Traditional Medicinal vegetables in Northern Uganda. An ethnobotanical survey.

Abstract Background A wide range of indigenous vegetables grow in Uganda especially during rainy seasons but scarcely during droughts, except those that are commercially grown. Although a number of these vegetables have medicinal values, they have not been satisfactorily studied besides conservation. Therefore, we conducted an ethnobotanical cross-sectional survey in Northern Uganda in order to document traditional vegetables and their medicinal values. Methods An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in Northern Uganda using both qualitative and quantitative data collection approaches to data collection and analysis. Data was collected using semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaires following international ethical codes and key informant interviews using well developed key informant guides. A total of 244 individuals participated in the study. Results The study documented forty five (45) traditional vegetables in Northern Uganda, out of which fifteen (15) also served as folk medicine. These included: Amalakwang ( Hibiscus sabdariffa ), Akeo ( Gynandropsis gynandra ), Alaju ( Asystasia gangetica ), Otigo ( Corchorus spp.), Ocwica ( Cucubita maxima ), and Bojo ( Vigna unguiculata ) among others. The disease conditions managed using traditional vegetables in the study area included: gastrointestinal, reproductive, musculoskeletal complications as well as non-communicable diseases. Conclusion Northern Uganda has numerous traditional vegetables with medicinal benefits such as gastrointestinal, reproductive and musculoskeletal abnormalities. The community obtains vegetable leaves from the backyard and stews them for the medicinal purposes. However, there was no specific dosage administered. Therefore, we recommend studies to standardize the dosages and verify in laboratory models the efficacy of these vegetables.