An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants was carried out in 14 villages adjacent to Mabira Central Forest Reserve (CFR) in Central Uganda between August 2013 and March 2014. Information was obtained through interviews using semi- structured questionnaires. Field excursions with traditional healers and herbal medicine collectors were carried out. Descriptive statistics were used to present the data. Fidelity ratios and Informant consensus agreements were calculated. A total of 190 plant species in 61 families and 152 genera were reported in the treatment of various health conditions. Family Fabaceae was dominant representing 14 % of the plant species documented. Vernonia amygdalina was the preferred species for treating malaria. Leaves (68 %) were the most frequently used parts in preparing herbal remedies. Decoctions (29 %) and oral route (53 %) of administration were commonly used method of herbal medicine preparation and administration respectively. Fifty-eight health conditions grouped in 25 categories were treated using medicinal plants. Informant consensus agreement was highest for blood system disorders (0.9) that included anaemia, hypertension and blood cleansing indicating homogeneity of informant’s knowledge about remedies used. Vernonia amygdalina and Erythrina abyssinica had 100 % fidelity level for treatment of malaria and vomiting respectively. The diversity of medicinal plant species used and the associated indigenous knowledge are of great value to the local community and their conservation and preservation is paramount. The therapeutic uses of the documented plants provides basic data for further research focused on pharmacological studies and conservation of the most important species.

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Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plant species used by communities around Mabira Central Forest Reserve, Uganda

Background: The medicinal plants used by herbalists in Kenya have not been well documented, despite their widespread use. The threat of complete disappearance of the knowledge on herbal medicine from factors such as deforestation, lack of proper regulation, overexploitation and sociocultural issues warrants an urgent need to document the information. The purpose of the study was to document information on medicinal plants used by herbalists in Marakwet District towards the utilization of indigenous ethnobotanical knowledge for the advancement of biomedical research and development. Methods: Semi- structured oral interviews were conducted with 112 practicing herbalists. The types of plants used were identified and the conditions treated recorded. Results: Herbal practice is still common in the district, and 111 plants were identified to have medicinal or related uses. Different herbal preparations including fruits and healing vegetables are employed in the treatment of various medical conditions. Veterinary uses and pesticides were also recorded. Conclusion: The study provides comprehensive ethnobotanical information about herbal medicine and healing methods among the Marakwet community. The identification of the active ingredients of the plants used by the herbalists may provide some useful leads for the development of new drugs.

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A study of the medicinal plants used by the Marakwet Community in Kenya

Extracts from the leaves of Bryophyllum pinnatum and Kalanchoe
crenata were screened for their antimicrobial activities. Solvents
used included water, methanol, and local solvents such as palmwine,
local gin (Seaman's Schnapps 40% alcoholic drink,) and "omi ekan-ogi"
(Sour water from 3 days fermented milled maize). Leaves were dried and
powdered before being soaked in solvents for 3 days. Another
traditional method of extraction by squeezing raw juice from the leaves
was also employed. All extracts were lyophilized. These extracts were
tested against some Gram-negative organisms ( Escherichia coli	 ATCC
25922, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Klebsiella
pneumoniae , Shigella flexneri , Salmonella paratyphi , Citrobacter
spp); Gram-positive organisms Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25213,
Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis , Bacillus subtilis )
and a fungus ( Candida albicans ). Agar well diffusion and broth
dilution methods were used to determine the minimum inhibitory
concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) at
concentrations of 512mg/ml to 4mg/ml. All the organisms except Candida
albicans were susceptible to the extracts obtained from the traditional
method. The squeezed-leaf juice of Kalanchoe crenata was the most
active one with MIC of 8 mg/ml against Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
Klebsiella pneumoniae and Bacillus subtilis, 32 mg/ml against Shigella
flexneri, 64 mg/ml against Escherichia coli and 128 mg/ml against the
control strain Staphylococcus aureus while its MBC is 256 mg/ml against
these organisms except Bacillus subtilis and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The
Gram-positive organisms were more sensitive to the methanol and local
gin-extract of Bryophyllum pinnatum. Extracts from other solvents
showed moderate to weak activity.

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In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity Of Crude Extracts From PlantsBryophyllum Pinnatum And Kalanchoe Crenata

Medicinal plants used for management of malaria among the Luhya community of Kakamega East sub-County, Kenya

Toad venom is regarded as the main source of bufadienolides; however, synthesis of these substances takes also place in a variety of other animal and plant organisms, including ethnomedicinal plants of the Kalanchoe genus. Chemically, bufadienolides are a group of polyhydroxy C-24 steroids and their glycosides, containing a six-membered lactone (α-pyrone) ring at the C-17β position. From the pharmacological point of view, bufadienolides might be a promising group of steroid hormones with cardioactive properties and anticancer activity. Most of the literature concerns bufadienolides of animal origin; however, the medicinal use of these compounds remains limited by their narrow therapeutic index and the risk of development of cardiotoxic effects. On the other hand, plants such as Kalanchoe are also a source of bufadienolides. Kalanchoe pinnata (life plant, air plant, cathedral bells), Kalanchoe daigremontiana (mother of thousands) and other Kalanchoe species are valuable herbs in traditional medicine of Asia and Africa. The present review focuses on the available data on chemical structures of 31 compounds, biological properties and prospects for therapeutic use of bufadienolides from Kalanchoe species. Furthermore, it presents some new investigational trends in research on curative uses of these substances.

