| dc.description.abstract | Aim of the study: The objective of the study was to identify and document medicinal
plants traditionally used by people of Tana River County, Kenya for the
management of various ailments.
Materials and methods: The study was conducted in March 2012. Information was
gathered from 80 traditional practitioners who lived and practiced in Garsen,
Itsowe and Ngao Subdivisions of Tana River using semi-structured questionnaires
and focused group discussion. Voucher specimen of cited plants were collected and
deposited at the university of Nairobi herbarium.
Results: A total of 31 plants distributed in 25 families were identified. The most
popular plant species were eleven and were used for the management of
pneumonia, arthritis, kidney problems, fibroids, typhoid, breast cancer, tooth ache,
malaria, diabetis, convulsions, stomach ache, constipation, poisoning, cholera,
diarrhea, mastitis, migraine, tonsilitis, ulcers, asthma, high blood pressure, urinary
incontinence, body warts, milk letdown and as immune boosters. Conclusion: The
use of herbs is still very common amongst Tana River inhabitants and the healers
still rely largely on naturally growing plant species in their locality. Furthermore,
the documented medicinal plants can be used as a basis for future phytochemical
and pharmacological studies | en_US |
