Dataset Information

The ethnomedicine of the Haya people of Bugabo ward, Kagera Region, north western Tanzania.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Kagera region, in north western Tanzania, is endowed with a strong culture of traditional medicine that is well supported by a rich diversity of medicinal plants. However, most of the plants in this region have not been documented nor evaluated for safety and efficacy. As an initiative in that direction, this study documented the knowledge on medicinal plant use by traditional healers of Bugabo Ward in Bukoba District.

Methods

Key informants were selected with the help of local government officials and information on their knowledge and use of plants for therapeutic purposes was gathered using a semi-structured interview format.

Results

In this study 94 plant species representing 84 genera and 43 families were found to be commonly used in the treatment of a variety of human ailments. The family Asteraceae had the highest number of species being used as traditional medicines. The study revealed that Malaria is treated using the highest number of different medicinal species (30), followed by skin conditions (19), maternal illnesses and sexually transmitted diseases (14), respiratory diseases (11) and yellow fever, Herpes simplex and peptic ulcers (10). Majority of the species are used to treat less than five different diseases/conditions each and leaves were the most commonly used part, comprising 40% of all the reports on use of plant parts. Trees comprised the most dominant growth form among all plants used for medicinal purposes in the study area.

Conclusion

Bugabo Ward has a rich repository of medicinal plants and this reinforces the need for an extensive and comprehensive documentation of medicinal plants in the area and a concomitant evaluation of their biological activity as a basis for developing future medicines.

SUBMITTER: Moshi MJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2739164 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

The ethnomedicine of the Haya people of Bugabo ward, Kagera Region, north western Tanzania.

Moshi Mainen J MJ Otieno Donald F DF Mbabazi Pamela K PK Weisheit Anke A

Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine 20090831

<h4>Background</h4>The Kagera region, in north western Tanzania, is endowed with a strong culture of traditional medicine that is well supported by a rich diversity of medicinal plants. However, most of the plants in this region have not been documented nor evaluated for safety and efficacy. As an initiative in that direction, this study documented the knowledge on medicinal plant use by traditional healers of Bugabo Ward in Bukoba District.<h4>Methods</h4>Key informants were selected with the h ...[more]

PMID: 19715617

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Project description:BackgroundThe Kagera region of north western Tanzania has a rich culture of traditional medicine use and practices. The dynamic inter-ethnic interactions of different people from the surrounding countries constitute a rich reservoir of herbal based healing practices. This study, the second in an ongoing series, reports on the medicinal plant species used in Katoro ward, Bukoba District, and tries to use the literature to establish proof of the therapeutic claims.MethodologyEthnomedical information was collected using semi-structured interviews in Kyamlaile and Kashaba villages of Katoro, and in roadside bushes on the way from Katoro to Bukoba through Kyaka. Data collected included the common/local names of the plants, parts used, the diseases treated, methods of preparation, dosage, frequency and duration of treatments. Information on toxicity and antidote were also collected. Literature was consulted to get corroborative information on similar ethnomedical claims and proven biological activities of the plants.ResultsThirty three (33) plant species for treatment of 13 different disease categories were documented. The most frequently treated diseases were those categorized as specific diseases/conditions (23.8% of all remedies) while eye diseases were the least treated using medicinal plants (1.5% of all remedies). Literature reports support 47% of the claims including proven anti-malarial, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory activity or similar ethnomedical uses. Leaves were the most frequently used plant part (20 species) followed by roots (13 species) while making of decoctions, pounding, squeezing, making infusions, burning and grinding to powder were the most common methods used to prepare a majority of the therapies.ConclusionTherapeutic claims made on plants used in traditional medicine in Katoro ward of Bukoba district are well supported by literature, with 47% of the claims having already been reported. This study further enhances the validity of plants used in traditional medicine in this region as resources that can be relied on to provide effective, accessible and affordable basic healthcare to the local communities. The plants documented also have the potential of being used in drug development and on farm domestication initiatives.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Pesticides remain the mainstay for the control of agricultural pests and disease vectors. However, their indiscriminate use in agriculture has led to development of resistance to both crop pests and disease vectors. This threatens to undermine the success gained through the implementation of chemical based vector control programs. We investigated the practices of farmers with regard to pesticide usage in the vegetable growing areas and their impact on susceptibility status of An. gambiae s.l. METHODS:A stratified multistage sampling technique using the administrative structure of the Tanzanian districts as sampling frame was used. Wards, villages and then participants with farms where pesticides are applied were purposively recruited at different stages of the process, 100 participants were enrolled in the study. The same villages were used for mosquito larvae sampling from the farms and the surveys were complimented by the entomological study. Larvae were reared in the insectary and the emerging 2-3?days old female adults of Anopheles gambiae s.l were subjected to susceptibility test. RESULTS:Forty eight pesticides of different formulations were used for control of crop and Livestock pests. Pyrethroids were the mostly used class of pesticides (50%) while organophosphates and carbamates were of secondary importance. Over 80% of all farmers applied pesticides in mixed form. Susceptibility test results confirmed high phenotypic resistance among An. gambiae populations against DDT and the pyrethroids (Permethrin-0.75%, Cyfluthrin-0.15%, Deltametrin-0.05% and Lambdacyhalothrin-0.05%) with mortality rates 54, 61, 76 and 71%, respectively. Molecular analysis showed An. arabiensis as a dominant species (86%) while An. gambiae s.s constituted only 6%. The kdr genes were not detected in all of the specimens that survived insecticide exposures. CONCLUSION:The study found out that there is a common use of pyrethroids in farms, Livestocks as well as in public health. The study also reports high phenotypic resistance among An. gambiae s.l against most of the pyrethroids tested. The preponderance of pyrethroids in agriculture is of public health concern because this is the class of insecticides widely used in vector control programs and this calls for combined integrated pest and vector management (IPVM).

