Knowledge Of Traditional Healers Research Articles

Traditional Medicine and Healing Knowledge in the Context of Witchcraft: What Do the Holy Books and Religious Leaders Say?

In developing countries including Tanzania, traditional medicine and healing knowledge are increasingly utilised, and play a crucial role in healthcare. However, such knowledge often faces negative associations with witchcraft. This study explored perspectives from holy books and religious leaders regarding the management of traditional medicine and healing knowledge, the role of religion in the process, the potential efficacy of traditional healing knowledge for common health conditions, and the reasons behind the association with witchcraft. A mixed research approach was employed. Religious leaders formed the population of this study. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews with religious leaders, supplemented with documentary review. Data from face-to-face interviews were qualitatively analysed through thematic content analysis before it was coded and analysed through SPSS for numeric descriptions. Results underscored the vital role of traditional medicine and healing knowledge in Tanzania’s healthcare. Religious leaders and holy books recognised the necessity for managing such knowledge. Despite available religious texts describing traditional practices and their potential efficacy, religious leaders in the study area did not actively support the management of such knowledge, but rather associated it with witchcraft. The association with witchcraft arises from misunderstandings and societal biases introduced by foreign religions, early traders, and colonialists. The conclusion has been that although religious organisations played no role in the management of such knowledge, holy books, and religious leaders acknowledged the importance of doing that. Impoverishing, demonising, and disregarding were due to colonialism. The implications for managing knowledge in this context have also been provided.

Indigenous Knowledge on Health and Use of Herbal Plants as Domestic: A Case Study of Illiterate an Indigenous Caste ‘Bankariya’

This study has aim to explore the indigenous knowledge of Bankariyas on health and herbal use practice as domestic cure along with socio-cultural characteristics. Nepal, however, is known economically poor but richer in natural resources like herbal plants. Before emerging of advanced technology of medical science in Nepal, almost Nepalese people were under treatment with medicinal plants. Such domestic treatment is continued since an immense time and still in rural areas but in recent days, practice of herbal use and treatment are going to be displaced, and medicinal plants are in high risk of vanishing due to increasing urbanization, human residence, over harvesting, deforestation etc. Bankariyas are found socially, economically, and academically very poor and back ward as people of Stone Age and still believed in shamanism, god and ghost. If someone becomes sick, they do not take patient to hospital without consultation their traditional healer or shaman’s incantation. Shamans are consulate to find the sickness that what happened with sick. Because, healer keeps knowledge that what happened with sick, what kind of treatment is necessary and what herbs work for what disease and incident. According to situation shaman starts treatment either incanting with esoteric words praying deity/god or herbal treatment. Therefore, they found having sound knowledge of traditional healing. At present, such amazing treatment practice has been going to be vanishing. Hence, to keep it alive this study was conducted based on census survey to obtain socioeconomic data as quantitative and healers were consulted as homeopathic doctor as qualitative research design.

An Ethnobotanical Survey of Indigenous Knowledge on Medicinal Plants Used by Communities to Treat Various Diseases around Ensaro District, North Shewa Zone of Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

The study was conducted to investigate and document medicinal plants and associated knowledge on the utilization, management, preparation, and way of administration of the medicinal plant resources in Ensaro district, north Shewa zone, Ethiopia. A total of 100 informants were sampled from four study sites, and questionnaire surveys, semistructured interviews, ranking, and transect walk techniques were employed for data collection in midland, lowland, and highland agroecology and natural forests, riverine forests, and farmlands. Vast sources of the traditional healing knowledge of plant species conveyed from one generation to the next by word of mouth were from a family. A total of 101 medicinal plant species were identified from the study site, which belong to 95 genera and 49 families. These medicinal plants are used to treat about 35 types of human ailments. Families Fabaceae and Poaceae were represented by the highest number of medicinal plant species, followed by the Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, and Euphorbiaceae species. Out of the total medicinal plants’ species, 46.53% were herbs and 33.66% were shrubs. Most of them have medicinal properties in their leaf, root, seed, bark, stem, latex, sap seed, and fruits. Medicine from these plant parts is prepared in fresh, dried, and both fresh and dried states. The highest informant consensus was documented for the plant Ocimum lamiifolium used by 75% of informants for its medicinal value in treating fibril illness. Cucumis ficifolius and Eucalyptus globules are used by 41% and 39% of informants ranking second and third, respectively, for their medicinal value. This study revealed that indigenous knowledge of traditional medicine is still popular among local communities in the study area. The conservation strategy practiced by local people is not enough to tackle the erosion of plant species from their habitats. Thus, the conservation of these plants and the associated knowledge base is very essential.

