Traditional medicine trade and uses in the surveyed medicine markets of Western Kenya

Abstract

Background: There exist vast traditional medicine and herbal remedies prescribed for diseases and socio-cultural ills that are sold in local medicine markets. Objectives: To assess the common traditional medicine traded in the local medicine markets and used for treating common diseases. Methods: The study was carried out in nine purposively selected medicine markets spread out in seven administrative counties of Western Kenya. Purposive sampling with elements of snow ball method was employed in the identification of willing respon-dents. In addition, face to face interviews were conducted with the aid of a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire that sought to extract a targeted and expertise information from the respondents. Results: The survey recorded 45 commonly traded plant families composed of 78 genera and 87 medicinal plant species. Meli-aceae, Apocynaceae and Fabaceae were leading plant families whereas Trichilia emetica, Azadirachta indica, Dregea schimperi and Aloe spp. were commonly traded. Conclusion: Traditional medicine traded in the local medicine markets continue to play a significant role in the treatment of common diseases. Frequently traded medicinal plant species should be prioritized for conservation.