Project description:BackgroundBendiocarb was introduced for the first time for Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) in Tanzania in 2012 as part of the interim national insecticide resistance management plan. This move followed reports of increasingly alarming levels of pyrethroid resistance across the country. This study used the insecticide quantification kit (IQK) to investigate the intra-operational IRS coverage and quality of spraying, and decay rate of bendiocarb on different wall surfaces in Kagera region.MethodsTo assess intra-operational IRS coverage and quality of spraying, 104 houses were randomly selected out of 161,414 sprayed houses. A total of 509 samples (218 in Muleba and 291 in Karagwe) were obtained by scraping the insecticide samples from wall surfaces. To investigate decay rate, 66 houses (36 in Muleba and 30 in Karagwe) were selected and samples were collected monthly for a period of five months. Laboratory testing of insecticide concentration was done using IQK(TM) [Innovative Vector Control Consortium].ResultsOf the 509 samples, 89.5% met the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended concentration (between 100-400 mg/m(2)) for IRS target dosage. The proportion of samples meeting WHO standards varied between Karagwe (84.3%) and Muleba (96.3%) (p < 0.001). Assessment of quality of spraying at house level revealed that Muleba (84.8%) had a significantly higher proportion of households that met the expected target dosage (100-400 mg/m(2)) compared to Karagwe (68.9%) (p < 0.001). The quality of spraying varied across different wall substrates in both districts. Evaluation of bendiocarb decay showed that the proportion of houses with recommended concentration declined from 96.9%, 93.5% and 76.2% at months one, two, and three post IRS, respectively (p-trend = 0.03). The rate of decay increased in the fourth and fifth month post spraying with only 55.9% and 26.3% houses meeting the WHO recommendations, respectively.ConclusionIQK is an important tool for assessing IRS coverage and quality of spraying. The study found adequate coverage of IRS; however, residual life of bendiocarb was observed to be three months. Results suggest that in order to maintain the recommended concentrations with bendiocarb, a second spray cycle should be carried out after three months.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that continues to cause morbidity and mortality in Sub Saharan Africa. Due to its endemicity, co-infection with malaria is common. The diseases cause anaemia and impaired nutritional status among children. We investigated the prevalence of intestinal schistosomiasis and its association with malaria, anaemia and nutritional status among school children. METHODS:This was a cross sectional survey among 830 children in Nyamikoma village along Lake Victoria in Tanzania. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data, history of drug use, and clinical data. Two faecal samples were collected on two consecutive days and analyzed using thick smears Kato Katz method. Diagnosis of malaria was done by malaria rapid diagnostic test, and haemoglobin concentration was determined using HemoCue. Nutritional status was assessed by anthropometric measurements. RESULTS:The overall prevalence of intestinal schistosomiasis was 90.6% (95% CI = 88.6% - 92.6%). Intensity of infection was light 24.1% (200/830), moderate 38.4% (319/830) and heavy 28.1% (233/830). Pre-adolescents (≤12 years) were more infected with intestinal schistosomiasis (93.2%) than adolescents (>12 years) (84.7%) (p < 0.001). Prevalence of malaria was 1.7% (14/824), and that of intestinal schistosomiasis-malaria co-infection was 1.6% (13/824). The overall prevalence of anaemia was 24.6% (95%CI = 18.7% - 30.5%). Severe anaemia was found in 2.3% (19/824) of study participants. The prevalence of stunting and wasting were 29.0% and 11.3%, respectively. On both univariate and multivariate regression analysis, only lower age was significantly associated intestinal schistosomiasis infection, but not anemia, malaria, stunting or wasting. However among those infected, a negative binomial regression analysis indicated independent significant association of male sex, loose stool consistency, and stunting with high eggs count/gram of stool. CONCLUSIONS:Despite several rounds of annual mass praziquantel administration, intestinal schistosomiasis is highly prevalent among school children particularly in younger children living in the study area. Biannual targeted mass praziquantel treatments or alternative regimens may be considered in future in the study area to redress the situation.