Indian Time: Temporality, Gender, Mobility

Indian Time: Temporality, Gender, Mobility

Preserving tradition in the here and now: Barriers to the preservation and continuity of traditional healing knowledge and practices in Madagascar

While formal studies and grey literature often acknowledge barriers to indigenous healing practices in Madagascar, they less frequently focus on the specific challenges faced by women, particularly renin-jaza (“midwives”). This qualitative study uses conversational interviews to explore the lived experiences and self-constructed identities of key figures in Madagascar's traditional healing community: two renin-jaza from a remote village and the president of a traditional healers association in southeastern Madagascar. The study presents two main findings around (1) barriers affecting the everyday, spiritual, and intergenerational practices of renin-jaza, including conflation of the term with “midwife,” and (2) the benefits of informalized research approaches for exploring this topic. Recommendations include that policymakers should not only support indigenous knowledge and practices but also work to preserve the historical contexts of indigeneity, while protecting current practitioners and practices from ongoing efforts to marginalize or eliminate them.

Endogenous knowledge of traditional healers on plants used against hepatitis in Mbandaka/DR Congo

The ethnobotanical study was carried out on medicinal plants used in the traditional treatment of hepatitis in Mbandaka in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its general objective was to establish a relationship between the level of education of traditional healers and their expertise in alternative medicine to treat viral hepatitis. On a floristic list of 36 plant species used in the composition of different anti-hepatitis recipes, the Fabaceae family is predominant with 5 species. Considering Citation Frequency (CF), species such as Ageratum conyzoides L., Senna alata (L.) Roxb., Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf, and Millettia laurentii De Wild. are the best known by traditional healers. The high rate of illiteracy among traditional healers (42.9%) seems to challenge the reliability of endogenous knowledge. However, since the species inventoried have proven their effectiveness in other countries, the established expertise of the traditional healers of Mbandaka in the treatment of hepatitis is confirmed. Endogenous knowledge, therefore, does not take into account the level of education.

Ethnomedicinal survey of indigenous medicinal plants in Jos Metropolis, Nigeria

Background: Indigenous knowledge is progressively fading out because of a lack of proper record-keeping, as the knowledge is transmitted verbally. There is, therefore, a dire need for preserving this valuable knowledge by ensuring proper documentation and sharing of traditional knowledge.Aim: This research study sought to explore the indigenous knowledge used by herbal medicine practitioners for treating various human ailments in Jos Metropolis of Plateau State, Nigeria.Setting: The study was conducted using a structured questionnaire administered to 100 registered traditional healers in Jos North LGA of Plateau State.Methods: Selected medicinal plants were collected, pressed and transported to the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Ibadan for identification, authentication and deposition of voucher specimens for voucher number at FRIN herbarium, Ibadan. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the ethnomedicinal data.Results: Thirty-nine plant species, distributed in 33 families and 39 genera, were cited by the respondents. The Fabaceae was the most represented family, followed by the Euphorbiaceae and Myrtaceae. Leaves were the most used plant part (29%), whilstthe most cited plant habit forms include trees (48%) and herbs (31%). The herbal remedies were mostly administered orally (53%) and topically (26%), whilst the most common method of preparation was decoction (42%). The highest consensus factor (1.00) was detected for chickenpox or measles or leprosy, haemorrhoids and sickle cell ailments.Conclusion: There is an existence of a wide gap in traditional healing knowledge between the elderly and the younger generations in the study area. The high fidelity level observed in this study implied a general acceptance and preferred usage of such herbal plants for the treatment of particular ailments.

