# Ethnobotanical Study of Plants Used in the Management of HIV/AIDS-Related Diseases in Livingstone, Southern Province, Zambia

Authors: Kazhila C. Chinsembu
Journal: Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
 (2016)

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## Abstract

Faced with critical shortages of staff, long queues, and stigma at public health facilities in Livingstone, Zambia, persons who suffer from HIV/AIDS-related diseases use medicinal plants to manage skin infections, diarrhoea, sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis, cough, malaria, and oral infections. In all, 94 medicinal plant species were used to manage HIV/AIDS-related diseases. Most remedies are prepared from plants of various families such as Combretaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, and Lamiaceae. More than two-thirds of the plants (mostly leaves and roots) are utilized to treat two or more diseases related to HIV infection. Eighteen plants, namely,Achyranthes aspera L.,Lannea discolor (Sond.) Engl.,Hyphaene petersiana Klotzsch ex Mart.,Asparagus racemosus Willd.,Capparis tomentosa Lam.,Cleome hirta Oliv.,Garcinia livingstonei T. Anderson,Euclea divinorum Hiern,Bridelia cathartica G. Bertol.,Acacia nilotica Delile,Piliostigma thonningii (Schumach.) Milne-Redh.,Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight and Arn.,Abrus precatorius L.,Hoslundia opposita Vahl.,Clerodendrum capitatum (Willd.) Schumach.,Ficus sycomorus L.,Ximenia americana L., andZiziphus mucronata Willd., were used to treat four or more disease conditions. About 31% of the plants in this study were administered as monotherapies. Multiuse medicinal plants may contain broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents. However, since widely used plants easily succumb to the threats of overharvesting, they need special protocols and guidelines for their genetic conservation. There is still need to confirm the antimicrobial efficacies, pharmacological parameters, cytotoxicity, and active chemical ingredients of the discovered plants.


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## Body

## 1. Introduction

Livingstone has the highest human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence level in Zambia. Although the average HIV prevalence rate in Zambia is about 13%, the HIV infection rate in Livingstone is about 25.3%, significantly higher than the national average [1]. During the period 1994–2002, Livingstone’s HIV prevalence was stable at around 30% [2]. Located in Southern Province, Livingstone is the tourist capital of Zambia, home to the famous Victoria Falls. Therefore, many socioeconomic factors conspire to fuel the town’s growing HIV epidemic. Transactional sex is very common in Livingstone, attributable to local or foreign tourists and high levels of poverty; receiving money or gifts for sex is the only means for vulnerable women to financially secure themselves and their families because other sources of income are not sufficient [3].According to Byron et al. [4], women combine sex with the sale of material products to earn higher profits when they go to the market in town and end up contracting HIV. At 3.1%, women in Livingstone had the highest prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Zambia [1]. Migrant labourers, especially sugar cane cutters from Mazabuka (Zambian town with the second highest HIV prevalence at 18.4%), are often blamed for being high-risk transmitters of HIV. In several sites in Livingstone, there are designated venues where people meet new sexual partners [2]. These sexual venues are linked to high partner turnover and due to major challenges in on-site condom availability, unprotected sex is common among guests [2]. Livingstone also has low rates of male circumcision at 11% [1].In Livingstone, studies have reported sexual behaviours with a high potential for HIV transmission, yet there are few signs of HIV preventive interventions [3]. Despite the rollout of antiretroviral therapy (ART), Cataldo and others [5] stated that Zambian HIV-infected persons still seek treatment from traditional healers. Thus, although some western trained health care providers remain suspicious of traditional healers, most agree that traditional healers play an important and complementary role in the provision of effective HIV prevention or treatment [6]. Kaboru [7] also found that many biomedical health practitioners believe that Zambian traditional healers can help control HIV/AIDS.Undoubtedly, several patients seek herbal remedies for conditions related to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) before seeking care at health centres [8]. This is because there are many deficiencies in the provision of biomedical services for STIs and HIV/AIDS in Zambia [7]. Unlike hospital staff with poor attitudes, traditional healers are also kinder and more compassionate to patients [7]. According to Ndulo et al. [9], traditional healers attend to patients with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), in both rural and urban areas; therefore, efforts should be made to promote cooperation between traditional and biomedical health care providers, so that treatment of patients and their partners could be improved. Traditional management that concurs with biomedical practices could thus be a starting point for discussion and cooperation.Moreover, traditional healers have good knowledge of STIs [9]. Most of them use herbal preparations in the form of roots or powders administered orally to induce diarrhoea, vomiting, and diuresis. Traditional healers also correctly cite symptoms associated with STIs such as urethral or vaginal discharge. Therefore, Makasa et al. [10] observed that about 15% of patients with genital ulcer disease seek treatment from traditional healers. Although the use of traditional medicine is associated with nonadherence to ART, health care providers at hospitals should open lines of communication with traditional healers [11]. Makasa et al. [10] also noted the need to increase awareness among traditional healers that handle patients presenting with STIs and to refer certain cases to health facilities, especially when patients do not respond to traditional medicines.Traditional healers far outnumber modern health care providers in Zambia where the Traditional Health Practitioners Association has over 40,000 members compared to a paltry 1,000 conventional medical doctors that are practicing nationwide [11]. There were 1,390 medical doctors practicing in Zambia; the doctor to population ratio was 1 to 17,589 instead of the World Health Organization recommended ration of 1 to 5,000 [12]. At the entrance of Zambia’s University Teaching Hospital (UTH), a signpost reads “kindly take note that members of staff at UTH work under very critical shortage of manpower,” a stark reminder of the dearth of health staff and severe crisis facing the country. Given the glaring personnel shortages in many public health care facilities [13], involvement of traditional healers in the management of HIV/AIDS opportunistic diseases is a ubiquitous narrative.Zambia is among the Sub-Saharan African countries with the most acute shortages of trained personnel in the health sector [14]. Predictably, use of traditional medicines was reported among 75% of inpatients at the UTH and among 68% of those seeking services for HIV counselling and testing [11]. Studies have shown that individuals that use traditional medicines are also associated with alcohol, have two or more sexual partners, engage in dry sex, and harbour STIs. Corollary, identification of persons who access traditional medicines may be an important target population for HIV prevention because many HIV risky behaviours are common among clients of traditional healers [11].Besides, traditional healers are still consulted because they are deemed to provide client-centred and personalised health care that is customized to the needs and expectations of patients, paying special respect to social and spiritual matters [15]. Indeed, whilst the majority of HIV/AIDS patients that need treatment can access ART from local hospitals and health centres, several constraints of the ART programme compel many HIV-infected people to use traditional medicines to manage HIV/AIDS-related conditions [16]. Others use ethnomedicinal plants to offset side effects from ART [17]. The use of medicinal plants in Livingstone is also part of the medical pluralism whereby the introduction of allopathic medicines has not really dampened beliefs in indigenous diagnosis and therapeutic systems [18].Even though there are some anecdotal reports regarding the traditional uses of ethnomedicinal plants to manage various diseases in Livingstone, knowledge on specific plant species used to manage HIV/AIDS-related diseases is still scanty and not well recorded. This paper is an inaugural and modest report on medicinal plants used in the management of HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections in Livingstone, Southern Province, Zambia. Documentation of putative anti-HIV plant species may help preserve this critical tacit indigenous knowledge resource. Plus, indigenous knowledge, coupled with a history of safe use and ethnopharmacological efficacy of medicinal flora, also presents a faster approach to discover new chemical compounds that may be developed into novel antiretroviral drugs.


