John R. S. Tabuti

Traditional herbal drugs of Bulamogi, Uganda: plants, use and administration.

We present here an inventory of the medicinal plants of Bulamogi county in Uganda, including their medicinal use, preparation and administration modes. Fieldwork for this study was conducted between June 2000 and June 2001 using semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and participant observation as well as transect walks in wild herbal plant collection areas. We recorded 229 plant species belonging to 168 genera in 68 families with medicinal properties. A large proportion of these plants are herbaceous. The medicinal plants are mainly collected from the wild. Some species, such as Sarcocephalus latifolius (Smith) Bruce, are believed by the community to be threatened by unsustainable intensities of use and patterns of harvesting. Particularly vulnerable are said to be the woody or the slow growing species. Herbal medicines are prepared as decoctions, infusions, powders, or as ash, and are administered in a variety of ways. Other concoctions consist of juices and saps. The purported therapeutic claims await validation. Validation in our opinion can help to promote confidence among users of traditional medicine, and also to create opportunities for the marketing of herbal medicines and generate incomes for the community. The processing, packaging and storage of herbal medicines is substandard and require improvement.

Firewood use in Bulamogi County, Uganda: species selection, harvesting and consumption patterns

Abstract This study was carried out in Bulamogi, Uganda, with the main objective of determining preferred firewood species, their harvesting and consumption patterns. Data collected through household and key-informants interviews, using open- and close-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, showed that 48 plant species in 36 genera and 20 families are used as firewood. These plants have other uses as herbal medicines and in traditional cultural rites. There is almost total dependence on firewood for domestic cooking and small-scale industries. Firewood is used to fire bricks (55%), distil spirits (26%), cure fish (10%), cook food in restaurants (6%) and to produce charcoal (3%). Firewood for domestic use is collected mainly by women, and largely comprises of dead wood. The distances travelled to firewood collection areas are short and little time is spent. The harvesting of firewood for domestic use may have a lower direct impact on the native flora, than the harvesting of fuelwood for commercial use by small-scale industries and to make charcoal, which requires large amounts of wood that is often green. According to the community response, firewood is abundant but declining. This decline may be related to increasing demands generated by the growing human population of Bulamogi, and growing national need for charcoal. Cultural taboos that have hitherto played an important role in plant conservation appear to be weakening. There is limited trading of firewood in the community.

Ethnoveterinary medicines for cattle (Bos indicus) in Bulamogi county, Uganda: plant species and mode of use.

In this paper, we present an inventory and the mode of use of plants to treat cattle. This study was carried out in Bulamogi county of Uganda, using methods consisting of semi-structured interviews employing a checklist of questions, questionnaires, direct observations, and biological inventories. Farmers employ both traditional and western medicine to treat their animals. The local people identified 33 different diseases, and had herbal treatments for nine of these. Some of the diseases mentioned by farmers indicated symptoms of diseases. Thus, the naming of diseases by local people when compared to the western veterinary medicine system, at times did not distinguish between diseases and symptoms of diseases. This is because the local disease nomenclature is based on symptoms of diseases, whereas under western veterinary science diseases are named according to aetiological information. As for traditional medicine, we report for the first time the use of 38 plant species, distributed in 37 genera and 28 families, to treat the common cattle diseases in Bulamogi. Most of these plants grow wild (76.3%), are indigenous (68.4%) and are shrubs (60.5%). The plant parts most frequently used for treating cattle are roots (37.5%) and leaves (27.5%). Medications are mostly prepared as infusions and seldom as decoctions. Topical application of some medicines is practised as well. The species used to treat cattle are also used to treat some human ailments and have some other uses as well. Most of the curative species reported here are directed at treating East Coast fever (ECF), a disease known to cause high fatalities in cattle.

Traditional medicine in Bulamogi county, Uganda: its practitioners, users and viability

Traditional medicine (TM) in Bulamogi (Uganda) is holistic, providing treatments for physical illnesses as well as psycho-spiritual ones. People use it to prevent and eliminate the effects of witchcraft, to appease spirits and to cure chronic illnesses. The traditional medicine practitioners (TMPs) are numerous and have extensive experience of traditional healing. They serve as important depositories of traditional knowledge of healing. The health seeking behaviour of the Balamogi is biased towards orthodox medicine (OM), because the people believe it to be more effective than TM. Local people prefer the exact diagnosing methods of orthodox medicine practitioners. The functional values of OM and TM are different in that they serve different health needs in the society. We suggest that they are compatible and complementary as a reliance on both systems is observed. The TMPs, upon additional training, are seen by authorities as a ready source of manpower to provide primary health care services. Some effort has been taken to recognise and integrate TM into the mainstream health care delivery system of Uganda.

