Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used in management of COVID-19 in Dar es Salaam and Morogoro Regions, Tanzania

Abstract

Background: The increase in drug resistance has resulted in significant health challenges in managing respiratory tract infections, including the COVID-19 pandemic, which has made people rely on medicinal plants (MPs) for its management. This study aimed to document MPs used for the management of COVID-19 during the disease outbreak in Tanzania. Methods: The study was carried out in Dar es Salaam and Morogoro regions. A semi-structured interview and field observations were used to gather information from 120 informants. The study focused on plant parts used, preparation, administration and sources of MPs. Descriptions and inferential statistics were performed for data analysis. Results: Twenty-one MPs belonging to 12 families and 16 genera were documented. Out of these recorded MPs only five were native species and the remaining 16 were exotic. The most cited plant species were Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Zingiberaceae), Allium sativum L. (Amaryllidaceae), Citrus x aurantiifolia (Christm.) Swingle (Rutaceae), Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf (Poaceae), and Eucalyptus globulus Labill. (Myrtaceae) each with relative frequency of citation of one. The families with higher number of MPs were Lamiaceae (28.6%) and Myrtaceae (14.3%). Herb (47.6%) and leaves (57.1%) were the most utilized growth form and plant part, respectively. Decoction (76.0%) and oral (73.0%) were the most used method of preparing and administering the remedies, respectively. Market (38.0%) was the most common source of MPs in both study areas. Traditional knowledge was mainly acquired from family members (75.8%). Conclusion: The findings indicate both regions had a reasonable number of MPs used to manage COVID-19. The effectiveness of MPs should be validated further through research on phytochemistry, toxicity and clinical evaluation.