## 2. Materials and Methods

### 2.1. Study Area

The study was carried out in Chibelenga, Burton, Dambwa, Hillcrest, Libuyu, Linda, Malota, Maramba, Ngwenya, and Zakeyo; these form the urban and rural settlements of Livingstone, provincial headquarters of Southern Province until 2012 (Figure1). The geographical coordinates of Livingstone are 17°51′0′′ south, 25°52′0′′ east. The town is situated about 981 metres above sea level near the Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River close to the Zimbabwean border. Situated in agroecological region I, Livingstone has a humid subtropical climate. Its average annual rainfall is about 690–740 mm. The mean maximum temperature is high, 35°C in October, and the mean minimum temperature is low, 7°C in June. Recorded high (41.1°C) and low (−3.7°C) temperatures in November and June, respectively, have been documented. Rainy season occurs between November and March when it is wet, hot, and humid.Figure 1
(a) Map of Zambia showing the location of Livingstone. (b) Townships in Livingstone town.
(a)
(b)According to the Holdridge life zones system of bioclimatic classification, Livingstone is situated in or near the subtropical dry forest biome. The terrain in Livingstone is well vegetated with over 1,000 plant species represented by riparian forests and woodlands, Kalahari woodlands,Colophospermum mopane (J. Kirk ex Benth.) J. Léonard woodlands, and deciduous woodlands mostly consisting ofBrachystegia glaucescens Hutch. and Burtt Davy and the tall mahoganyEntandrophragma caudatumSprague. The vegetation is quite similar to that in adjoining Sesheke District as reported by Chinsembu [18] except for a few dominant plant species.Between 1907 and 1935, Livingstone was the capital city of Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia. The town is named after David Livingstone who in 1840 as a young Scottish doctor and ordained minister sailed from Britain to the Cape to work as a medical evangelist with the London Missionary Society. In 1855, Dr. David Livingstone became the first European to see the Victoria Falls when he was taken there by Sekeletu, chief of the Subiya/Kololo people. Although contemporary life is a blend of values and traditions of more than 70 of Zambia’s ethnically diverse people, the main tribes in Livingstone are the Tonga/Tokaleya and Lozi; many of them live in townships such as Maramba. Archaeological artifacts suggest the existence of the Tonga for at least 900 years in southern Zambia’s Zambezi Valley. The Lozi migrated into Western Zambia from the Luba/Lunda Kingdom of Mwata Yamvwa in Zaire, present day Democratic Republic of the Congo.After Zambia’s independence in 1964, President Kenneth Kaunda’s government built motor vehicle and radio assembly plants in Livingstone, attracting migrant workers. These manufacturing industries closed soon after President Frederick Chiluba became president of Zambia in 1991. In recent years, the town’s economic fortunes have dwindled except for a slight influx of investment in the tourism sector characterized by the opening of modern hotel chains like Sun International. Commercial sex work is common among women; many of them are from neighbouring Zimbabwe where the socioeconomic situation remains dire.


### 2.2. Ethnobotanical Data Collection

Ethnobotanical data were collected using methods similar to that of [17–19]. Briefly, snowball sampling was applied during ethnobotanical surveys of thirty knowledge holders including 10 traditional healers that use plants to treat HIV/AIDS-related diseases. Before conducting interviews, the aim of the study was clearly explained and knowledge holders were asked for their consent. Then the knowledge holders were individually engaged in semistructured interviews supplemented with questionnaires. During the conversations, data on respondent characteristics and information related to medicinal uses of plants for the management of HIV/AIDS-related diseases were captured. All interviews were conducted in local languages, Tonga/Tokaleya, and Lozi. Research assistants acted as Tonga/Tokaleya/Lozi to English translators.Data were collected during two stages consisting of primary and secondary samplings. The primary stage involved an exploratory and descriptive study of eight knowledge holders that manage HIV/AIDS-related infections. The focus of the exploratory study was to gain critical insights into the work of the knowledge holders, distil pertinent issues, and gauge whether a detailed ethnobotanical survey would be feasible. Knowledge holders were asked about the main symptoms of HIV/AIDS, their healing practices, and sources of ethnomedicinal knowledge. The following data in relation to the plants were also recorded: vernacular names (Tonga/Tokaleya/Lozi), plant habits, plant parts used, the HIV/AIDS-related conditions treated with the plants, and the modes of preparation and application of the plant remedies to the patient.The secondary sampling stage was a follow-up and detailed descriptive study of 22 knowledge holders who verified prior ethnobotanical data obtained from others during the exploratory inquiry. To allow for triangulation of ethnomedicinal use, only plants mentioned by at least three knowledge holders in the descriptive study (for each disease condition) were eligible for documentation [20]. On-the-spot identification of familiar plant species was done in the field. Voucher numbers for plants were assigned and specimens for plants were collected in herbarium plant presses for identification and confirmation. Botanical names were verified using the International Plant Name Index (IPNI).


