Ethno-medicinal knowledge and plants traditionally used to treat anemia in Tanzania: A cross sectional survey Emanuel L. Peter a,d,n , Susan F. Rumisha b , Kijakazi O. Mashoto c , Hamisi M. Malebo d Q1 a Health system and Policy Research, National Institute for Medical Research, Ocean Road, P.O. BOX 9653, 2448 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania b Disease Surveillance and GIS, National Institute for Medical Research, Ocean Road, P.O. BOX 9653, 2448 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania c Health Policy and Advocacy, National Institute for Medical Research, Ocean Road, P.O. BOX 9653, 2448 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania d Department of Traditional Medicine Research, National Institute for Medical Research, P.O. Box 9653, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania article info Article history: Received 21 February 2014 Received in revised form 29 April 2014 Accepted 2 May 2014 Keywords: Ethnomedical Indigenous knowledge Medicinal plants Anemia Tanzania abstract Background: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Indigenous communities have often served as rich repo- sitories of empirical knowledge on medicinal plants used for anemia. Use of these plants need to be validated with respect to their efficacy and safety so as to provide scientific basis of their use. Q12 Quantifying presence of medicinal plants used for anemia treatment, validating indigenous knowledge and extent of its use in rural Mkuranga district, Tanzania. Methods: A cross sectional study conducted in May and December 2013 at Mkuranga District of Coastal region of Tanzania. Forty key informants including traditional healers, religious leaders, community members and healthcare workers were interviewed using semi structured questionnaire. Eight focus group discussions were also conducted. Both interviews and focus group discussion gathered data on socio-demographics, general knowledge of anemia and plants used to correct anemia. In a brief field visit, all plants mentioned during the interview were collected and later identified. Both NVivo 10 and STATA softwares were employed for statistical analysis. Results: Out of 40 participants, 31 were traditional healers, majority were male (77.4%). Mean age of the participants was 55.7 715 years. About 45% had no any formal education and majority (80%) were married. Twenty eight plant species are used to treat anemia. Hibiscus sabdariffa was the most mentioned species. The species belongs to 24 families, with Euphorbiaceae (14.3%) having the largest number. Lawsonia inermis, Aloe sp, Uvaria acuminata, Parinari curatellifolia, Ozoroa reticulata, Manihot esculenta, Canthium sp and Afzelia quanzensis were the plant species in which their claimed use for anemia were novel. Conclusions: People in rural areas of Mkuranga district possess a rich traditional knowledge of medicinal plants species for anemia treatment. Researches on these plants showed promising anti-anemic activity. Analysis and documentation of this knowledge has not only helped the analysis and recognition of novel information, it also contributed to conserving it for future generations. & 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction The oldest recorded uses of medicinal plants in the treatment of human ailments and maintenance of health are found in the Sumerian clay slab from Nagpur, approximately 5000 years old, the Babylon circa 1770 B.C in the Code of Hammurabi and in ancient Egypt circa 1550 B.C (Petrovska, 2012). Much of the world's populations, especially in developing countries depend much on medicinal plants for primary health care requirements. Indigenous people have been the custodians of traditional knowledge passed down from one generation to another on plant species used for different purposes such as medicine, pesticides, food, beverages, dyes, fragrances, resins, gums, arrow poisons and other purposes (Petrovska, 2012). Such ethno-medical knowledge in indigenous communities is on threat of disappearing. The threat is especially acute in cultures where information is passed orally rather than written and is exacerbated by modernization. Anemia, one of the oldest, most common and widespread blood disorder, is a public health problem in both developing and developed countries (WHO, 2008; Domínguez-Rodrigo et al., 2012). Globally, there are approximately 1.62 billion people having some form of anemia. Africa has disproportionately higher pro- portion of individuals affected by anemia, with prevalence of 67.6% in 2005 (WHO, 2008). Although anemia affects all individuals at all stages of life cycle, preschool children and women of reproductive 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jep Journal of Ethnopharmacology http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2014.05.002 0378-8741/& 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. n Corresponding Q4 author at: Health system and Policy Research, National Institute for Medical Research, 2448, Ocean Road, P.O. BOX 9653, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Tel.: þ255 764932508; fax: þ255 2121360. E-mail address: lordiswithus5@gmail.com (E.L. Peter). Please cite this article as: Peter, E.L., et al., Ethno-medicinal knowledge and plants traditionally used to treat anemia in Tanzania: A cross sectional survey. Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2014.05.002i Journal of Ethnopharmacology ∎ (∎∎∎∎) ∎∎∎–∎∎∎