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Short Review | DOI: https://doi.org/
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Copyright: © 2018. Jolly Rajat. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Received: 30 November -0001 | Accepted: 01 January 1970 | Published: 01 January 1970
Keywords: Ethnobotany, Medicinal plants, Kaya forests.
The Kaya forest is considered to be an intrinsic source of ritual power and the origin of cultural identity among the Mijikenda community besides being a place of prayer. The Kaya forests of coastal Kenya are thus one example of a phenomenon that has been described from many other African countries and other continents. Communities living around these two forests depend on the diversity of flora for their livelihoods and medicinal requirements. The local herbalists use indigenous trees and shrubs to treat a variety of diseases. Communities around the Kayas have knowledge to prepare a variety of medicinal formulations to treat diseases which have been passed down through generations. In a survey study conducted in communities living around Kaya Kauma and Tsolokero, 55 medicinal plant species were stated by herbalist as medicinal. In this review eleven plant species are reported for their ability to supress disease causing bacteria. An analysis in the laboratory to check on the medicinal efficacy of these plants was done using a protocol that was adopted from the local medicinal practitioners against S. aureus and E. coli using the dual plating method. Some of the perceived medicinal plants by these practitioners and the community exhibited medicinal ability expressed by a clear growth inhibition zones. The inhibition of growth by extracts from these plants supports the ethnobotanical applications of these plants as medicinal.
Kaya is a sacred forest of the Mijikenda people in the coastal region of Kenya. The literal meaning of Kaya is a “home”. These forests have fortified villages at their centre referred to as “Kaya Villages”. The concept of Kaya forest started way back in 16th Century. Eleven of the approximately 30 separate Kaya forests have been grouped together and inscribed as the sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests, a UNESCO world heritage site. Ten of the known Kayas have been declared as a UNESCO world heritage in 2008 (UNESCO, 2008). In this study, two of the Kaya forests of the North Coastal region were evaluated to document the useful ethno botanical important plant species of Kaya Kauma and Kaya Tsolokero.
Medicinal plants of Kaya Kauma and Kaya Tsolokero
A semi-structured questionnaire was prepared and enumerators eloquent in the local languages were recruited and trained to interview the villagers, herbalists and the Kaya elders. One hundred and forty-eight (148) medicinal plant species were identified by herbalist and residents of Kaya Kauma and Kaya Tsolokero (Table 1)
Table 3. Growth inhibition of E. coli and S. aureus by concoctions prepared from selected medicinal plants
(-) no activity (+) low activity (++) moderate activity (+++) High activity
The bacterial inhibition activity was very evident 5 out of the 11 tree species tested using the crude methods of preparation prescribed by local practitioners. Our volumes were fairly low for laboratory standards but prescriptions offered are in terms of glass full of concoction which probably contains thousands times the amounts used in the laboratory. In summary the plants claimed to treat bacterial diseases and other form of ailments do have antibiotic activity with capacity to treat ailments when applied at the right concentrations. Literature also indicates that some of the plants we studied have been clinically tested to treat a variety of ailments. This supports the medicinal application of these plant species as used by the communities of Kaya Kauma and Tsolokero of the Kenya Coast.
Zanthoxylum chalybeum referred locally to as Mdungu or Majafari has been used by the local herbalist around the Kaya Kauma forests to treat jaundice and yellow fever, the stems, roots and bark are used to prepare concoctions for various ailments. The bark of this plant is boiled with water until it changes a yellowish concoction. Patients are prescribed to drink the yellowish concoction to treat wounds and boils. The roots are dried in the sun then powdered and applied to the infected areas. The crude methods was tested in the laboratory and it was seen that the plant part do inhibit the growth of bacteria S. aureus [3].
Premna chrysoclada referred locally as Mvumo has been used to treat to treat fever in children and Candidiasis in adults. It is also used in the treatment of Diptheria. The top layer of the roots are scratched and mixed with oil and applied on the infected area. For the treatment of fever, the leaves are boiled and the resultant concoction is consumed as medication. Premna chrysoclada was reported to have activity against malaria parasites with (IC (50)<10μg/ml) significantly not different from the performance of chloroquine [4].
Diospyros cornii locally called Mkulu also referred to as Diospyros bussei Gürke (synonym: Diospyros cornii Chiov.) is a small evergreen tree up to 15-18 m tall. It occurs in the open woodland and wooded grassland of Somalia, eastern and coastal Kenya and eastern Tanzania. Its dark brown heartwood is used in ship building and for poles and walking sticks [5]. At Kaya Kauma this plant is used to treat skin disease and scabies. The bark, roots and leaves are sun dried, powdered and applied on the affected area. This plant is also used to kill mosquitoes if mixed with Deinbollia borbonica. The bark of this plant is mixed with the bark of Deinbollia borbonica (Mdaa) and is applied on the surface of the body to kill and or repel mosquitoes.
