Macroscopic Evaluation and Clarification of Popular Medicinal Plants in Kabarole, Fort Portal, Uganda

Abstract

Kabarole, Fort portal and adjacent villages has diversity of medicinal plants due to its location in the tropical regions that favours growth of various plant and herbal species from which its people access lots of herbs to treat ailments and many more indigenous diseases that affect the tropics, systematic documentation of these plants aids in preserving the indigenous knowledge used in new drug discovery geared towards health promotion and disease prevention. Macroscopic assessment refers to the visual and tactile examination of plant materials without a microscope. It helps identify and authenticate medicinal plants based on their colour, texture, size, shape, odour, and taste. Macroscopic Assessment is Important because it’s a quick and cost-effective method of initial quality control, helps in field identification, Essential for pharmacognostic evaluation and also prevents adulteration in herbal drugs. Whereas Clarification involves: Ensuring purity; free from adulterants or contaminants. Methods: A survey was conducted in the western district of Kabarole, Fort portal and adjacent villages of Rwengoma, Mugoma, kagote, Mpanga, kyanbukonkoni, Mugusu, kasusu, Nyakasura using semi structured questionnaires, physical assessment to identify colour, texture and shape of many medicinal plants, oral recordings asking old native individuals practising herbal medicines. Results: A variety of medicinal plant species were documented and the most used was Vernonia amygdalina (Mubirisi) treating many ailments and diseases, Bidens pilosa (Esaaka), Warburgia ugandanesis (omubwananzini), Erythrina abyssinica (Omuko), Acanthus pubescens (ekitojo), Mondia whitei (Emirondwa). The main plant parts used are leaves, barks, roots that are boiled or chewed and administered topically or orally. Family of Asteraceae provided most medicinal plant species. Conclusion: Most of the herbal medicine used is readily available and easily accessible to the low-income communities due to the diverse plant species and is the most sought-after form of medication despite the presence of modern biomedicines supply.