: lupeol (1), lupenone (2), betulinic acid (3), betulin (4) along with an aromatic alcohol: benzyl alcohol (5) were tentatively identified in different fractions of A. coriaria ethanolic leaf extract. Compound 4 was identified for the first time in this species. Conclusions All the compounds identified in the fractions of the A. coriaria ethanolic leaf extract have reported pharmacological activities, including antioxidant and antibacterial activities. This supports the traditional use of A. coriaria leaves in the management of oxidative stress-mediated conditions and bacterial diseases in Uganda.

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Genetic diversity and population structure of Vernonia amygdalina Del. in Uganda based on genome wide markers

et al. 2023

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Determining the extent and distribution of genetic diversity is an essential component of plant breeding. In the present study, we explored the genetic diversity and population structure of Vernonia amygdalina, a fodder, vegetable and medicinal species of Africa and some parts of Yemen. Most empirical studies demonstrate that populations that are separated by geographic or ecological factors may experience genetic differentiation resulting from restricted gene flow between populations. A total of 238 individuals were sampled from two populations: i) Lake Victoria crescent (LVC) and ii) Southern and Eastern Lake Kyoga basin (SEK) agroecological zones of Uganda and genotyped using DArT platform. Of the two populations, the overall mean observed heterozygosity (Ho) was low to medium (Ho = 0.07[silicoDArTs] and 0.2[SNPs]). Inbreeding levels were also very low (-0.04 to -0.08) suggesting the presence of random mating. Partitioning of genetic structure in the two populations indicated that SEK exhibited a higher genetic diversity than LVC. The principal coordinates analysis (PCA) showed no geographical structuring, consistent with the low genetic differentiation (Fst = 0.00) and the low Euclidean genetic distance (1.38–1.39) between the LVC and SEK populations. However, STRUCTURE analysis with admixture models revealed weak possible genetic clusters with very small genetic distance among them. Overall, the results suggest low genetic diversity and weak genetic differentiation between the two populations. One possible explanation of the results could be the presence of human assisted gene flow over long distances.

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Documentation of indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants used to manage common influenza and related symptoms in Luwero district, central Uganda

Cited by 8 publications

References 28 publications

Consumption of Raw Herbal Medicines Is Associated with Major Public Health Risks amongst Ugandans

Consumption of Raw Herbal Medicines Is Associated with Major Public Health Risks amongst Ugandans

Isolation and characterization of compounds in ethanolic extract of Albizia coriaria (Welw ex. Oliver) leaves: a further evidence of its ethnomedicinal diversity

Genetic diversity and population structure of Vernonia amygdalina Del. in Uganda based on genome wide markers

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