Bethwell O. Owuor

Kenyan medicinal plants used as antivenin: a comparison of plant usage

The success of snake bite healers is vaguely understood in Kenya, partly due to their unknown materia medica and occult-mystical nature of their practice. A comparison is made of plants used in snake bite treatments by two culturally distinct African groups (the Kamba and Luo). Thirty two plants used for snakebite treatment are documented. The majority of the antidotes are prepared from freshly collected plant material – frequently leaves. Though knowledge of snake bite conditions etiological perceptions of the ethnic groups is similar, field ethnobotanical data suggests that plant species used by the two ethnic groups are independently derived. Antivenin medicinal plants effectively illustrate the cultural context of medicine. Randomness or the use of a variety of species in different families appears to be a feature of traditional snake bite treatments. A high degree of informant consensus for the species was observed. The study indicates rural Kenya inhabitants rely on medicinal plants for healthcare.

In vitro antiplasmodial activity of selected Luo and Kuria medicinal plants

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Drug resistance in malaria is a recurring subject that threatens public health globally. There is an urgent need to seek new antimalarial agents. This study seeking new antimalarials from medicinal plants is guided by ethnobotany. MATERIALS AND METHODS Medicinal plants of the Luo and Kuria ethnic groups of Kenya with high usage reports were screened in vitro for their antiplasmodial activity using the SYBR Green I fluorescence assay (MSF assay). RESULTS The IC50s for drugs and total plant extracts ranged from 0.01217 to 10.679 mg/ml. Extracts were more active on chloroquine sensitive than resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains. Tylosema fassoglense, Ageratum conyzoides and Ocimum kilimandscharicum exhibited promising results. Plectranthus barbatus did not show activity. CONCLUSION Ethnobotanical knowledge was sufficiently reliable for identifying plant extracts with antiplasmodial activity.

Antagonistic effect of alkaloids and saponins on bioactivity in the quinine tree (Rauvolfia caffra sond.): further evidence to support biotechnology in traditional medicinal plants

BackgroundThe Quinine tree (Rauvolfia caffra) is used as a medicinal plant among traditional communities in many countries to manage tumors and other diseases associated with oxidative stress. To validate indigenous knowledge and possibly position this herb for technology uptake and utilization, we established the level of antioxidant activity in R. caffra, and probed for the presence of associated phytochemicals.MethodsAntioxidant activity was determined on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) while major phytochemicals were identified by multiple tests on methanol fractions.ResultsR. caffra showed promise as a cure, with antioxidant activity comparable to the commercially used drug quercetin (R. caffra = 79.7% ±1.9; quercetin = 82.6% ± 2.0). However, we found two phytochemicals with possible antagonistic effect: co-occurrence of alkaloids and saponins significantly reduced antioxidant activity (alkaloids only = 63%; alkaloids plus saponins = 15%; steroids, terpenoids and cardiac glycosides = 82%), thus alkaloids and saponins should be exclusive to each other in drug formulations.ConclusionsAntagonistic relationship among phytochemicals would affect the efficacy of crude extracts as used in traditional medicine. Unlike in herbal medicine, use of modern biotechnology in extraction, purification and design of optimal combinations will ensure efficient drug formulations with optimum bioactivity and minimum toxicity. Metabolic pathway engineering under a controlled environment may optimize availability of desired compounds.

Indigenous snakebite remedies of the Luo of Western Kenya

ABSTRACT Medicinal plants have been overtaken in the treatment of snake bites by serum therapy and are rarely considered efficacious remedies in biomedicine. Nevertheless, rural inhabitants rely on plant medical material and the attention of highly regarded local traditional healers when threatened by snakebite poisoning. This paper examines curative and preventive snakebite treatments, beliefs and practices collected from 100 Luo respondents. The informants reported the use of a number of herbal and non-herbal remedies including mystical therapies and 24 herbaceous plants whose aerial parts are preferred. Treatments involve cut, suck, and bind methods followed by application of plant leaf and root poultices held in place with strips of cloth or bark.

Nutrients, functional properties, storage stability and costing of complementary foods enriched with either termites and fish or commercial micronutrients

Application of edible insects in complementary food production has not been studied much. This study developed and evaluated complementary foods based on edible termites to combat child malnutritio...

In-Vitro Anthelmintic Bioactivity Study Of Eclipta prostrata L. (Whole Plant) Using Adult Haemonchus contortus worms A Case Study Of Migori County, Kenya

The aim of this study was to investigate the anthelmintic activity of Eclipta prostrata (Asteraceae) which is used by traditional medicine practitioners in Migori County using adult Haemonchus contortus worm as a model.50gm of ground powder of Eclipta prostrata (whole plant) was extracted separately with 300 ml methanol, acetone and water. The yields of the extracts were 3.53 gm, 4.19 gm and 4.02 gm for methanol, acetone and water respectively. The anthelmintic activity of 6.25 mg/ml, 12.5 mg/ml and 25 mg/ml concentrations of aqueous, acetone and methanol crude extracts of Eclipta prostrata (whole plant), were compared with the effect produced by the standard reference drug albendazole with Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) used as a negative control. Death of Haemonchus contortus worm was determined within a period of 24 hrs. Eclipta prostrata extract had mean mortality of 26.7-40.0 % at 6.25 mg/ml; 33.3-53.3 % at 12.5 mg/ml; 36.7-56.7 % at 25 mg/ml.All the extracts contained tannins and cardiac glycosides.