Local indigenous knowledge about some medicinal plants in and around Kakamega forest in western Kenya

Abstract

Kakamega forest is Kenya's only rainforest and is distinguishably rich in biodiversity but threatened by agricultural encroachment and other forms of human activity. It is also one of Kenya's Important Bird Areas and a significant source of natural products to neighboring rural communities, such as medicinal plants, food, wood and other fibers. By using structured questionnaires for direct interviews, local indigenous knowledge was tapped through involvement of a focal group of elderly key informants in three blocks of the forest. Forty key species of medicinal plants used by local people were identified and recorded. Fifty-five percent of these were shrubs, thirty-two percent trees, seven-and-a-half percent lower plants such as herbs or forbs while five percent were climbers. About seventy percent of the medicinal plants occurred inside the forest itself and thirty percent around the edge and the immediate surroundings outside the forest. Thirty-eight (95%) of the plants were indigenous to Kenya and two (5%) exotic. Such extensive indigenous knowledge of the medicinal uses of the plants, including their distribution trends in the forest, may be tapped for decision support in rural health service planning, policy formulation for conserving the forest, tracking and mitigation of climate change impacts.

Short Communication: Ethnobotanical and ecological studies of medicinal plants in a mangrove forest in Mempawah District, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

“…For example, a survey in Uganda by Tugume et al (2016) on the communities around Mabira Central Forest showed that 190 species are used as medicines, such as drugs for malaria, hypertension, anemia, and to suppress vomiting. A study in Kakamega forest, Western Kenya, showed 40 plant species that could potentially be used for medicinal purposes for local communities (Otieno and Analo 2012).…”

Medicinal Plants and Their Traditional Uses in Local Communities around Cherangani Hills, Western Kenya

“…Recording and preserving the traditional knowledge on medicinal plants has become very important practice in recent times [17]. Several ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological research studies have been published documenting Kenya's medicinal plant knowledge and use: Marakwet county [11,18], Northern Kenya [19], Siaya county [20,21], Tugen [22], Machakos county [23,24], Samburu county [25][26][27], Sekanani Valley, Maasai Mara [28], Kajiado county [29][30][31][32][33], Embu and Mbeere county [34], Makueni county [35], Mount Elgon [36], Nakuru county [37], Nandi county [38][39][40][41], Tharaka Nithi county [42], Kakamega county [43][44][45][46][47], Kitui county [48], Elgeyo Marakwet county [49], Kericho county [50], Machakos county [51], Narok county [52][53][54], Trans-Mara county [55], Kilifi county [56]. However, in Kenya, many areas and ethnic societies are yet to be ethno botanically surveyed.…”

An Ethnobotanical Survey of a Dryland Botanical Garden and Its Environs in Kenya: The Mutomo Hill Plant Sanctuary

“…An estimated 1,200 plant species in Kenya are reported to have a medicinal value [26]. In Kenya, ethnobotanical studies involving various ethnic groups have been done [16,17,21,[27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44]. e local communities who use natural resources have interacted with the biodiversity over the years and hence have accumulated important traditional knowledge regarding their use [40].…”