Ethnomedicinal Knowledge of Plant Species Used for Healing Children with 'Evil Eye' Illnesses in Kemera, Nyamira County, Kenya

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance. Belief in evil eye illnesses is widespread across various cultures. Though both the illnesses and their treatments can involve harm to persons and property, they been given little mainstream attention, and the interventional approaches rely on traditional medicine practices which are largely devoid of scientific evidence. Objective. The objective of the study was to identify and document the medicinal plant species used to manage evil eye illnesses in Kemera. Materials and methods. A cross-sectional survey was used in the study using a questionnaire to collect data from twenty four key informants who consented to participate in the study. Results. Eighteen plant species were identified for the treatment of various "evil eye" illnesses in Kemera, Manga Subcounty, Nyamira County. The Solanaceae family contained the majority of the plants (17%), followed by the Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, and Rubiaceae families, which together accounted for 11% of the plants used. The most commonly used part of the plants was the leaf (69%), and indigenous plants made up 78% of the total collection. Of the recorded plants, 56% were prepared in either ash form (35%) or as poultices (30%), with the ash preparations taken orally and the poul tices applied to the skin. Popular plant species included Fuerstia africana, Iresine herbastii, Rubia cordifolia, Bryophyllum pinnatum, Clematis brachiata, Micromelia imbricata, and Clutia abyssinica. Conclusions. The Abagusii people of Kemera utilize implicit sociocultural practices, skills, and knowledge to address the symptoms of "evil eye" illnesses and restore health. Given that the concept of the evil eye dates back to antiquity and is present across various cultural groups, it is crucial to allocate resources towards research that can provide scientific data to validate the complementary medicine practices used to manage these illnesses.