Croton pseudopulchellus referred to as Myama wa nyika. The word. “Nyika” means wilderness. The plant is only found inside the forest of kaya Kauma. This plant is used in the treatment of malaria and epilepsy besides its quality to preserve milk. A smoked piece of its stalk is introduced into a milk guard before introducing the milk. The milk is preserved and further acquires a nice flavour. Probably this tree is able to suppress lacto-bacteria that course fermentation in milk. It is also used in the treatment of chest congestion and body ache. The leaves and the roots exhibit medicinal traits. Efficacy of biologically active compounds in plant extracts against bacterial pathogen depends on factors such as region where the species is found, the time period within which the plants parts were collected and the storage condition [6].
Senna occidentalis is locally referred to as Mtsalafu. The leaves of this plant cure stomach aches. The raw leaves of this plant are squeezed and taken directly as a cure or boiled and the concoction consumed by patients. The leaves of this plant are also used as a vegetable by the community. In other studies crude extracts of this plant were reported to completely eliminate Trypanosoma brucei parasites effectively and significantly (P < 0.05) kept the parasitemia lower than was recorded in the infected untreated rats. [7]
Zanthoxylem holtzianum refered to as Mdungulutswa in kaya Tsolokero treats Asthma stomach aches and pains, fever, treat roundworms and scabies. The roots are boiled and the concoction taken for stomach aches. The bark, fruits and seeds of Zanthoxylem species are extensively used in indigenous system of medicine as a carminative, stomachic and anthelmintic. The stem was reported to exhibit hypoglycaemic activity in the preliminary trials. The bark is pungent and used to clean teeth. The fruits and seeds are used as an aromatic tonic in fever and dyspepsia. An extract of the fruits is reported to be effective in expelling roundworms. Because of their deodorant, disinfectant and antiseptic properties, the fruits are used in dental troubles, and their lotion for scabies. The essential oil is said to possess antiseptic, disinfectant and deodorant properties. [8]
Mildbraedia carpinifolia referred to as Mfundiran'gambi is used as a medicinal plant in Kaya Tsolokero. The plant is also called Plesiatropha carpinifolia. The stem, roots the stem and bark are scratched and chewed raw anytime for the treatment of cough. Not much work has been done on this species. The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [9]. Pslilotrichum sclerenthum Thwaites refrred to as Chibiriti is used in Kaya Tsolokero for the treatment of cramps and pains in muscles. The leaves are harvested during sapling to maturity stage. Dry leaves of the plant are burnt and the ash is applied on the infected area.Little work has been done on this species Pslilotrichum sclerenthum Thwaites (Chibiriti) regarding their phytochemicals presence. The leaves of Vernonia homilantha commonly referred to as Mlazakoma or Mlalapiri in Kaya Tsolokero have been used to help in blood clotting and also to control blood in stool. The raw leaves of this plant are crushed and ground in water. The extract is then filtered and applied on the affected area. Extracts of boiled leaves also treat stomach ache. This showed strong inhibition against bacteria Staphyloccocus aureus [10].
The roots of the plant Mkwamba (Flueggea virosa) has been used in Kaya Tsolokero to cure kidney problems. The raw roots are cut into small pieces and ground in water. The concoction is consumed directly after filtering. All parts of the plant are used, but the root is considered the most active part. A range of medically active compounds have been identified in the plant including tannins and several alkaloids. Securine is the main alkaloid present, and as many as ten alkaloids closely related to it have been determined present in the plant [11]
Mchewa (Flagelleria guinensis) has been used in Kaya Tsolokero to treat cuts and kidney problem. The leaves are roasted and the ash is applied by cutting the outer surface of the body near kidneys to treat kidney problems.In traditional medicine in Côte d’Ivoire a decoction of leafy twigs is used as a wash or vapour bath to cure kidney pain. Leaf decoctions are drunk as a cure for gonorrhoea and used as a mouth wash against dental caries. Leaf pulp is also applied in case of dental caries. In Gabon the leaves are credited with aphrodisiac properties. In Kenya boiled leaves are applied hot for the treatment of hernia, and the twigs and leaves are used to heal venereal diseases. In south-western Tanzania an extract of the fruits is drunk to cure venereal diseases, while a dressing of pulped fruits is applied externally to cure venereal disease and skin problems. In Somalia the whole plant is crushed and mixed with oil and applied externally against rheumatic pains. [11]
Medicinal plants do have antimicrobial and therapeutically activity against a variety of diseases and ailments. The plant species reported in Kaya Tsolokero and Kauma of the Kenyan Coast are medicinal against bacteria, fungal, viral and other physical pains in human health. This study did not prove the efficacy against fungal and viral diseases but literature on similar plants in other parts of Africa and the world intimate that these plant species are effective against some of the mentioned ailments when the right concentrations through herbal prescriptions have been consumed. This review therefore validates some of the claims made by local practitioners from Kaya Kauma and Kaya Tsolokero. These practitioners need to document their skills and competences in herbal medicine to avoid losing this wealth of information as their generation fades with age.
This work was supported by Pwani University and the National Museum of Kenya.
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