Ethnobotanical survey and phytochemistry of medicinal plants used in the management of HIV/AIDS in Eastern Uganda
Richard Oriko Owor,
Carol Kawuma,
Gauden Nantale,
Kenedy Kiyimba,
Samuel Baker Obakiro,
Simple Ouma,
Jalia Lulenzi,
Yahaya Gavamukulya,
Mercy Chebijira,
Tonny Wotoyitide Lukwago,
Moses Egor,
Peter Musagala,
Moses Andima,
Dan Kibuule,
Paul Waako,
Joseph Hokello
Affiliations
Richard Oriko Owor
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Education, Busitema University, P.O Box 236, Tororo, Uganda; Busitema University Natural Products Research and Innovation Centre, P. O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda
Carol Kawuma
Busitema University Natural Products Research and Innovation Centre, P. O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda; Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Education, Busitema University, P.O. Box 236, Tororo, Uganda
Gauden Nantale
Busitema University Natural Products Research and Innovation Centre, P. O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda; Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Education, Busitema University, P.O. Box 236, Tororo, Uganda
Kenedy Kiyimba
Busitema University Natural Products Research and Innovation Centre, P. O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Busitema University, P.O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda
Samuel Baker Obakiro
Busitema University Natural Products Research and Innovation Centre, P. O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Busitema University, P.O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda
Simple Ouma
The AIDS Support Organization (TASO), P.O Box 10443, Kampala, Uganda
Jalia Lulenzi
Busitema University Natural Products Research and Innovation Centre, P. O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda; Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Busitema University, P.O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda
Yahaya Gavamukulya
Busitema University Natural Products Research and Innovation Centre, P. O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Busitema University P.O Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda
Mercy Chebijira
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Education, Busitema University, P.O Box 236, Tororo, Uganda; Busitema University Natural Products Research and Innovation Centre, P. O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda
Tonny Wotoyitide Lukwago
Busitema University Natural Products Research and Innovation Centre, P. O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Busitema University, P.O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda
Moses Egor
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Education, Busitema University, P.O Box 236, Tororo, Uganda
Peter Musagala
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Education, Busitema University, P.O Box 236, Tororo, Uganda
Moses Andima
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Education, Busitema University, P.O Box 236, Tororo, Uganda; Busitema University Natural Products Research and Innovation Centre, P. O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda
Dan Kibuule
Busitema University Natural Products Research and Innovation Centre, P. O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Busitema University, P.O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda
Paul Waako
Busitema University Natural Products Research and Innovation Centre, P. O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Busitema University, P.O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda
Joseph Hokello
Busitema University Natural Products Research and Innovation Centre, P. O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda; Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Education, Busitema University, P.O. Box 236, Tororo, Uganda; Corresponding author. Busitema University Natural Products Research and Innovation Centre, P. O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda.
Currently, highly active antiretroviral therapy is unable to cure HIV/AIDS because of HIV latency. This study aimed at documenting medicinal plants used in the management of HIV/AIDS in Eastern Uganda so as to identify phytochemicals with HIV latency reversing potential. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted across eight districts in Eastern Uganda. Traditional medicine practitioners were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical tests were respectively, performed to determine the presence and quantity of phytochemicals in frequently mentioned plant species. Data were analysed and presented using descriptive statistics and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF). Twenty-one plant species from fourteen plant families were reported to be used in the management of HIV/AIDS. Six plant species with the highest frequency of mention were: Zanthoxylum chalybeum, Gymnosporia senegalensis, Warbugia ugandensis, Leonatis nepetifolia, Croton macrostachyus and Rhoicissus tridentata. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of all the six most frequently mentioned plant species revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, alkaloids and phenolics. Quantitative analysis revealed the highest content of flavonoids in L. nepetifolia (20.4 mg/g of dry extract) while the lowest content was determined in C. macrostachyus (7.1 mg/g of dry extract). On the other hand, the highest content of tannins was observed in L. nepetifolia. (199.9 mg/g of dry extract) while the lowest content was found in R. tridentata. (42.6 mg/g of dry extract). Medicinal plants used by traditional medicine practitioners in Eastern Uganda to manage HIV/AIDS are rich in phytochemicals including flavonoids and tannins. Further studies to evaluate the HIV-1 latency reversing ability of these phytochemicals are recommended to discover novel molecules against HIV/AIDS.