An Ethnobotanical Study of Traditional Knowledge and Uses of Medicinal Wild Plants among the Marakwet Community in Kenya.

Traditional plant knowledge and uses of medicinal wild plants were investigated among the Marakwet community in Kenya. Data were collected through interviews with seven traditional healers and 157 questionnaires for local community members. Traditional names of the plants by traditional healers and local community members were prepared as a checklist. Loss of traditional medicinal names of plants was ascertained with up to 60% overlapping in their nomenclature. The traditional medicinal plants treated 41 diseases within the region, of which local community members understood common ones for treating stomachache (94.8%), diarrhea (70.7%), chest problems (65.5%), and typhoid (63.8%). It was also clear that there was low knowledge index of medicinal plants by the local community members (23.6%) based on knowledge of traditional healers. Clearly, medicinal plants for treatment of malaria, diabetes, tetanus, and pneumonia were recognized by over 40% of the local community members, while plants treating arteriosclerosis, meningitis, arthritis, trachoma, smallpox, rheumatic fever, and gout were known by less than 10% of the respondents. Among plants, the use of roots for treatment was known by over 67% of the local community members compared to fruits, bark, bulb, and flowers (<10%). This low traditional medicinal knowledge in a community relies on the traditional medicinal plants, calling for an urgent need to document the information and perpetuate this knowledge from one generation to another. This can be achieved by collecting the information and developing a database of medicinal plants for future research and potential development of new drugs.

Phytochemical Screening And Evaluation Of The Antioxidant Activity Of Essential Oil Of Pistacia Atlantica Harvested From The Ouled Brahim Region, Saida; Algeria

The knowledge of traditional healers o en represents a basis for the pharmacological and phytochemical inves ga on of naturals medicaments. This work aims for the phytochemical study and evaluation of the antioxidant activity of essential oils of medicinal plant Pistacia atlantica.Through the results obtained, it appears that the leaves are rich in substances with a high antioxidant power. For essential oils, it is 0.24 % for 100 g of plant material. And the phytochemical screening of the plant showed the presence of tannins, resins, coumarins, terpenoids and flavonoids, and absence of saponins. The strong antioxidant activity of extracts obtained only confirms the traditional use of this plant by the local population.

Traditional Medicine in Sabah: A Case Study from the District of Kota Marudu

Background: As in other parts of the world, the practice of traditional healing has been part of the local healthcare system for most of the indigenous ethnic groups, since time immemorial. Using descriptive research format, this study looked into the practice of a traditional medicine practitioner in one of the villages of Kota Marudu in Sabah, Malaysia. The practitioner comes from the Dusun Tagahas subethnic group which is one of the numerous ethnic groups in Sabah. The large number of ethnic group in Sabah has made the research of ethnomedicine rather challenging. The practitioner acquired knowledge of traditional healing and treatment which is mainly herbal medicines alluded with some spiritual aspects. He used many herbal preparations in various forms and applications. Similar to the other traditional medicine practitioners, his knowledge and skill regarding his practice are impressive but the practitioner is unable to explain on the mechanism of how the therapy works. Generally their philosophy rests on the notion that disease responds to right medicine but not explanation. There is an urgent need to capture all the knowledge and skill possessed by traditional medicine practitioners, who generally belong to an ageing and fading population, especially those live in remote and hard to reach areas. Scientific research should be conducted to help traditional medicine healers and herbalists to understand their practices before they suffer the consequences of inexorable extinction.

