Medicinal plants in JKUAT, their phytochemistry & pharmacological activity

Abstract

Medicinal plants in Kenya and Africa have withstood the test of time and the rapid advancements brought about by western medicine. Traditional medicine practices are based mostly on herbal plants used for centuries and passed on to the successive generations. The knowledge of their active compounds is vital for the scientific community in the optimization of the herbal medicine. The study aims to perform a literature review on some of the common medicinal plants, which have been used to treat a variety of diseases and their phytochemical compositions. The study was done at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Main Campus, Juja from 2023 to 2024. Relevant data used was collected from publications, books, newsletters and research journals. The literature review comprised of data for 11 medicinal plants, including their physical characteristics and appearances, habitats, geographical distributions, methods of preparation, pharmacological actions and the phytochemical properties. Images of the respective plants were taken on site, the species determined using google images webpage and the classification verified with ‘Plant of the World Online’ and ‘The Plant List’ websites. From the study, 11 plants were identified and their phytochemical properties determined. Most of the plant species were found to contain alkaloids, flavonoids, Tannins, saponins and glycosides. Most species were documented to have antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiseptic, and anti-rheumatic actions. Their preferred mode of administration was orally, using prepared decoctions of the leaves, roots or barks. The literature review outlines the documented knowledge of medicinal plants used for the treatment of various diseases and complications. Analysis of the data reveals the need to preserve medicinal plants for their use in traditional medicine and current advancements in medicine. However, there is need to perform further experimental studies on individual species to ascertain their value and potential for drug developments.