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Bufadienolides of Kalanchoe species: an overview of chemical structure, biological activity and prospects for pharmacological use

The use of herbal medicine is increasingly finding more relevance today, especially with the recognition that we are facing more challenges in the treatment of some medical conditions such as diabetes and cancer. To date, there are not many publications or records on the traditional herbal medicine use among the various Kenyan communities despite the widespread use. There is therefore an urgent need to document traditional medicines in Kenya for future reference and research. The main objective of this review is to examine the current state of traditional herbal medicine practise in Kenya, the challenges facing the sector and the possible solutions to streamline the practice and maximize on the benefits. The method adopted in this research involved the analysis of the available records on herbal medicine in Kenya from various sources including internet and the available books. This information was then compared with those in other countries with established systems in order to establish the existing inadequacies. The various efforts to document herbal medicine incorporate into mainstream healthcare and the legal framework was also reviewed. Key words: Herbal medicine, documentation, research

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Current trends of Traditional Herbal Medicine Practice in Kenya: A review

Objective:Traditional medicinal plants have long been used to treat various ailments in Keiyo district. However to date there are no records on medicinal plants used by the Keiyo despite threats of rapid disappearance of indigenous knowledge from deforestation, overexploitation among other factors. The purpose of the study was to document medicinal plants used by the Keiyo community in order to preserve traditional medical knowledge for future research and potential development of new drugs. Methods:The research team comprised of professionals from the fields of medicine and botany. Local leaders, community elders, church leaders and other stakeholders were used to identify herbalists and convince them to provide information. Semi structured interviews, group discussions and observations were used to collect information on traditional knowledge from herbalists. Details of the medical conditions treated, herbal preparations used, treatment methods, local plant names and methods of collection of herbs were recorded. 
Results:A total of 73 medicinal plant species belonging to 33 families were identified, used to treat 46 common human and three veterinary diseases. Leucas calostachys was the most widely used (17 medicinal uses) followed by Vachelia xanthophloea (10), Carissa edulis (9), Trimeria grandifolia (8), Terminalia brownii (7) and Rhamnus prinoides (6). Heartburn was treated using the largest number of plants (17) followed by cancer (9). Eight plants were used to either treat infertility in women or arthritis, whereas peptic ulcers, hypertension, headache, chest congestion and colic pains were each treated using seven plants. 
Conclusions:The study provides information on medicinal and healing methods used by the Keiyo community. It also revealed that traditional medicines are still widely used in Keiyo district. Some of the identified plants have been demonstrated to possess pharmacological activities related to those mentioned by the herbalists.

Ethnomedicinal Plants Traditionally Used by the Keiyo Community in Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya

Most of the plants used by herbalists amongst the various Kenyan communities have not been documented despite their widespread use. The purpose of this research was to document the medicinal plants used by the herbalists from the Maasai, a community that still relies on herbal medicine to a large extent for the provision of medical services. Semistructured interviews, direct observations, group discussions, and in-depth interviews were used to collect information from the traditional healers. A total of 47 plant species belonging to 31 families were identified. They were used in the treatment of 33 medical and 4 veterinary conditions.

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Ethnomedical Survey of the Plants Used by Traditional Healers in Narok County, Kenya.

Traditional plant knowledge and uses of medicinal wild plants were investigated among the Marakwet community in Kenya. Data were collected through interviews with seven traditional healers and 157 questionnaires for local community members. Traditional names of the plants by traditional healers and local community members were prepared as a checklist. Loss of traditional medicinal names of plants was ascertained with up to 60% overlapping in their nomenclature. The traditional medicinal plants treated 41 diseases within the region, of which local community members understood common ones for treating stomachache (94.8%), diarrhea (70.7%), chest problems (65.5%), and typhoid (63.8%). It was also clear that there was low knowledge index of medicinal plants by the local community members (23.6%) based on knowledge of traditional healers. Clearly, medicinal plants for treatment of malaria, diabetes, tetanus, and pneumonia were recognized by over 40% of the local community members, while plants treating arteriosclerosis, meningitis, arthritis, trachoma, smallpox, rheumatic fever, and gout were known by less than 10% of the respondents. Among plants, the use of roots for treatment was known by over 67% of the local community members compared to fruits, bark, bulb, and flowers (<10%). This low traditional medicinal knowledge in a community relies on the traditional medicinal plants, calling for an urgent need to document the information and perpetuate this knowledge from one generation to another. This can be achieved by collecting the information and developing a database of medicinal plants for future research and potential development of new drugs.

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Wilson Kipkore

Papers

A study of the medicinal plants used by the Marakwet Community in Kenya

Current trends of Traditional Herbal Medicine Practice in Kenya: A review

Ethnomedicinal Plants Traditionally Used by the Keiyo Community in Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya

Ethnomedical Survey of the Plants Used by Traditional Healers in Narok County, Kenya.

An Ethnobotanical Study of Traditional Knowledge and Uses of Medicinal Wild Plants among the Marakwet Community in Kenya