### 2.3. Data Analysis

Quantitative analysis of ethnobotanical data was done by calculating percentage frequencies, familiarity indexF
i, and factor informant consensus (F
I
C). The F
i, a relative indicator of the familiarity of a plant species, is defined as the frequency a given plant species is mentioned as an ethnomedicine divided by the total number of knowledge holders interviewed in the study [21]. The F
i was calculated as follows:(1)
F
i
=
N
a
N
b
×
100
,where N
a is the number of informants that mention a species as a medicine and N
b is the total number of respondents.TheF
I
C was the number of use citations in each ailment category (N
u
r) minus the number of species used (N
t), divided by the number of use citations in each category minus one [22]: (2)
F
I
C
=
N
u
r
-
N
t
N
u
r
-
1
.
F
I
C values are low (near 0) if plants are chosen randomly or if informants do not exchange information about their use. Values are high (near 1) if there was a well-defined selection criterion among informants and/or if information was exchanged between informants. High F
I
C values are also obtained when only one or a few plant species are reportedly used by a high number of knowledge holders to treat a particular disease, and low F
I
C values imply that respondents disagree over which plant to use [23].


## 2.1. Study Area

The study was carried out in Chibelenga, Burton, Dambwa, Hillcrest, Libuyu, Linda, Malota, Maramba, Ngwenya, and Zakeyo; these form the urban and rural settlements of Livingstone, provincial headquarters of Southern Province until 2012 (Figure1). The geographical coordinates of Livingstone are 17°51′0′′ south, 25°52′0′′ east. The town is situated about 981 metres above sea level near the Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River close to the Zimbabwean border. Situated in agroecological region I, Livingstone has a humid subtropical climate. Its average annual rainfall is about 690–740 mm. The mean maximum temperature is high, 35°C in October, and the mean minimum temperature is low, 7°C in June. Recorded high (41.1°C) and low (−3.7°C) temperatures in November and June, respectively, have been documented. Rainy season occurs between November and March when it is wet, hot, and humid.Figure 1
(a) Map of Zambia showing the location of Livingstone. (b) Townships in Livingstone town.
(a)
(b)According to the Holdridge life zones system of bioclimatic classification, Livingstone is situated in or near the subtropical dry forest biome. The terrain in Livingstone is well vegetated with over 1,000 plant species represented by riparian forests and woodlands, Kalahari woodlands,Colophospermum mopane (J. Kirk ex Benth.) J. Léonard woodlands, and deciduous woodlands mostly consisting ofBrachystegia glaucescens Hutch. and Burtt Davy and the tall mahoganyEntandrophragma caudatumSprague. The vegetation is quite similar to that in adjoining Sesheke District as reported by Chinsembu [18] except for a few dominant plant species.Between 1907 and 1935, Livingstone was the capital city of Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia. The town is named after David Livingstone who in 1840 as a young Scottish doctor and ordained minister sailed from Britain to the Cape to work as a medical evangelist with the London Missionary Society. In 1855, Dr. David Livingstone became the first European to see the Victoria Falls when he was taken there by Sekeletu, chief of the Subiya/Kololo people. Although contemporary life is a blend of values and traditions of more than 70 of Zambia’s ethnically diverse people, the main tribes in Livingstone are the Tonga/Tokaleya and Lozi; many of them live in townships such as Maramba. Archaeological artifacts suggest the existence of the Tonga for at least 900 years in southern Zambia’s Zambezi Valley. The Lozi migrated into Western Zambia from the Luba/Lunda Kingdom of Mwata Yamvwa in Zaire, present day Democratic Republic of the Congo.After Zambia’s independence in 1964, President Kenneth Kaunda’s government built motor vehicle and radio assembly plants in Livingstone, attracting migrant workers. These manufacturing industries closed soon after President Frederick Chiluba became president of Zambia in 1991. In recent years, the town’s economic fortunes have dwindled except for a slight influx of investment in the tourism sector characterized by the opening of modern hotel chains like Sun International. Commercial sex work is common among women; many of them are from neighbouring Zimbabwe where the socioeconomic situation remains dire.


## 2.2. Ethnobotanical Data Collection

Ethnobotanical data were collected using methods similar to that of [17–19]. Briefly, snowball sampling was applied during ethnobotanical surveys of thirty knowledge holders including 10 traditional healers that use plants to treat HIV/AIDS-related diseases. Before conducting interviews, the aim of the study was clearly explained and knowledge holders were asked for their consent. Then the knowledge holders were individually engaged in semistructured interviews supplemented with questionnaires. During the conversations, data on respondent characteristics and information related to medicinal uses of plants for the management of HIV/AIDS-related diseases were captured. All interviews were conducted in local languages, Tonga/Tokaleya, and Lozi. Research assistants acted as Tonga/Tokaleya/Lozi to English translators.Data were collected during two stages consisting of primary and secondary samplings. The primary stage involved an exploratory and descriptive study of eight knowledge holders that manage HIV/AIDS-related infections. The focus of the exploratory study was to gain critical insights into the work of the knowledge holders, distil pertinent issues, and gauge whether a detailed ethnobotanical survey would be feasible. Knowledge holders were asked about the main symptoms of HIV/AIDS, their healing practices, and sources of ethnomedicinal knowledge. The following data in relation to the plants were also recorded: vernacular names (Tonga/Tokaleya/Lozi), plant habits, plant parts used, the HIV/AIDS-related conditions treated with the plants, and the modes of preparation and application of the plant remedies to the patient.The secondary sampling stage was a follow-up and detailed descriptive study of 22 knowledge holders who verified prior ethnobotanical data obtained from others during the exploratory inquiry. To allow for triangulation of ethnomedicinal use, only plants mentioned by at least three knowledge holders in the descriptive study (for each disease condition) were eligible for documentation [20]. On-the-spot identification of familiar plant species was done in the field. Voucher numbers for plants were assigned and specimens for plants were collected in herbarium plant presses for identification and confirmation. Botanical names were verified using the International Plant Name Index (IPNI).


