An Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants used in the Management of Dermatological Disorders in Buyende and Kayunga Districts, Uganda

Abstract

This study was done to document medicinal plants used in the management of dermatological disorders. Documentation of plants is important for conservation especially of rare and endangered plant species. The study was done in Buyende and Kayunga districts in Uganda, between April and July 2017. Data was obtained using semi-structured questionnaires and group discussions, performed on 63 respondents (33 females; 30 males) who were purposively selected because of their expertise in plant use. The study recorded 111 plant species that belong to 46 plant families for treatment of 30 skin disorders. The dominant life form was herb (41%), while leaves were the most used parts (59 %). Majority of plants (72%) were harvested from their natural habitats. Family Fabaceae contributed the highest number of species (20). Milicia excelsa was recorded to be threatened with extinction. The most cited diseases were skin rash (14%), wounds (12%), syphilis (9%), allergy (9%) and ring worm (7%). The plant species with high percent respondent knowledge were Hoslundia opposita, cited by 83% of the people; Bidens pilosa (76%) and Jatropha carcus (56%) all for treating wounds. Topical application (90%) was the common mode of administering herbal remedies, while decoction was least used to prepare remedies. Plants are important in the management of dermatological disorders by local communities in the study areas. The diversity of medicinal plant species used in these areas is based on the rich traditional knowledge of the local communities. There is need to domesticate the rare and threatened medicinal plant species to avoid extinction. Plant species with high percent respondent knowledge can be considered for further studies to identify key active compounds important to develop natural based skin care products.