Integrating traditional medical knowledge into mainstream healthcare in Limpopo Province

In most African states, the majority of the population depend on indigenous healing knowledge for their healthcare. This knowledge is in danger of being obliterated due to a number of factors such as it being not documented, low life expectancy where people die before transferring it to the next generation and the governments failing to incorporate it into the mainstream health system that is often overloaded. This qualitative study adopted a hermeneutic phenomenology to investigate the development of a framework to integrate knowledge of traditional healing into the mainstream healthcare system in the Limpopo province. Data were collected through interviews with traditional healers chosen through snowball sampling technique augmented by observations and analysis of legislation, notes, records and other forms of documents held by healers. Data were analysed and interpreted thematically according to the objectives of the study. The study established that indigenous medical knowledge is marginalised, and healers are not getting support from the government despite the important role they play in the national health systems. Traditional healing is not properly regulated creating a loophole for anyone to practise as a healer. A framework that points the link factors that attempt to create an understanding of how knowledge of traditional healing can be managed and integrated into the mainstream healing is proposed. It is concluded that failure to recognise traditional healing and integrate it in the mainstream health system will continue to hamstring the health system with resources in South Africa.

Turning mirrors into windows: Knowledge transfer among indigenous healers in Limpopo province of South Africa

Background: Knowledge transfer is an unavoidable process when it comes to indigenous knowledge especially in Africa, the continent known for its oral tradition. Such knowledge is in danger of being obliterated as a result of a number of factors, including lack of interest from younger generations and low life expectancy whereby knowledgeable people die before transferring it to the next generation as it is mostly not documented. Objectives: This qualitative study utilised hermeneutic phenomenology guided by the organisational knowledge conversion theory to investigate the transfer of indigenous knowledge by traditional healers in the Limpopo province of South Africa. Method: The study utilised a snowball sampling technique to determine the population. Data collected through interviews with traditional healers were augmented with observations done on two healers who were in the middle of their training when this study was conducted, as well as an analysis of records held by some healers. Results: The findings suggestthat knowledge of traditional healing is believed to be transferred to the chosen ones through dreams and visions. However, this knowledge seems to be transferred through mentorship and apprenticeship, as well as interactions with other healers. Conclusion: It is concluded that transferring knowledge of traditional healing goes beyond just transference; it is embedded as a belief system in many African communities. An in-depth study on the development of a framework to integrate indigenous knowledge of traditional healers into mainstream health system is recommended.

Accumulation of cultural capital: the acquisition of indigenous knowledge by traditional healers in the Limpopo province of South Africa

While most of the African population consult traditional healers, and depend on indigenous medical knowledge for survival, there is a consensus from researchers that there is limited understanding of how this type of knowledge is acquired and managed. The study sought to investigate how traditional healers in the Limpopo province of South Africa acquired their knowledge of traditional healing. This qualitative study adopted hermeneutic phenomenology research method and utilised snowball sampling technique to determine the population. Data were collected through interviews of 27 traditional healers from the five regions of the Limpopo province. This study was guided by the organisational knowledge conversion theory. The findings suggest different methods of knowledge acquisition among healers. This includes formal training where one was chosen and undergoes spiritual training and informally when one or some of the family members are taught about traditional healings by a healer in the family.

Evaluation of Antidiabetic Activity of Aqueous Extract of Leaves from &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Phragmanthera capitata&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; (Sprengel) S. Balle (Laurenthaceae) in &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Wistar&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Albino Rats

