traditional remedies

1. HEALTH CARE:TRADITIONAL
REMEDIES
By Dr. Priscilla Mugambi

2. DISCUSS
 What type of intervention did our ancestors use to treat illnesses?
 Where did they seek help from?
 How effective were traditional forms of healing?
 What were their negative consequences?

3. Traditional Healers
 In traditional African societies the health care services
are based on culture, religious background, knowledge,
attitudes, and beliefs that are prevalent in his
community.
 Illness is regarded as having both natural and
supernatural causes and thus must be treated by both
physical and spiritual means, using divination,
incantations, animal sacrifice, exorcism, and herbs.

4. Traditional Medicine
 Traditional medicine refers to the knowledge, skills and practices based on the
theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures, used in the
maintenance of health and in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement, or
treatment of physical and mental illness.
 Traditional medicine covers a wide variety of therapies and practices that vary
from country to country and region to region.
 Traditional medicine has been used for centuries to improve well-being and it
continues to play a central role in health care.
 It draws on the continent’s rich and unique biodiversity of aromatic and
medicinal plants. It is also a promising industry that African countries can do
more to export internationally.

5. Traditional medicine
 Herbal medicine is the cornerstone of traditional medicine
but may include minerals and animal parts.
 Herbal medicine uses plants and herbs which have been
used since ancient times. God created plants on the third
day (Genesis 1: 12-13), before any other living organism.
 What is the significance in His order of creation?

6. Traditional African Medical Practitioners
 Traditional midwives may be obstetricians,
herbalists, gynecologists, or pediatricians.
 They provide health care before, during, and
after birth, and also care for newborn infants
and young children.


7. Traditional surgeons
 use special knives, sharpened and tempered according to esoteric procedures,
for circumcisions and excisions.
 Cassava leaves, liquid from snails, and various other ingredients are used as
agents to prevent excessive bleeding.
Traditional psychiatrists
 deal with a patients socioreligious antecedents, using a series of rites,
 that include chants, incantations, and ritual dances, and in which music is
played using particular musical instruments.

8. Preparation and Dispensing of Drugs
 The part of the plant used in preparing the drug depends on the
structure of the plant. It is common to use the bark or roots of trees
and shrubs.
 The Swahili name for herbal medicine is miti shamba meaning
“medicine from the tree.”
 With small plants and herbs, usually the leaves or the whole plant is
used.

9. Preparation and Dispensing of Drugs
 Traditional African medicine is usually limited in that an extract from
one plant is used at a time.
 Only occasionally is an infusion with extracts from two or more plant
species given to a patient.
 This is in contrast to South America where many medicines have
mixtures of several species.

10. Herbal Medicine
 Some plants are very helpful and acceptable traditional remedies/alternative
medicine.
 Examples are using ginger, lemon and honey for sore throats/colds, or ginger
tea to decrease nausea. Today, 25% of modern medicines originated from
plants; 25% still have some plant compounds in them (Levestin, Estelle and
Karen McMahon, 2006).
 This does not consider all the herbal/traditional remedies used.
 In other parts of the world traditional/non-western medicine is known as
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM); it includes using plant based
medicines, acupuncture, chiropractic and other forms. These are also
available in urban areas in Africa.
 C.

11. Traditional Medicine Research in Kenya
 Kenyans are involved with helping to do research about effectiveness of alternatives to
medicines for many illnesses, including malaria and building the immune system to
protect against Opportunistic Illnesses (OIs)
 Center for Traditional Medicine Research (CTMDR) is a centre within Kenya Medical
Research Institute (KEMRI) mandated to carry out research to rationalize traditional
medicine in Kenya and, to carry out quality assurance of conventional medicine.
 CTMDR major task: Rationalization of traditional medicines in collaboration with
traditional healers; evaluation of plant drugs using medicinal Phytochemistry,
pharmacology and toxicology and, formulation of herbal remedies
 Quality assurance through; Surveillance, experimental pharmacology and toxicology;
biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics; clinical trials

12. TASK
 Analyze the traditionalist propose a herbal
cure for COVID 19.
 Why do people use herbal medicines?
 Are they safe?

13.  In Nigeria: https://www.voanews.com/a/covid-19-pandemic_nigerian-
biotechnologist-touts-potent-herbal-covid-19-treatment/6195406.html
 In Tanzania: https://www.voanews.com/a/covid-19-pandemic_herbal-cures-
covid-19-spreading-tanzania-despite-no-evidence-they-work/6189689.html
 In Madagascar: https://www.france24.com/en/20200505-covid-19-in-
madagascar-the-president-s-controversial-miracle-cure

14. Herbal Garden Establishment
For experiments and demonstrations
•Trimming experiment (like tea trees)
for maximum leaf harvest
Plant SpeciesNumber
•Aloe vera 682
•Vernonia amygdalina 663
•Sesbania sesban 80
•Moringa oleifera 39
•Spathodea campanulata 61
•Eriobotrya japonica 50 Aloe
Sesbania
Vernonia

15. TASK: GIVE YOUR CRITICAL VIEW
When considering using a traditional herbalist, we must ask some
vital questions:
1) Why do people use traditional medicine?
2) Does the Herbalist have any training?
3) Does he/she have credible knowledge about preparing the
medicines?
4) Does he/she know correct dosage?
5) Does he/she have a good reputation?

