Nanyingi et al 2010. Aspects of African Biodiversity, ISBN:1847559484, 9781847559487
ABSTRACT
Malaria is one of the most prevalent diseases in the world and a major public health problem, affecting 40% of the world population. It infects about half a billion people causing about 3 million deaths a year with 90 % of them being in sub-Saharan Africa.1,2 In Kenya, malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, accounting for 30-50% of all outpatient attendance and 20% of all admissions to health facilities.
Kenya has revised its treatment policy by adopting artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) as the first line drugs for treatment of uncomplicated malaria. Spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of Plasmodium and the adverse side effects of the existing antimalarial drugs have necessitated the search for novel, well tolerated and more efficient antimalarial drugs.3 Indigenous plants are important sources of biologically active compounds and have potential for the development of novel antimalarial drugs.
Drug-resistant strains of P. falciparum are endemic in many areas of the world and the majority of conventional antimalarial drugs have been associated with treatment failure. These developments and the difficulty of creating efficient vaccines, coupled with adverse reactions to chemotherapy, underline the urgent need for novel, cheap, safe and efficacious antimalarial drugs.8 It is estimated that 80% of people worldwide use herbal remedies, due to limited access to modern medicine because of low income and the shortage of efficient health care facilities.9 There is a dearth of evidence on the efficacy and safety of these remedies, despite the fact that validation of traditional practices could lead to innovative strategies in malaria control.
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