Diabetes mellitus is a public health problem affecting about 8.4% of people in the world and knows an alarming progression in sub-Saharan Africa and in Cameroon precisely. The current therapeutic strategies have prohibitive prices, are unavailable and have harmful side-effects. So, this work aimed at contributing to the valorization of medicinal flora and `knowledge of traditional healers in Foumban, West-Cameroon, in the treatment of diabetes. An ethnopharmacological survey was conducted by consulting traditional healers of the District of Foumban. At the end of this investigation, Phragmanthera capitata, which was found to be the most active plant following preliminary tests, was selected for antidiabetic studies on three groups of rats: normal glycaemia, temporary hyperglycemia and diabetic. The first two groups were treated per os, with aqueous extract of leaves from P. capitata, with the doses of D2 (4 mL/kg) obtained from the traditional healers, D1 (half of D2), D3 (double of D2) and by glibenclamide (2.5 mg/kg). The rats of the last group were treated twice per day, with the same doses of extract and glibenclamide for 13 days and were sacrificed on the 14th day. Their blood was collected by cardiac puncture for the determination of biochemical and hematological parameters. Phytochemical screening was performed using standard methods. The administration of aqueous extract of P. capitata led to a hypoglycaemia effect in normal rats, a reduction of glycaemia in the temporary hyperglycaemia and diabetic rats. In addition, an improvement of lipid assessment, renal and hepatic parameters related to the installation of diabetes, as well as an immune-modulator effect of the extract were noted in diabetic rats treated for 13 days. Phytochemical screening indicated that the extract contains saponins, tannins, flavonoids, steroids and terpens. This work along with findings justifies the traditional use of this plant in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

The preservation of knowledge of traditional healing in the Limpopo province of South Africa

The study aimed to investigate the methodologies employed by traditional healers to preserve knowledge of traditional healing. Organisational knowledge conversion theory was employed to guide the study. The study adopted the hermeneutic phenomenological research method and utilised snowball-sampling to identify participants. Data collection was done through observations and interviews. The findings indicate that there is some consensus among healers that ancestors control knowledge of traditional healing and pass it down to the chosen healers through dreams and visions. However, even though ancestors are believed to be the ones who preserve knowledge of traditional healing, there are healers who document their knowledge using different mediums chosen by them. The study concludes that even though the knowledge of traditional healers is largely preserved orally, and faces challenges, there are some initiatives globally and in South Africa to have this knowledge externalised and documented.

「他者」としての知識 : ラオス山地社会の呪医の知識についての試論

「他者」としての知識 : ラオス山地社会の呪医の知識についての試論

Indigenous knowledge of the use of medicinal plants in the North-West of Morocco and their biological activities

IntroductionThis study is the first ethnopharmacological survey that investigates the traditional uses of medicinal plants in the province of Ouezzane (North-West of Morocco) as well as the indigenous knowledge related to the use of this natural resource in healthcare by the local population in order to preserve and protect this invaluable inheritance. We aimed also to reveal the in vitro pharmacological activities of some reported medicinal plants in this study. MethodsIn the survey, 113 informants (local inhabitants and herbalists) were interviewed using the semistructured and unstructured methods and using a stratified sampling technique. Data collected were analyzed calculating three quantitative parameters: Use Value (UV), Fidelity Level (FL) and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF). Pharmacological properties of some reported medicinal plants were evaluated. The antioxidant activity was estimated by the DPPH radical scavenging assay and the antibacterial activity was evaluated using agar well diffusion assay and microtitration method. ResultsThe results showed that 11% of the local population use traditional medicine, against 67% who use both traditional and modern medicine. The ethnomedicinal uses of 44 medicinal species representing 28 families were reported on. Lamiaceae were the most representative and include 32% of the identified species. The medicinal use revealed that leaves are the most used part of plants to prepare drugs, the decoction is the most widely used preparation method and remedies are often administered orally. The highest value of MUV was obtained for Origanum compactum Benth. (MUV=0.62) and Myrtus communis L. (MUV=0.52). In addition, In addition, the highest value of FL was recorded for Origanum compactum Benth. (100%), Myrtus communis L. (93.50%) and Arbutus unedo L. (93.50%). While, while the highest value of ICF was mentioned for respiratory system diseases (ICF=0.69), dermocosmetology (ICF=0.68), digestive system problems (ICF=0.63) and nervous system disorders (ICF=0.69). Plant extracts and essential oils showed important antibacterial properties against pathogenic strains and significant antioxidant capacities. ConclusionsThe ethnopharmacological data documented in this work revealed the use of medicinal plants in North-West of Morocco to fight against diseases. Therefore, efforts are needed for improving the level of the documentation, the conservation and standardisation of these species, and to preserve the transmission of traditional healing knowledge. Also, further studies testing other plant extracts in other pharmacological systems are needed to explore the scientific biological potential of these plants.