## 2.3. Data Analysis

Quantitative analysis of ethnobotanical data was done by calculating percentage frequencies, familiarity indexF
i, and factor informant consensus (F
I
C). The F
i, a relative indicator of the familiarity of a plant species, is defined as the frequency a given plant species is mentioned as an ethnomedicine divided by the total number of knowledge holders interviewed in the study [21]. The F
i was calculated as follows:(1)
F
i
=
N
a
N
b
×
100
,where N
a is the number of informants that mention a species as a medicine and N
b is the total number of respondents.TheF
I
C was the number of use citations in each ailment category (N
u
r) minus the number of species used (N
t), divided by the number of use citations in each category minus one [22]: (2)
F
I
C
=
N
u
r
-
N
t
N
u
r
-
1
.
F
I
C values are low (near 0) if plants are chosen randomly or if informants do not exchange information about their use. Values are high (near 1) if there was a well-defined selection criterion among informants and/or if information was exchanged between informants. High F
I
C values are also obtained when only one or a few plant species are reportedly used by a high number of knowledge holders to treat a particular disease, and low F
I
C values imply that respondents disagree over which plant to use [23].


## 3. Results

Of all the thirty knowledge holders included in the study, only eight were female. This gender difference may be explained by the fact that male knowledge holders in the community were more comfortable to talk about STIs than female knowledge holders who face cultural restrictions when it comes to talking about matters related to sex, STIs, and HIV/AIDS. The average age of the healers was 48 years. About 70% of the knowledge holders received their medicinal plant knowledge from their older family members and the remainder from spiritual and supernatural powers such as ancestral spirits, dreams, and visions. Only six traditional healers had an apprentice under their tutelage; the rest did not train other people.Medicobotanical data including the plants’ scientific names, vernacular names, families, voucher numbers, habits, frequency indices, parts, HIV/AIDS-related diseases treated, modes of preparation, and application are described in Table1. Overall, 94 plant species from 39 families were used by various knowledge holders to manage HIV/AIDS-related diseases in Livingstone, Southern Province, Zambia (Table 1). Their growth habits were as follows: almost half were trees (53.2%), about a quarter were shrubs (24.5%), and there were approximately equal proportions of climbers (11.7%) and herbs (10.6%).Table 1
Plants used to manage HIV/AIDS related diseases in Livingstone, Southern Province, Zambia.
Family
Botanical name
Vernacular name
Growth form
Frequency index, voucher number
Diseases treated
Plant parts used, preparation, and mode of administration
Acanthaceae
Barleria kirkii T. Anderson
Chavani
Herb
13.3, L144
HIV/AIDS
Leaf decoction is drank
Amaranthaceae
Achyranthes aspera L.
Tantajulo
Herb
20.0, L186
Cancer, pneumonia, cough, diarrhoea, fungal infections of the skin, genital warts
Root infusion or whole plant decoction is drank; paste of plant is applied to skin
Anacardiaceae
Lannea stuhlmannii (Engl.) Eyles
Mungangacha, Mucheche
Tree
83.3, L245
Gonorrhoea, syphilis, herpes zoster, herpessimplex, skin infections, HIV/AIDS
Crushed leaves or roots are boiled in water, decoction is drank; stem bark decoction is used to wash affected skin
Anacardiaceae
Lannea discolor (Sond.) Engl.
Mungongwa
Tree
50.0, L235
Diarrhoea, gonorrhoea
Fruit pulp eaten to relieve diarrhoea; root infusion drank to relieve gonorrhoea
Annonaceae
Friesodielsia obovata (Benth.) Verdc.
Muchinga
Shrub
20.0, L216
Skin rashes
Pounded leaves rubbed into skin
Annonaceae
Artabotrys brachypetalus Benth.
Mulandabala
Climber
13.3, L230
Skin infections
Crushed leaves rubbed into skin
Apiaceae
Steganotaenia araliacea Hochst.
Mupelewa
Tree
60.0, L113
Headache
Root decoction is drank
Arecaceae
Hyphaene petersiana Klotzsch ex Mart.
Kakunka, Mapokwe
Tree
20.0, L217
Malaria, cough, tuberculosis, skin rashes, sores related to STIs
Palm fruit is eaten raw or boiled to treat malaria and cough; seeds are used to treat TB; sap is applied to heal skin rashes and STIs
Asclepiadaceae
Fockea angustifolia K. Schum.
Mutindika, Nanyama
Herb
83.3, L210
Cough
Tuber is eaten raw
Asparagaceae
Asparagus setaceus (Kunth) Jessop
Mutandamyoba
Climber
50.0, L207
Eczema
Whole plant is crushed and rubbed into affected skin
Asparagaceae
Sansevieria deserti N. E. Br.
Musombo, Mukonje
Herb
13.3, L360
Oral infections
Leaves are chewed and then spitted
Asparagaceae
Asparagus racemosus Willd.
Mutandamyoba, Ilutwa
Climber
20.0, L433
Pneumonia, cough, diarrhoea, syphilis
Whole plant is boiled; decoction is drank
Asteraceae
Vernonia amygdalina Delile
Musoboyo
Shrub
83.3, L481
Coughs, tuberculosis, malaria
Leaves are boiled; decoction is drank
Bignoniaceae
Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth.
Muzungula
Tree
83.3, L485
Syphilis, herpes simplex, diarrhoea, boils, colds, flu
Stem bark and leaves are boiled
Burseraceae
Commiphora mollis Engl.
Muntyokela
Tree
50.0, L312
Treats swollen pancreas in patients on antiretroviral therapy