Medicinal plants used by traditional medicine practitioners for the treatment of HIV/AIDS and related conditions in Uganda

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES In Uganda, there are over one million people with HIV/AIDS. When advanced, this disease is characterized by life-threatening opportunistic infections. As the formal health sector struggles to confront this epidemic, new medicines from traditional sources are needed to complement control efforts. This study was conducted to document herbal medicines used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS and related opportunistic infections, and to document the existing knowledge, attitudes and practices related to HIV/AIDS recognition, control and treatment in Sembabule, Kamuli, Kabale and Gulu districts in Uganda. METHODS In this study, 25 traditional medicine practitioners (TMPs) were interviewed using structured questionnaires. RESULTS The TMPs could recognize important signs and symptoms of HIV/AIDS and its associated opportunistic infections. The majority of practitioners treated patients who were already receiving allopathic medicines including antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) prescribed by allopathic practitioners. There were 103 species of medicinal plants identified in this survey. Priority plants identified include Aloe spp., Erythrina abyssinica, Sarcocephalus latifolius, Psorospermum febrifugum, Mangifera indica and Warburgia salutaris. There was low consensus among TMPs on the plants used. Decoctions of multiple plant species were commonly used except in Gulu where mono-preparations were common. Plant parts frequently used were leaves (33%), stem bark (23%) and root bark (18%). About 80% of preparations were administered orally in variable doses over varied time periods. The TMP had insufficient knowledge about packaging and preservation techniques. CONCLUSIONS Numerous medicinal plants for treatment of HIV/AIDS patients were identified in the four districts surveyed and the role of these plants in the management of opportunistic infections warrants further investigation as these plants may have a role in Ugandas public health approach to HIV/AIDS control.

Medicinal plants used by traditional medicine practitioners in the treatment of tuberculosis and related ailments in Uganda

AIM OF THE STUDY Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the most difficult ailments to control in the world today. The emergence of drug resistant strains has made previously effective and affordable remedies less effective. This has made the search for new medicines from local traditional medicines urgent. The specific objectives of this study were to (1) identify plant species used in the treatment of TB, their methods of preparation and administration, (2) document TB recognition, and (3) document medicine processing and packaging practices by traditional medicine practitioners (TMPs). METHODS We interviewed 32 TMPs from the districts of Kamuli, Kisoro and Nakapiripirit using a guided questionnaire. RESULTS We documented 88 plant species used to treat TB. Seven of these, Eucalyptus spp., Warburgia salutaris (G. Bertol.) Chiov., Ocimum suave Willd., Zanthoxylum chalybeum Engl., Momordica foetida Schum., Persea americana Mill. and Acacia hockii De Wild. were mentioned by three or more TMPs. Medicines were prepared mostly as mixtures or infrequently as mono-preparations in dosage forms of decoctions and infusions. They were administered orally in variable doses over varying periods of time. The TMPs did not know how to preserve the medicines and packaged them in used water bottles. Almost all TMPs mentioned the most important signs by which TB is recognised. They also knew that TB was a contagious disease spread through poor hygiene and crowding. CONCLUSIONS Local knowledge and practices of treating TB exist in the districts surveyed. This knowledge may be imperfect and TMPs appear to be still experimenting with which species to use to treat TB. There is need to screen among the species mentioned to determine those which are efficacious and safe. The technology of processing, packaging and preserving traditional medicines for the treatment of TB is very basic and needs improving. The TMPs appear to be playing a significant role in primary health care delivery and this lends further justification for the ongoing Uganda government efforts to integrate the allopathic and traditional medicine systems.

