Traditional medicinal plants used for the treatment of diabetes in the Sudan : A review

The prevalence of metabolic disorders such as diabetes among population is of increasing concern worldwide. Sudan is a developing country, where several areas frequently depend on folk medicine. Several herbal preparations have been used in folklore practice in Sudan for the management of diabetes with claims asserting their hypoglycemic effect. Basic research relating to these plants are reviewed in this paper with the intention to highlight their therapeutic potential for the treatment of diabetes and promote their regular use in Sudan. Ethnobotanical information was obtained by an assessment of the available literature in electronic data bases with publications describing the medicinal plants used for the treatment of diabetes. In this review paper, different parts of 38 plant species, are described that are used in the Sudanese traditional medicine and belong to 35 genera and 23 families. Thirty three plants have been documented in scientific literature to possess in vivo antidiabetic activity and only one was ineffective in lowering blood glucose level, namely Striga hermonthica. Many of the plants in the study review have been studied in in vitro models (such as α-amylase or α-glucosidase inhibition) in an effort to explain some of their biomedical interaction. The role of isolated bioactive compounds like trigonelline and 3, 5-dicaffeoylquinic acid in diabetes management is also evaluated in the present review. Ten plants original from Sudan have been already used in clinical trials for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This review provides useful information on the characterization of such herbal medicines that are utilized in the Sudanese traditional medicine for the control of metabolic syndromes such as diabetes

Herbalism and resources for the development of ethnopharmacology in Mount Cameroon region

Tropical forests are a biologically lavish and diverse ecosystem with plants whose potential value as a natural pharmacy is yet to be discovered. The native people have for centuries used plants as medicine. There is a need to stimulate traditional healers to evaluate the strong and weak aspects of indigenous knowledge base and to devise methods to test and improve knowledge. The study uses a combination of primary and secondary data to provide baseline knowledge on the concept of herbalism; endogenous knowledge of medicinal plants; pharmaceutical uses; marketing status and threats to sustainable development. It establishes an ethno-medicinal plant inventory consisting of a total of 30 plants with major ailments. In terms of life form; 70were composed of trees; 6.6shrubs; 10climbers and 13.3herbs. Some 70of these plants are locally marketed and 66.6have other non-medicinal uses. The paper identifies the stresses and vulnerabilities of the plants and the scope for western biomedical practitioners to assess this traditional knowledge; that is; methods of testing; refining and validating indigenous knowledge in traditional medicine in order to support the process of integration. It finally posits that since different paradigms of health and illness stand in the way of real integration; western biomedicine and African traditional medicine may remain apart as two parallel systems hence the need to locate and catalog these plants for the identification of their pharmaceutical properties

Traditional Medicines among the Embu and Mbeere People of Kenya

Ethnobotanical information and traditional medicines were investigated and documented in Embu and Mbeere districts; Eastern Province of Kenya. Oral interviews were obtained from over 100 herbalists; both men and women aged between 40 and 80 years. All the herbalists interviewed were Christians and had little formal education. Non-Christian herbalists were purported to combine herbal medicines with witchcraft and were not interviewed. Of the 40 commonly used herbal plants 25 were used as multi-purpose medicinal plants (mpmp); while 15 were used to treat one disease type. There was a correlation between the outpatient morbidity data at the local District hospital; and the common incident diseases treated by the herbalists. Generally a decoction or infusion of the herb was recommended for the treatment of internal or external condition of the patients. Malaria and typhoid were treatable with a total of 15 and 12 plants respectively and were among the first two commonest diseases found in the study area. Terminalia brownii was found to be the most used medicinal plant either alone or in combination with other herbs. The second and third most utilized medicinal plants were Ovariodendron anisatum and Wurbugia ugadensis respectively

Traditional medicine in late pregnancy and labour: perceptions of Kgaba remedies amongst the Tswana in South Africa

In South Africa most black women use antenatal care services and deliver in clinics; and a considerable number complement this use of formal health services with traditional medicine. This study reported here examined the knowledge; beliefs and practical experiences of pregnant women; traditional healers and midwives with regard to kgaba (traditional medicine) and explored what constitutes kgaba. Interviews (N=30) and focus group discussions (N=21) were carried out among participants in Mogwase district in the North West Province of South Africa; where the use of kgaba remedies is commonly believed to cause foetal distress and an increase in caesarean sections. Findings indicated that kgaba remedies are ingested not only to prevent or solve physical problems but are also perceived as valuable in protecting against the harm that evil spirits can cause during pregnancy. Experiences with kgaba differed among participants and this may relate to the variety of plants used; their preparation and dosage. The use of crushed ostrich eggshell; which is perceived as inducing labour; emerged as an important finding. The use of kgaba as perceived by the Tswana is an important component in the experience of pregnancy and labour. However; communication about the use of kgaba between pregnant women and health staff was poor and hinders reporting or recording of dosage and evaluation of effects. There is a need to develop strategies that promote open dialogue between health providers and communities on the use of traditional medicine