16. Do Herbalist have credible knowledge?
Kokwaro (1993, p. 4) tells about several common methods used to prepare home
remedies:
 Decoctions: plant matter + water are boiled together and sieved.
 Infusions: plant matter is soaked in water and applied; water may or may not be
boiled. Either of these two methods may be called herbal ‘teas’. These ‘teas’
must be made fresh every 24 hours to prevent bacterial growth.
 Other methods used: burning to make ash, pounding (usually before decoctions,
infusions or burning), chewing (usually for first-aid as it is quick ) and roasting,
especially leaves, to apply as poultices for aches and pains from internal diseases,
but they are applied externally.
 Cold Water Extract: leaves are cut small or pounded roots soaked in water
overnight, then filtered and applied externally (Hirt and Pia 2001, p. 47).

17. Does he/she know correct dosage?
 Different amounts of leaves should be used for different
ages. An example is the patient’s fist size: one handful of
fresh leaves which will fit in his/her hand boiled in one
litre of water is appropriate for all ages. (Ibid, p. 43)
Does he/she have a good reputation?
 Those who have a reputation for harm vs. helping should
of course be totally avoided.

18. Planting Ocimum kilimandscharicum –
Kakamega forest, Kenya

19. Preparation of Plant Drugs in Africa
1. Boiling – especially for roots and bark of trees
and shrubs. The decoction is taken orally or used
for bathing depending on the disease.
2. Soaking in cold water is generally used with
crushed leaves or small herbs. The concoction is
used as above.
3. Burning is used with leaves and small herbs. The
ash can be licked, rubbed onto a wound, soaked
in water and drunk or gargled.

20. Preparation of Plant Drugs in Africa
4. Chewing is a first-aid method of preparing a
drug, especially for treatment of snakebite,
stomach disorders, or mouth and throat ailments.
5. Heating or roasting is usually employed in
preparing succulent leaves or other plant parts for
a poultice.
6. Crushing or pounding normally precedes other
methods such as boiling, soaking or burning.
Crushed material may be applied directly to a
wound, usually after being mixed with some kind
of oil

21. Poultice of Poke Leaves
Phytolaca americana

22. Traditional Herbalist Seybatou
Hamdy of Dakar, Senegal

23. Myth about Herbal Remedies
Myth: Herbal remedies do not have any negative side effects.
 That is an incorrect belief. Too much of anything, even herbs, has potential danger
and some are well known to be poisonous.
 They might delay seeking medical intyervention.
 Mixing different herbs with no scientific research may be poisonous.
 Harmful interactions between modern medicines and herbal remedies. Some herbs
cause the modern medicine to be ineffective.
 Misuse of resources – both the money for modern medicine and the local herbs
which were plucked and prepared
 Whenever one is prescribed modern medicine/drugs, the doctor must be informed
about any other normally consumed herbs.

24. Traditional herbal information is:
 i. passed from generation – generation (Kibet, p. 5),
 ii. “folk” or “indigenous” (kienyeji),
 iii. based on traditional beliefs and the “trial & error”
method,
 iv. “secret” info (Ibid, p. 6),
 v. promoted by marginal or isolated people groups
 vi. used by up to 80% of Kenyans, and worldwide,
 vii. not having serious government investment for further
cultivation,
 viii. using herbs from the natural forests (Ibid, p. 7),

25. Non Medicinal Traditional Health Focus
 Other remedies in Africa are based on witchcraft –
 Definition
 Witchcraft is, the exercise or invocation of alleged supernatural powers to
control people or events, practices typically involving sorcery or magic.
 Bible verse on witchcraft: Revelation 21:8 “But cowards, unbelievers, the
corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol
worshipers, and all liars–their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
Galatians 5:19-21, Micah 5:11-12, Leviticus 19:26
 There is no scientific prove about healing using witchcraft.
 Sometimes witchcraft involves the cutting of the skin to insert herbs or other
materials. Is this type of treatment safe? Why?

26. Cont…
 Kenya, Cameroon and other African countries have a definite distinction
between herbalists and witchdoctors (Yufeh Brenda, 1 September 2009).
 Traditional herbalists and witchdoctors are called ‘Sangomas’ in RSA; both
types are considered in the same category.
 i. Sangomas are used by about 70% of S. Africans,
 ii. Need a license to practice by law,
 iii. Cannot treat serious illnesses,
 iv. Can be fined or sent to prison if they mistreat or have no license (Healers
licensed in South Africa, 9 September 2004).

27.  In other parts of the world traditional/non-western
medicine is known as Complementary and Alternative
Medicine (CAM); it includes using:
 plant based medicines,
 acupuncture,
 chiropractic and
 other forms.
These are also available in urban areas in Africa.

28.  Southeast Asians:
 1) have many books/booklets published and on book shelves of various
bookstores in Nairobi,
 2) cultivate the products,
 3) actively market their products at home and abroad (Levetin, p. 333).
 Sales of herbal medicine in 2006 were US$19 billion (Development Centre
of Biotechnology, May 2007) and continue to grow rapidly.
 Projections estimate that worldwide sales may exceed over US$90 billion
by 2015! (Global herbal supplements and remedies market, January 2011.)

29. TASK
1) Discuss two local traditional/herbal remedies/treatments
for a local illness in your home area.
2) Explain why they are helpful or harmful. You may use
local names for the traditional medicines.
3) Why would be research centers be interested in studying
herbal medicines?
4) Are there other traditional healing methods?