Browsing by Author "Odyek, Olwa"

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    Medicinal plants used in the treatment of fungal and bacterial infections in and around Queen Elizabeth Biosphere Reserve, western Uganda
    (Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2008) Kamatenesi-Mugisha, Maud; Oryem-Origa, Hannington; Odyek, Olwa; Makawiti, Dominic W.
    In Uganda, bacterial and fungal infections are prevalent especially, the sexually transmitted diseases including HIV⁄AIDS. Because of low socio-economic empowerment,traditional beliefs and cultural barriers, the suffering people resort to use of herbal remedies in search of cure especially for rural women who rarely discuss ⁄ disclose diseases affecting secretive body parts. The study documented 67 medicinal plants distributed among 27 families and 51 genera used to treat fungal and bacterial infections in and around Queen Elizabeth Biosphere Reserve in western Uganda. The highest numbers of species were from Families Lamiaceae (13) and Asteraceae (11). The most commonly harvested plant parts were leaves (88.1%) and roots (23.9%). The most common growth form harvested were herbs (47.8%) and most of the medicinal plants used were wild species (67.2%). The main methods of herbal drug preparation were by squeezing, boiling and pounding and were mainly orally administered. However, most of the steamed plant species were inserted in the birth canal besides oral administration. Some plants such as Allium sativum, Aloe vera and Ocimum gratissimum are topically applied on the affected body parts. This vital indigenous knowledge about healing secretive and discrete diseases among the marginalized population requires urgent ethnobotanical studies to sustain livelihoods.
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    The oxytocic properties of Luffa cylindrica (L.) M. Roem. and Bidens pilosa L., traditionally used medicinal plants from western Uganda
    (African Journal of Ecology, 2007) Kamatenesi Mugisha, Maud; Makawiti, Dominic W; Oryem-Origa, Hannington; Odyek, Olwa; Nganga, Joseph
    The usage of medicinal plants in childbirth in Uganda is a long standing tradition. Over 80% of Ugandan women have childbirth at home and herbal remedies are administered to complete the process of childbirth. The herbs are administered to hasten the labour process (oxytocics), expulsion of retained placenta and control postpartum bleeding. This indigenous knowledge in herbal medicines used during childbirth is not well documented and scientifically Validated. The ethnobotanical study was conducted between 2000 and 2003 in Bushenyi and Kasese districts in western Uganda. The aim of this study was to validate the claimed uses of Bidens pilosa L. and Luffa cylindrical (L). M.J. Roem. In inducing labour during childbirths in western Uganda. The in vitro experiments using the rat uterus showed that the aqueous leafy extracts of B. pilosa and L. cylindrica increased rat uterine motility suggesting that they are oxytocics. The aqueous leafy extract of B. pilosa in vitro experiment using the rabbit jejunum Further indicated that the extract can cause contraction.The bioactivity of B. pilosa and L. cylindrica is a pointer to the therapeutic uses of herbal remedies in childbirth.Key words: childbirths, medicinal plants, uterine motility