Stem bark is crushed and boiled; decoction is drank
Capparaceae
Boscia salicifolia Oliv.
Mulaba, Kabombwe
Tree
70.0, L406
Syphilis, HIV/AIDS
Roots are ground and left in water; infusion is drank
Capparaceae
Capparis tomentosa Lam.
Chonswe
Shrub
20.0, L329
Syphilis rashes; HIV/AIDS; cryptococcal meningitis, oral candidiasis, herpes zoster, herpes simplex, chronic diarrhoea
Roots are crushed and boiled and decoction is drank; crushed leaves are applied to sores or soaked in water used to wash the mouth
Capparaceae
Cleome hirta Oliv.
Mulangazuba, Kalungukachisiungwa
Herb
13.3, L303
Pneumonia, tuberculosis, fungal infection of the skin, malaria
Leaf infusion is drunk
Celastraceae
Maytenus senegalensis (Lam.) Exell
Mukuba
Shrub
50.0, LV235
Tuberculosis
Leaves are crushed and soaked in water; infusion is drank
Celastraceae
Hippocratea africana Loes. ex Engl.
Mulele
Climber
60.0, LV280
Malaria
Root decoction is drunk
Chrysobalanaceae
Parinari curatellifolia Planch. ex Benth.
Mubulabula, Mula
Tree
13.3, LV245
Toothache, diarrhoea
Fruit eaten raw
Clusiaceae
Garcinia livingstonei T. Anderson
Mutungwa, Mukwanaga
Tree
83.3, LV226
Cryptococcal meningitis, herpes zoster, herpes simplex, skin rashes Tuberculosis chronic diarrhoea
Fruit eaten raw or in porridge
Combretaceae
Combretum collinum Fresen.
Mukunza, Mulamana
Tree
43.3, LV187
Chronic diarrhoea, tuberculosis, cough
Roots are crushed and soaked in water overnight; filtrate is drank
Combretaceae
Combretum imberbe Wawra
Mubimba, Muzwili
Tree
83.3, LV238
General STIs, tuberculosis
Stem bark is crushed and soaked in water overnight; filtrate is drank
Combretaceae
Combretum apiculatum Sond.
Mukalanga, Kalanga, Nkalanga
Tree
50.0, LV220
General STI syndromes; tuberculosis
Stem bark is crushed and soaked in water overnight; filtrate is drank
Combretaceae
Combretum elaeagnoides Klotzsch
Mukalanga, Mukupo
Tree
30.0, L576
Malaria, tuberculosis, diarrhoea
Fresh leaves are crushed and soaked in water overnight; filtrate is drank
Combretaceae
Combretum hereroense Schinz
Namazubo
Tree
53.3, L437
Gonorrhoea
Roots are crushed and soaked in water overnight; filtrate is drank
Combretaceae
Terminalia prunioides M. A. Lawson
Mutala, Mukonono, Mulumbu
Tree
83.3, L247
Gonorrhoea, syphilis, HIV/AIDS
Outer parts of roots are dried, crushed, and mixed with water overnight; infusion is drank
Combretaceae
Combretum mossambicense Engl.
Numinambelele, Silutombolwa, Mutombololo
Climber
36.7, LV475
Gonorrhoea, syphilis
Fresh leaves are crushed and soaked in water overnight; filtrate is taken orally
Combretaceae
Combretum paniculatum Vent.
Mutombolo
Shrub
50.0, L322
Malaria, diarrhoea
Leaves are pounded and soaked in water; infusion is drank
Connaraceae
Byrsocarpus orientalis Baill.
Kazingini
Shrub
13.3, L521
Skin abscesses and boils
Young stems are cut and boiled, and decoction is applied to skin
Dioscoreaceae
Dioscorea cochleari-apiculata De Wild.
Mpama
Climber
13.3, L511
Syphilitic sores, chancroid
Root decoction drank
Ebenaceae
Diospyros mespiliformis Hochst. ex A.DC.
Mchenja
Tree
83.3, L109
Malaria
Crushed roots are boiled; filtrate is drank
Ebenaceae
Diospyros quiloensis (Hiern) F. White
Musiaabwele
Tree
50.0, LV339
Gonorrhoea, syphilis, malaria
Crushed stem bark is boiled; filtrate is drank
Ebenaceae
Euclea divinorum Hiern
Munyansyabweli
Tree
20.0, LV140
Syphilis, gonorrhoea, genital herpes, oral candidiasis, abscesses, diarrhoea
Roots are ground and boiled in water and decoction is taken orally
Erythroxylaceae
Erythroxylum zambesiacum N. Robson
Mubalubalu
Tree
16.7, LV277
Malaria, headache
Roots are cut into small pieces and boiled, and decoction is administered orally
Euphorbiaceae
Croton gratissimus Burch.
Mungai, Kanunkila Mpati
Tree
66.7, LV399
Syphilis
Stem bark is boiled; decoction is drank and used to wash sores
Euphorbiaceae
Croton megalobotrys Müll. Arg.
Mutua, Mutuatua
Tree
60.0, S149
Gonorrhoea
Leaves are boiled and decoction is drank
Euphorbiaceae
Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia Pax
Mukunyu
Tree
23.3, S108
Diarrhoea, pneumonia
Stem bark decoction is drank
Euphorbiaceae
Bridelia cathartica G. Bertol.
Munyanyamenda
Shrub
13.3, S154
Oral infections, diarrhoea, gonorrhoea, malaria
Leaves and fruits are chewed raw to act as mouthwash; stem bark infusion is drank
Euphorbiaceae
Margaritaria discoidea (Baill.) G. L. Webster
Mulyankanga
Shrub
16.7, S119
Skin rashes and sores; headache
Stem bark
Euphorbiaceae
Phyllanthus reticulatus Lodd.
Mwichechele
Shrub
26.7, S260
Herpes simplex
Crushed leaves are rubbed to affected areas of skin
Fabaceae
Acacia albida Delile
Musangu, Muunga
Tree
50.0, S100
Syphilis sores, herpes zoster
Crushed leaves and stem bark are applied to heal sores
Fabaceae
Acacia nigrescens Oliv.
Mwabaa, Mukwena
Tree
60.0, S78
Herpes zoster
Leaves and stem bark are boiled, decoction used to
Fabaceae
Acacia polyacantha Willd.
Mumbu, Mukotokoto, Luntwele
Tree
50.0, S63
Gonorrhoea, herpes zoster
Leaves and stem bark are crushed and boiled; decoction is drank or used to wash affected skin
Fabaceae
Afzelia quanzensis Welw.
Mupapa, Mukamba
Tree
76.7, S27
General STIs
Leaves are pounded and soaked in water overnight and then drank
Fabaceae
Albizia amara (Roxb.) Boivin
Kankumbwila,Mukangola
Tree
60.0, S44
Gonorrhoea,  diarrhoea
