Multi-Plant Or Single-Plant Extracts, Which Is The Most Effective For Local Healing In Tanzania?

Jn Otieno,Kmm Hosea,Rla Mahunnah,Hv Lyaruu

doi:10.4314/ajtcam.v5i2.31269

Abstract

Use of multi-plant extracts against infectious diseases is increasing in rural Tanzania. The study evaluated this ethnomedicinal practice by using mixed root extracts of Carisa edulis, Ximenia caffra, Harrisonia abyssinica and Euclea natalensis against single extracts of the same plants. Disc diffusion assay and Tube dilution techniques were used to compare bioactivity of plant extracts in-vitro. The ANOVA test indicated significant difference (P < 0.05) between these extracts types. Multi-plant extracts had inhibition zones of up to 26 mm as compared to 14 mm for single extracts. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration for multi-plant extract was 8.3 microg/ml against 69 microg/ml for single extracts. Multi-plant extracts inhibited all the five test bacterial species while single extracts inhibited three species. Eight out of ten multi-plant extracts (80%) were bactericidal while only two out of four single extracts (50%) were bactericidal. Generally, multi-plant extracts were more superior over single plant extracts and could be developed into more potent antibiotics against resistant pathogens.

Highlights

The use of multi-plant extracts in traditional healing systems is a common ethnomedicinal practice in many parts of the world
In rural areas of Lake Victoria region in Tanzania, elephant dung is believed to treat gastrointestinal and opportunistic infections in infants basing on the fact that the beast consume a variety of plants with the possibility that some may have medicinal value that are egested in active form for medicine
The study revealed that, most common diseases in rural areas of Lake Victoria regionTanzania are locally managed by single plant extracts, mixtures of more than one plant extract are often used to treat complicated diseases

Summary

Introduction

The use of multi-plant extracts in traditional healing systems is a common ethnomedicinal practice in many parts of the world. In Venda (Cyprus), mixed root extracts of Tabenaemontana elegans, Terminalia sericea, Euclea natalensis, Ximenia caffra and Ziziphus mucronata are used to treat sterility (Arnold and Gulumian, 1984). In Malawi in Africa, the root decoction of Xylopia parviflora, Heteromorpha arborescense and Carissa edulis is drunk to increase penile size and for treating loss of libido in males (Msothi and Mgombo, 1993). In Tanzania, the use of multi-plant extracts is believed to cure complicated infections as compared to single plant extracts. In rural areas of Lake Victoria region in Tanzania, elephant dung is believed to treat gastrointestinal and opportunistic infections in infants basing on the fact that the beast consume a variety of plants with the possibility that some may have medicinal value that are egested in active form for medicine. Fresh chyme extracted from the gut of slaughtered healthy goat is used to relieve constipations and gastrointestinal problems in humans based on the same principle as elephant dung

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Conclusion