Ethnoveterinary knowledge in pastoral Karamoja, Uganda.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The people of Karamoja of northern Uganda chiefly rely on ethnoveterinary knowledge (EVK) to control common livestock health problems. In spite of cattles central role in Karamojong culture and livelihoods, there has been no systematic recording of their ethnoveterinary plant-based cures to date. AIM OF STUDY To document the remedies used to treat livestock diseases, their preparation and administration. METHODS Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, guided questionnaires, group discussions, direct observations and collection trips. RESULTS We present information on 209 plant species and 18 non-plant materials. Plant species are distributed over 116 genera and 54 families. The most common medicinal use was treatment against anaplasmosis. Balanites aegyptiacus, Carissa spinarum, Warburgia salutaris and Harrisonia abyssinica had the most uses of all species. All different plant parts were used; bark and underground parts were exploited more frequently than other plant parts. Most remedies listed used a single ingredient, typically soaked in water; only 12.8% remedies used multiple plants. The route of administration was primarily oral followed by topical applications. Almost all plants are collected from the wild; none of the few cultivated plants used had been planted for medicinal purposes. CONCLUSIONS The pastoralists in the study site possess a wealth of EVK which they use to maintain animal health. Their rich knowledge and high diversity of plants were recorded here for the first time.

The uses, local perceptions and ecological status of 16 woody species of Gadumire Sub-county, Uganda

Populations of naturally growing woody species valued for their contribution to human livelihoods are threatened with extinction. Most at risk are those existing in human inhabited areas outside protected areas that are subjected to high population pressure and to a variety of land use demands. The sustainable utilization of these plants requires as a first step knowledge, including, their ecology and an understanding of the peoples attitudes to conservation. This study was conducted to generate data that would contribute to the management for conservation and sustainable use of woody resources. The study objectives were to document local knowledge covering the uses, status, threats, habitats and management solutions of woody species; determine the abundances, distribution and population structure of 16 woody species, and assess the conservation status of the selected woody species. The study was carried out in Gadumire Sub-county, Uganda using both an ethnobotanical approach and quantitative ecological methods. The species are multipurpose and are exploited to satisfy different subsistence needs. They had population densities ranging between 3.6 and 2630 individuals ha−1, and distributions ranging between 0.3 and 39.5%. The species Acacia hockii, Albizia zygia, Acacia seyal, Markhamia lutea and Albizia coriaria had a good conservation status. The remainder of the species appear threatened either because they had low densities, frequencies or less steep size class distribution (SCD) slopes. Securidaca longipedunculata Fres. was not encountered at all in the study plots. Community perceptions collaborated the measured population dynamics. The major threats believed to be impacting the species by the community are the growing human population, expanding crop agriculture, poor harvesting methods and over-exploitation of the species.

The status of wild food plants in Bulamogi County, Uganda

We present here an inventory of the edible plants of Bulamogi, Uganda, and related aspects of exploitation of wild food plants (WFPs) by the local community. The edible plants consist of 105 species distributed in 77 genera and 39 families. Most of the edible plants are herbaceous (70.7%) and are cultivated (49.1%). Some introduced food plants have become naturalised and grow wild. Most of the edible plants yield fruits that are consumed as snacks (41.4%). The major food crops of the Balamogi are consumed locally, while few are traded. The proportion of WFPs is only 32.8% of the edible plants. WFPs are infrequently eaten and their consumption is limited to casual encounters, periods of food shortages and as supplements to major food crops. The main reasons for their neglect are the wide variety of introduced cultivated foods and the increasing difficulty of finding WFPs in the wild. Erosion of traditional knowledge about WFPs has also contributed to their declining use.

Four Footed Pharmacists: Indications of Self-Medicating Livestock in Karamoja, Uganda

Four Footed Pharmacists: Indications of Self-Medicating Livestock in Karamoja, Uganda.Following observations of goats’ possible self-medication browsing the anti-parasitic plant, Albizia anthelmintica, an ethnobotanical survey was undertaken to examine whether livestock engage in other self-medicating behaviors, and if people also use the same medications. Information was gathered over a five-month period from 147 Karamojong pastoralists and healers using a checklist of questions. There were 124 observations for 50 proposed self-medicating behaviors, primarily eating plants, to treat a total of 35 disease conditions. Of the plant species, 72% were also prepared by informants to treat human or veterinary diseases. Species importance was estimated by four factors: >3 user citations, informant consensus factor >0.4, fidelity level >40% and presence in the local pharmacopoeia. Eight species fulfilled all of these factors, and 12 had at least three. These results provide support for the hypothesis that animals graze specific plants when ill and suggest that people have developed some of their knowledge through animal observation.