Malaria-Treating Herbs Face Extinction

Walter Menya

21 April 2011

Nairobi — Plants that have long been relied on for the treatment of malaria are at risk of extinction.

According to research released in anticipation of World Malaria Day on April 25, plants that have treated malaria symptoms in East African communities for hundreds of years could be lost forever.

One such plant, which is critically endangered in Kenya and threatened in other regions, is Zanthoxylum chalybeum, commonly known as “knobwood”.

This is according to a new book by researchers at the World Agroforestry Centre (Icraf) and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) titled: Common Antimalarial Trees and Shrubs of East Africa.

The book provides a detailed assessment of 22 of the region’s malaria-fighting herbs, trees and shrubs.

Knobwood grows in dry woodlands or grasslands of eastern and southern Africa.

Extracts from leaves, bark or roots are used to effectively treat malarial fever in many communities. Other uses of the plant include infusing tea with the leaves and making toothbrushes.

John-Michael Maas/GlaxoSmithKline

Microbiology lab at the KEMRI-WRAIR trial site by The PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative.

The African wild olive (Olea europaea Africana), also threatened in East Africa due to over-exploitation for timber, is used to treat malarial and other fevers.

The plant also acts as a natural laxative to expel parasites such as tapeworms.

“We’ve only scratched the surface on the potential value of these plants.

“Although widely used by farmers and people in rural communities, most of this information has never been collected in a comprehensive way by researchers,” said Dr Geoffrey Rukunga, the director of Kemri’s Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research and one of the book’s co-authors.

The species in the book were identified by both traditional medicinal practitioners and scientists as bearing the potential for further study among over a thousand others that are considered effective in the prevention or treatment of malaria symptoms.

The field data was gathered by Icraf scientists conducting research across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

The scientists met about 180 herbalists and 100 malaria patients in 30 communities.

Kemri supplied the information about each plant’s chemical make-up.

Malaria is a significant problem in the region, with millions of cases reported every year.

At the same time, access to modern treatment is limited.

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