Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International

Abstract

Background: Every community in Kenya have their own ways of providing good health care services for its members. Such services are geared towards providing therapeutic and medical related services for the upkeep of good health and also prevention and treatment of infections. Much before the dawn of modern medicine through sophisticated researches and advances, these societies developed their indigenous medicinal system through interaction with their environment.

Aim: This paper, through secondary literature reviews and survey was aimed at examining the features of commonly used herbal medicine from plants by the Kipsigis community in Kenya.

Place and Duration: The research was carried out at University of Kabianga from January to December 2015.

Methodology: Semi structured interviews, group discussions and observations were used to collect information on traditional knowledge from herbalists. Details of the medical conditions treated, herbal preparations used, treatment methods, local plant names and methods of collection of herbs were recorded. The research team comprised of professionals from the fields of medicine and botany. Local leaders, community elders, church leaders and other stakeholders were used to identify herbalists and convince them to provide information.

Results: The result of this survey revealed that majority of the household, even in urban places; use these commonly available herbs and plants for minor aliments in their families for immediate relief. The study provides information on medicinal and healing methods used by the Kipsigis community. It also revealed that traditional medicines are still widely used in Kericho County. Some of the identified plants have been demonstrated to possess pharmacological activities related to those mentioned by the herbalists.

Conclusion: From the findings it can be concluded that use of traditional herbs as medicine is still common amongst the Kipsigis community but faces numerous challenges and weaknesses. Thus much detailed scientific study on these medicinal plants need to be conducted to ascertain the compounds responsible for such relief.