Stem bark infusion is drank
Fabaceae
Lonchocarpus capassa Rolfe
Mukololo
Tree
13.3, S31
Gonorrhoea, cough
Stem bark and leaves are mixed, crushed, soaked in water, and filtered and infusion is drank
Fabaceae
Peltophorum africanum Sond.
Muzenzenze
Tree
83.3, K203
General STIs, oral infections
Roots are soaked in water and infusion is drank to treat STIs; leaves are crushed and soaked in water; infusion is used to wash mouth
Fabaceae
Pterocarpus antunesii Harms
Mukambo
Tree
26.7, K166
Diarrhoea
Stem bark infusion is drank
Fabaceae
Acacia goetzei Harms
Mwaba
Tree
46.7, K88
Cough, pneumonia
Root decoction is drank
Fabaceae
Acacia nilotica Delile
Mukoka
Tree
66.7, K56
Tuberculosis, diarrhoea, gonorrhoea, dental caries
Twigs used as chewing sticks to treat dental caries
Fabaceae
Cassia abbreviata Oliv.
Mululwe
Tree
83.3, K39
Gonorrhoea, diarrhoea
Root infusion is drank
Fabaceae
Dalbergia melanoxylon Guill. & Perr.
Musonkomo
Shrub
13.3, K17
Diarrhoea
Root decoction is drank
Fabaceae
Piliostigma thonningii (Schumach.) Milne-Redh.
Musekese
Tree
60.0, K12
Coughs, skin rashes, gonorrhoea, syphilis
Stem bark  and roots are boiled; decoction is drank to heal coughs and STIs; leaf infusion is used to wash infected skin
Fabaceae
Acacia ataxacantha DC.
Lubamfwa
Shrub
50.0, K60
Gonorrhoea, syphilis
Roots are boiled and decoction is drank
Fabaceae
Acacia schweinfurthii Brenan & Exell
Lubua, Mokoka
Shrub
33.3, L34
Gonorrhoea, syphilis
Roots, stem bark, and leaves are mixed, pounded, and soaked in water and infusion is drank
Fabaceae
Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight & Arn.
Katenge, Mugee
Shrub
66.7, L79
Gonorrhoea, syphilis; oral candidiasis, and skin rashes
Stem bark is boiled and decoction is drank, used to wash oral cavity, or used to disinfect skin by washing
Fabaceae
Mimosa pigra L.
Muchabachaba, Sichatubabi
Shrubs
83.3, L56
Diarrhoea, genital ulcers, gonorrhoea
Leaves and small and young stems are dried, pounded into powder, mixed with water, and filtered and extract is drank or used to wash genital ulcers
Fabaceae
Sesbania sesban Britton
Mbelembele
Shrub
13.3, L77
Malaria
Roots are boiled and decoction is administered orally
Fabaceae
Indigofera colutea (Burm. f.) Merr.
Kapalupalu
Herb
13.3, L59
Diarrhoea
Whole plant is pounded, soaked in water overnight, and filtered, and infusion is drank to alleviate diarrhoea
Fabaceae
Abrus precatorius L.
Musolosolo
Climber
60.0, KC280
Gonorrhoea, syphilitic ulcers, genital herpes; oral candidiasis, ulcer boils
Whole plant is crushed, boiled in water, and filtered; decoction is drank; crushed leaves soaked in water and used to wash mouth and syphilitic ulcers
Fabaceae
Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC.
Muyuyu
Climber
20.0, KC245
Weight loss, lack of libido in men
Pods and beans are boiled and consumed for body building and to act as an aphrodisiac
Flacourtiaceae
Flacourtia indica (Burm. f.) Merr.
Mutumbula
Shrub
13.3, KC350
Diarrhoea
Leaves chewed raw
Flacourtiaceae
Oncoba spinosa Forssk.
Mukumbuzu
Shrub
16.7, KC2
Dysentery
Roots and fruits are boiled and decoction is drunk
Kirkiaceae
Kirkia acuminata Oliv.
Musanta, Muzumina
Tree
13.3, KC18
Diarrhoea
Stem bark infusion is drank
Lamiaceae
Vitex payos (Lour.) Merr.
Mfudu, Muyankonga
Tree
30.0, KC36
Coughs
Fruit eaten raw or leaves burnt and smoke inhaled as cough medicine
Lamiaceae
Hoslundia opposita Vahl
Musombwani
Shrub
60.0, KC48
Coughs, flu, fever, loss of libido in men; skin wounds
Roots are boiled and decoction is drunk; sugary fruits are eaten raw to boost libido; crushed leaves are rubbed into skin to heal wounds
Lamiaceae
Premna senensis Klotzsch
Mumpika
Shrub
13.3, KC360
Syphilitic sores, skin ulcers
Leaf infusions applied to sores
Lamiaceae
Vitex petersiana Klotzsch
Mufulibulimbo, Mukoma
Shrub
23.3, KC312
Gonorrhoea
Leaf decoction is drank to treat gonorrhoea;
Lamiaceae
Clerodendrum capitatum (Willd.) Schumach.
Shamanya
Herb
60.0, L402
Gonorrhoea, erectile dysfunction, pneumonia, diarrhoea
Leaf and root decoctions drunk
Loganiaceae
Strychnos potatorum L. f.
Musisilombe
Tree
40.0, KC464
Syphilis
Infusions of leaves are drank
Loganiaceae
Strychnos innocua Delile
Mutimi, Muhuluhulu, Mwabo
Tree
20.0, KC216
Gonorrhoea, sore throat
Eat fruit pulp
Malvaceae
Azanza garckeana (F. Hoffm.) Exell & Hillc.
Makole, Munego
Tree
60.0, KC143
Malaria
Eat raw fruit, cook, and eat as relish
Malvaceae
Sida alba L.
Mulyangombe, Babani
Shrub
20.0, KC525
Gonorrhoea
Roots and leaves are boiled; decoction is drank
Malvaceae
Hibiscus vitifolius L.
Mubaluba
Herb
Chronic diarrhoea
Leaves are boiled and filtered through wire sieve and decoction is drank
Meliaceae
Khaya nyasicaStapf ex Baker f.
Mululu
Tree
43.3, KC113
Fever
Stem bark infusion is drank
Meliaceae
Trichilia emetica Vahl
Musikili
Tree
56.7, KC217
Fever, pneumonia; skin rashes
Root decoction is drunk; leaves rubbed onto skin
Menispermaceae
Cissampelos mucronata A. Rich.
Itende
Climber
73.3, KC210
Syphilis, chancroid
Whole plant is cut into small pieces and boiled and decoction is drank after filtering
Moraceae
Ficus capensis Hort. Berol. ex Kunth & C. D. Bouché
Mukuyu
Tree
60.0, KC207
Diarrhoea, tuberculosis, skin sores, genital warts
Fresh leaves are boiled in water and decoction is drank or used to wash warts and skin sores
