Medicinal plants of Luhya Community

A study was done to assess utilization of medicinal plants in Mwamba sub-location situated in Lugari division in Lugari sub-county kakamega county. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered and informal discussions conducted to traditional healers and midwives. The respondents were selected from Mugunga, Majengo, Mwamba, Bandari, Mukuyu, Bondeni, Lukusi, Luanda, Forestal and Makindu villages. Within the villages random sampling was used to determine the number of respondents to be interviewed. The study found that plant medicines utilized in the area can be categorized into groups for treating convulsion, pain killers, rituals and casting evil spirits, treating gastrointestinal diseases, relieving respiratory complications, and treating skin eruptions. Many medicinal plants are collected from the forests (38%) and farms (20%). The community perceives modern medical system far advanced in comparison with traditional healing system. Both systems however, are useful in their sights. The study also revealed that in most medicinal plants, leaves, barks and roots are used as medicines (62%), followed by barks (14%), then roots (8%).