Review Article
Year: 2020 | Month: October-December | Volume: 5 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 292-298
Herbal Remedies for Cancer by Various Indigenous Kenyan Communities: A Review of Ethnobotanical Surveys and Anticancer Studies
Jaleny Ochieng Paul
Faculty of Biological and Physical Sciences, Tom Mboya University College
ABSTRACT
From the dawn of ancient medicine, chemical compounds derived from plants have been used to treat human diseases. Therefore, different communities throughout the world have specialized and knowledge on the use of medicinal plants for various diseases. Today, the use of herbal medicine is increasingly finding more relevance, especially with the recognition of more challenges in the treatment of medical conditions such as cancer which is a life threatening disease characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of malignant cells. Therefore, plants products have become more popular for their potential as novel anti-cancer agents. Ethnobotanical studies in Kenya indicate that herbal medicine is increasingly getting acceptance among the various Kenyan communities and many have some form of herbal anti- cancer remedies. Therefore, it is prudent that this information be compiled together and documented for future reference and research. The main objective of this work is to review medicinal plants used as herbal remedies for cancer in Kenya by various Kenyan communities, local name by the community using it, method of preparation and administration. The method adopted in this research involved the analysis of the available literature on herbal medicine practice among the various communities of Kenya. The review reported 55 species springing from 36 families as being used by various Kenyan communities for treatment of cancer. Fabaceae has the highest number of species (7) followed by Asteraceae. This information was then compared with those in other countries in order to establish the existing inadequacies.
Keywords: Cancer, Anticancer activity; Medicinal plants, herbs; Ethnobotanical.