Herbal remedies used by traditional healers to treat haemorrhoids in Tabora region, Tanzania

Abstract

Context Haemorrhoids are one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders in humans. In Tanzania, particularly in the Tabora region, medicinal plants (MPs) are used by traditional healers (THs) to treat haemorrhoids, but no study has explicitly attempted to compile these treatments. Objective This study documents MPs used by THs of the Tabora region in Tanzania to treat haemorrhoids. Materials and methods A semi-structured questionnaire was used to gather ethnobotanical data from 44 THs on MPs used to treat haemorrhoids, parts used, preparation methods and administration routes. The collected ethnobotanical data were analysed by computing percentage frequencies and relative frequency citations. Results Twenty-six MPs belonging to 19 families and 25 genera, used to manage haemorrhoids, were documented. Fabaceae was the dominant family (four species), whereas shrubs constituted a high proportion (38.46%) of the MPs, and the root was the most (30.3%) utilized plant part. Decoction (38.5%) and topical application (53.8%) were the most preferred preparation and administration techniques. Most MP materials (76.9%) were sourced from the wild. Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f. (Asphodelaceae) (68%), followed by Allium sativum L. (Alliaceae) (66%) and Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae) (66%) were the most utilized MPs. Among the recorded MPs, 12 are reported for the first time for the treatment of haemorrhoids. The recorded MPs are believed to possess anti-inflammatory properties that aid in managing inflammation associated with bowel diseases, including haemorrhoids. Conclusions This study has documented valuable MPs used to manage haemorrhoids and provides a basis for further studies to discover efficient and affordable anti-haemorrhoid drugs.

Medicinal plants used for dermatological disorders among the Nyamwezi community in Tabora region, Tanzania

“…Fabaceae had the highest FIV value (3.455), followed by Lamiaceae (1.386), Curcubitaceae (1.341), Euphorbiaceae (1.250) and Amaryllidaceae (1.182), hence, considered the most important families in the region (Table 2). The dominance of Fabaceae was also reported in other ethnomedicinal studies conducted in the region (Kacholi & Amir 2022b, 2022c) and other African countries, such as South Africa (Maema et al 2019), Ethiopia (Tahir et al 2021) and Zimbabwe (Maroyi 2013). The supremacy of the family in treating DDs could be associated with its prosperity in terms of TMPs in the region and the knowledge of the locals in utilising the family for medicinal purposes (Kacholi & Amir 2022a, 2023.…”

An ethnobotanical study of wild edible fruits in miombo woodlands of Tabora region in Western Tanzania

“…Parinari curatellifolia and Strychnos spinosa were other species reported by [ 58 ] in treating stomach, anemia and diabetes in Ujiji Kigoma of Tanzania. Similarly, [ 59 ] reported Grewia bicolor specie for treating hemorrhoids in the Urambo region of western Tanzania. Besides the fact that the cited wild fruits species are used by the locals in the study locations to treat different ailments, the study suggests the need for further investigation to understand their effectiveness.…”

Anti- hemorrhoids potential of selected medicinal plants used in treatment of Hemorrhoids: A revie

“…Few researches have been undertaken worldwide to investigate the prevalence of hemorrhoids. In Africa, for example, the disease is prevalent at 18% in Egypt and 13.1% in Ethiopia (Kacholi et al, 2022), In Nigeria, no study has been carried out to investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors for hemorrhoids. The reliance on medicinal plants in Africa is due to the scarcity of state-of-the-art health facilities and rural inhabitants' inability to pay for modern treatments and health care.…”