“There are more things in heaven and earth!” How knowledge about traditional healing affects clinical practice: interviews with conventional health personnel

ABSTRACTPeople with Sami and Norwegian background are frequent users of traditional folk medicine (TM). Traditional healing, such as religious prayers of healing (reading) and the laying on of hands, are examples of commonly used modalities. The global aim of this study is to examine whether health personnel’s knowledge, attitudes and experiences of traditional healing affect their clinical practice. Semi-structured individual interviews (n=32) and focus group interviews (n=2) were conducted among health personnel in two communities in Northern Norway. The text data was transcribed verbatim and analysed based on the criteria for content analysis. Six themes were identified. The participants had acquired their knowledge of traditional healing through their childhood, adolescence and experience as health personnel in the communities. They all expressed that they were positive to the patients’ use of traditional healing. They justified their attitudes, stating that “there are more things in heaven and earth” and they had faith in the placebo effects of traditional healing. The health personnel respected their patients’ faith and many facilitated the use of traditional healing. In some cases, they also applied traditional healing tools if the patients asked them to do so. The health personnel were positive and open-minded towards traditional healing. They considered reading as a tool that could help the patients to handle illness in a good way. Health personnel were willing to perform traditional healing and include traditional tools in their professional toolkit, even though these tools were not documented as evidence-based treatment. In this way they could offer their patients integrated health services which were tailored to the patients’ treatment philosophy.

Metabolic profiling and in vitro assessment of anthelmintic fractions of Picria fel-terrae Lour.

Anthelmintic resistance is widespread in gastrointestinal nematode populations, such that there is a consistent need to search for new anthelmintics. However, the cost of screening for new compounds is high and has a very low success rate. Using the knowledge of traditional healers from Borneo Rainforests (Sarawak, Malaysia), we have previously shown that some traditional medicinal plants are a rich source of potential new anthelmintic drug candidates. In this study, Picria fel-terrae Lour. plant extract, which has previously shown promising anthelmintic activities, was fractionated via the use of a solid phase extraction cartridge and each isolated fraction was then tested on free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus. We found that a single fraction was enriched for nematocidal activity, killing ≥90% of C. elegans adults and inhibiting the motility of exsheathed L3 of H. contortus, while having minimal cytotoxic activity in mammalian cell culture. Metabolic profiling and chemometric analysis of the effective fraction indicated medium chained fatty acids and phenolic acids were highly represented.

Indigenous Knowledge on Animal Health Care Practices in Kendrapara District of Odisha, India

The objective of this work was to register and document the traditional knowledge of plant resources used in ethnoveterinary practices in Kendrapara district of Odisha, India. Investigation was carried out in the interior of the district, to explore the therapeutic uses of plants by local inhabitants. Information was collected using structured questionnaires, complemented by unstructured interviews and informal conversations with traditional healers, elderly people and farmers. Samples of plants that were reported to have medicinal value were collected and identified by botanical classification. Fifty five plant species, distributed among 34 families, were indicated for 27 different medicinal uses. The family Solanaceae had the largest number of reported species followed by Mimosaceae, Fabaceae and Apocynaceae. Prominent diseases treated by plant remedies were wounds, diarrhea, constipation, snake bite, skin ailments and rheumatism. Leaves were more commonly utilized for the preparation of ethnoveterinary medicine than other plant parts. The knowledge of traditional healers, and other experienced elderly people should be tapped to gather information on these practices so that it gets documented for the benefit of future generations. The present study contributed to the construction of an inventory of ethnoveterinary plants, which might provides a better database for future scientific validation studies.