Moraceae
Ficus sycomorus L.
Mukuyu
Tree
76.7, KC360
Cough, tuberculosis, periodontitis, and oral candidiasis
Fresh leaves are boiled in water and decoction is drank or used to wash the mouth
Myrtaceae
Syzygium cordatum Hochst.
Katope
Tree
83.3, KC433
Diarrhoea
Stem bark decoction is drunk
Myrtaceae
Syzygium guineense DC.
Mutoya, Katope
Tree
83.3, KC481
Abscesses, skin rashes, diarrhoea
Fruits eaten raw; stem decoction applied to affected skin
Olacaceae
Ximenia americana L.
Munchovwa, Muchonfwa
Tree
83.3, KC318
Candidiasis, malaria, throat infection, tonsillitis, gonorrhoea, diarrhoea, skin rashes
Roots, leaves, and fruits are crushed while fresh and mixed with water overnight and taken orally
Pedaliaceae
Sesamum angolense Welw.
Bwengo
Herb
13.3, KC267
Skin rashes
Leaves are crushed and used as soap  to bath skin
Plumbaginaceae
Plumbago zeylanica L.
Sikalutenta
Shrub
83.3, KC318
Generally treats all STI symptoms
Root infusion is drank
Ranunculaceae
Clematis brachiata Ker Gawl.
Kalatongo
Climber
20.0, KC354
Coughs, headache, fever
Leaves are boiled and drunk as a tea; sometimes honey is added as a sweetener
Rhamnaceae
Berchemia discolor (Klotzsch) Hemsl.
Mwiiyi, Mwinji
Tree
60.0, KC235
Cough
Use fruit in porridge
Rhamnaceae
Ziziphus mauritiana Lam.
Masawu, Masawu
Tree
40.0, KC226
Gonorrhoea, syphilis
Fruit eaten raw, apply to wound, and put into porridge
Rhamnaceae
Ziziphus mucronata Willd.
Muchechete, Mwichechete
Tree
83.3, KC144
Gonorrhoea, syphilis, boils, pneumonia, cough
Root or leaf infusion is drank
Sapotaceae
Mimusops zeyheri Sond.
Mukalanjoni
Tree
40.0, KC120
Oral candidiasis
Fruit is eaten or root infusion is used as a mouthwash
Tiliaceae
Grewia flavescens Juss.
Namulomo, Mukunyukunyu
Shrub
40.0, KC199
Diarrhoea
Eat fruit pulp to relieve diarrhoea
Tiliaceae
Corchorus tridens L.
Delele
Herb
13.3, KC101
Syphilitic ulcers, chancroid
Root infusion drank or applied to ulcers
Vitaceae
Cissus quadrangularis L.
Mulungalunga, Chamulungelunge
Climber
40.0, KC78
Malaria, gonorrhoea
Sap is drank; whole plant infusion is drankThe most used families were Fabaceae (22%), Combretaceae (9%), Euphorbiaceae (6%), and Lamiaceae (5%) (Figure2). The most plant parts used were leaves (33%), roots (25%), bark (22%), and stems/stem barks (20%) (Figure 3). Pods/seeds (2%) and tubers (1%) were least used. Plant exudates in the form of sap were also harvested from 2% of the plants. Figure 4 presents the proportions of plant species used to treat various HIV/AIDS-related disease conditions: skin infections (16.4%), diarrhoea/dysentery (15.0%), gonorrhoea (12.7%), syphilis (10.0%), tuberculosis (TB)/pneumonia (8.6%), cough (8.2%), malaria (6.8%), and oral infections (5.0%).Figure 2
Percentage use of plant families.Figure 3
Percentage use of plant parts.Figure 4
Proportions of plants used to treat different disease conditions.Figure5 illustrates that of all the plants that were used to ameliorate skin conditions, most of them were used to manage skin sores or ulcers (33.0%), rashes (28.0%), herpes zoster (15.0%), boils (10.0%), and abscesses (7.0%). About 5% of all plants used on skin conditions treated general infections. Of all the ethnomedicinal plants used to manage STIs, the majority of them were used for gonorrhoea (40.0%), syphilis (32.0%), and HIV (7.0%) (Figure 6).Figure 5
Percentage distribution of plants used to treat various skin conditions.Figure 6
Percentage distribution of plants used to treat various STIs.Eighteen plants were utilized to treat four or more disease conditions:Achyranthes aspera L.,Lannea discolor (Sond.) Engl.,Hyphaene petersiana Klotzsch ex Mart.,Asparagus racemosus Willd.,Capparis tomentosa Lam.,Cleome hirta Oliv.,Garcinia livingstonei T. Anderson,Euclea divinorum Hiern,Bridelia cathartica G. Bertol.,Acacia nilotica Delile,Piliostigma thonningii (Schumach.) Milne-Redh.,Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight and Arn.,Abrus precatorius L.,Hoslundia opposita Vahl,Clerodendrum capitatum (Willd.) Schumach.,Ficus sycomorus L.,Ximenia americana L., andZiziphus mucronata Willd. Only 31% of the plants in this study were administered as monotherapies.TheF
i values are given in Table 1. Informants were more familiar with the medicinal uses of the following fourteen most frequently used plants:Cassia abbreviata Oliv.,Combretum imberbe Wawra,Diospyros mespiliformis Hochst. ex A.DC.,Fockea angustifoliaK. Schum.,G. livingstonei,Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth.,Mimosa pigra L.,Syzygium cordatum Hochst.,Syzygium guineense DC.,Terminalia prunioides M. A. Lawson,Peltophorum africanum Sond.,Plumbago zeylanica L.,X. americana, andZ. mucronata. According to Table 2, F
I
C values for the various disease conditions show that consensus was high over plants used to treat malaria, oral infections, and fever/flu/colds/headache.Table 2
Informant consensus factor (F
I
C) for different ailments.
Ailment
Number of species
Number of citations
F
I
C
Diarrhoea/dysentery
33
120
0.73
Skin infections
36
108
0.67
STIs
70
210
0.67
Malaria
15
77
0.82
TB/pneumonia
19
68
0.73
Oral infections
11
55
0.81
Cough
18
71
0.76
Fever/flu/colds/headache
10
45
0.80
Libido/erectile dysfunction
4
12
0.73
Meningitis
2
6
0.80
Weight loss
1
4
1.00
Cancer
1
4
1.00


