Traditional treatment of malaria in Mbarara District, western Uganda

An ethnobotanical survey on traditional treatment of malaria was carried out in Mbarara District, western Uganda, a malaria-endemic area. From this study, traditional healers understood malaria symptoms. Malaria was reported to be the most common condition treated by traditional healers in this area. Plants were the single most important source of natural products used for malaria treatment. Most of the plants used in malaria treatment belong to the family Asteraceae. The most commonly used plant parts were the leaves. Water was the most common solvent and the oral route was the most commonly used. From this study there are a number of plants in Mbarara district that can be used as sources of herbal remedies for malaria. A number of these plants can be incorporated in the national primary healthcare package after scientific studies on safety and efficacy are done.