Project description:BackgroundArtemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are the recommended antimalarial drugs for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria. The recent emergence of artemisinin partial resistance (ART-R) in Rwanda, Uganda and Eritrea is of great concern. In Tanzania, a nationwide molecular malaria surveillance in 2021 showed a high prevalence of the Kelch13 (K13) 561H mutation in Plasmodium falciparum from the north-western region, close to the border with Rwanda and Uganda. This study was conducted in 2022 to evaluate the efficacy of artemether-lumefantrine (AL) and artesunate-amodiaquine (ASAQ) for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria and to confirm the presence of ART-R in Tanzania.MethodsThis single-arm study evaluated the efficacy of AL and ASAQ in eligible children aged six months to 10 years at Bukangara Dispensary in Karagwe District, Kagera Region. Clinical and parasitological responses were monitored for 28 days according to standard WHO protocol. Mutations in K13 gene and extended haplotypes with these mutations were analysed using Sanger and whole genome sequencing data, respectively.Findings176 children (88 in each AL and ASAQ group) were enrolled and all achieved the defined outcomes. PCR-corrected adequate clinical and parasitological response (ACPR) was 98.3% (95% CI: 90.8-100) and 100.0% (95% CI: 95.8-100) for AL and ASAQ, respectively. Parasitaemia on day 3 was observed in 11/88 (12.5%) and 17/88 (19.3%) in the AL and ASAQ groups, respectively. The half-life of parasitaemia was significantly higher (>6.5 hrs) in patients with parasitaemia on day 3 and/or mutations in K13 gene at enrolment. Most patients with parasitaemia on day 3 (8/11 = 72.7% in the AL group and 10/17 = 58.8% in the ASAQ group) had 561H mutation at enrolment. The parasites with K13 mutations were not similar to those from south-east Asia and Rwanda, but had the same core haplotype of a new 561H haplotype reported in Kagera in 2021.InterpretationThese findings confirm the presence of ART-R in Tanzania. A context-specific strategy to respond to artemisinin partial resistance is urgently needed. Although both AL and ASAQ showed high efficacy, increased vigilance for reduced efficacy of these ACTs and detection of ART-R in other parts of the country is critical.

Project description:BackgroundDyslipidemia is a leading risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. There are few published epidemiological data regarding dyslipidemia in Africa. We determined full lipid and apolipoprotein profiles and investigated factors associated with lipid levels in urban and rural populations of north-western Tanzania and southern Uganda.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey of randomly-selected, community-dwelling adults (≥18yrs) including five strata per country: one municipality, two district towns and two rural areas. Participants were interviewed and examined using the World Health Organization STEPwise survey questionnaire. Serum levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoproteins were measured. Factors associated with mean lipid levels were assessed by multivariable linear regression. Framingham 10-year cardiovascular risk scores were calculated with and without lipids.ResultsOne-third of adults in the study population had dyslipidemia. Low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol affected 32-45% of rural adults. High total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B were found in <15% of adult population in all strata, but were more common in urban adults. Factors independently associated with higher mean low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B were female gender, older age, higher education, higher income, obesity, and hypertension. Framingham cardiovascular risk scores with and without lipids yielded similar results and 90% of study subjects in all strata were classified as "low risk". Among older adults (>55 years), 30% were classified as "high" or "very high" risk.ConclusionsDyslipidemias are common among adults in north-western Tanzania and southern Uganda affecting one third of adult population. Overall, cardiovascular risk scores are low but high risk scores are common with older adults. Health services designed and equipped to diagnose and treat dyslipidemia are urgently needed.

Dataset Information

The ethnomedicine of the Haya people of Bugabo ward, Kagera Region, north western Tanzania.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

The ethnomedicine of the Haya people of Bugabo ward, Kagera Region, north western Tanzania.

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