## 4. Discussion

The highest proportion of plants in Livingstone was used to manage skin diseases, probably because they contain antimicrobial agents. A similar scenario was obtained in Sesheke (Zambia) and Rundu (Namibia). This speaks to the fact that skin infections are quite common during HIV infection. Many of the plants for skin diseases in Livingstone were used to manage skin infections in other geographical settings. For instance, Afolayan et al. [24] and Hedimbi and Chinsembu [25] documented the use ofAsparagus species in the treatment of eczema in South Africa and Namibia, respectively.Friesodielsia obovata was used to treat skin infections in the Zambezi Region of Namibia [26].Capparis tomentosais also used to treat skin rashes and herpes zoster in Katima Mulilo, Namibia [17]. ManyAcacia species are also used to manage skin conditions in Southern Africa [27]. Kenyans useTrichilia emetica andSyzygium guineense to treat skin cancers [28]. Leaves of one of the fig trees,Ficus capensis, were also a remedy for skin sores. Skin diseases lie at the centre of both Christian and Islamic faiths. Indeed, the use of figs to treat skin diseases such as boils is well documented in the Bible; see 2 Kings 20:7 where a poultice of common figs (Ficus sp.) was applied to heal boils.Lannea stuhlmannii was used to treat skin infections in Livingstone. TheLanneaspecies were used to treat skin diseases in South Africa [27]. Chinsembu and Hedimbi [17] found thatLannea zastrowina was used as a remedy for skin rashes and herpes zoster in Katima Mulilo in Namibia. Elsewhere,Lannea species were known to have antibacterial [29] and antiviral [30] properties, making them good candidates for treating microbial skin infections.The plantKigelia africana, used in this study to manage boils, was also used in Ghana to treat skin ailments including fungal infections, boils, psoriasis and eczema, leprosy, syphilis, and cancer [31]. The plant is known to contain iridoids which confer antibacterial properties [32].Euclea divinorum andXimenia americana, skin remedies described in this study, were also documented as skin treatments by [27] in South Africa. Plants such asAcacia, Kigelia africana, andMaytenus senegalensis are used as ethnomedicine for skin infections [33].Some of the plant taxa used to manage diarrhoea in this study have also been reported to treat diarrhoea in other studies.Achyranthes aspera L. is a known treatment for diarrhoea [34, 35];Asparagus racemosus roots have been used traditionally in Ayurveda for the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery [33];K. africana is a known antidiarrhoeal remedy andParinari curatellifolia attenuates diarrhoea [36, 37].Oncoba spinosa is an antidote for diarrhoea in Ethiopia [38]. Studies in Nigeria showed that extracts ofAcacia nilotica produced comparable antidiarrhoeal activity similar to loperamide, a drug widely employed against diarrhoeal disorders [39].Garcinia livingstonei was a remedy for diarrhoea in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa [40]; a decoction from the rootsCombretum collinum was drunk for the treatment of diarrhoea [41];Bridelia cathartica,Flacourtia indica, andKirkia acuminata are prescriptions for diarrhoea in Zimbabwe [42, 43].Members of the genusGrewiawere used as a remedy for diarrhoea in Katima Mulilo [17] andMimosa pigrawas harvested to treat diarrhoea in Rundu [18]. Rakotomalala et al. [44] showed thatM. pigra is rich in tryptophan, quercetin, and several phenolic compounds which confer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.Dalbergia melanoxylon has antidiarrhoeal effects [45].Studies in Tanzania found thatIndigofera colutea has antimicrobial activities and hence can be used to manage diarrhoea.Ficus capensis has vibriocidal and antiamoebic actions [46] and therefore is used to treat diarrhoea in Lubumbashi in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo [47]. An anti-inflammatory bioflavonoid, gossypin, is found inHibiscus vitifolius, a good remedy for diarrhoea [48].Syzygium cordatum Hochst, due to its antibacterial properties, is an antidiarrhoeal remedy in Swaziland [49].Many plants used to treat STIs in Livingstone were also used to manage STIs in Sesheke District, Zambia [18]. This is because inhabitants of both Livingstone and Sesheke mainly belong to the Lozi ethnic group. Therefore, they tap into a similar ancestral vein of indigenous knowledge. For example, in both Livingstone and Sesheke, gonorrhoea was treated with a couple of species of the generaLannea, Combretum,Terminalia,Diospyros, Ximenia, andZiziphus.The Lozi people of Sesheke used 52 plant species in 25 families and 43 genera to treat gonorrhoea, syphilis, chancroid, chlamydia, genital herpes, and anogenital warts. STIs were frequently managed using the following plants:Terminalia sericea,Strychnos cocculoides,Ximenia caffra,Cassia abbreviata,Cassia occidentalis,Combretum hereroense,Combretum imberbe,Dichrostachys cinerea,Boscia albitrunca,Momordica balsamina, andPeltophorum africanum[18].Ziziphus mauritiana, also known as Masau in Nyanja, is a wild fruit plant very rich in vitamin C. It contains 20 to 30% sugar, up to 2.5% protein, and 12.8% carbohydrates. The plant is a remedy for STIs because aqueous extracts and powders have broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. Its extracts are also used as a dressing to prevent bacterial infections and to aid in wound healing during male circumcision among the Lunda and Luvale people of Zambia [50]. The anti-HIV plantXimenia americana contains oleic, hexacos-17-enoic (ximenic), linoleic, linolenic, and stearic acids. Its oil consists of very long chain fatty acids with up to 40 carbon atoms.X. americana is also used to manage STIs including gonorrhoea in Western Province, Zambia [18].Euclea divinorum, a treatment for gonorrhoea in Livingstone, had antibacterial action with minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 25.0 mg/mL to 0.8 mg/mL and moderate cytotoxicity [51].Ximenia americana andCroton megalobotrys, known as Mtswanza and Muchape (resp.) among the Kore-kore people of Chiawa District in Zambia, are also prepared as formulations for gonorrhoea [52].Many species ofAcacia are used to treat TB and pneumonia, owing to their antibacterial and anti-HIV activities [53, 54].Acacia nilotica leaf, bark and root ethanol, or ethyl acetate extracts were active againstMycobacterium aurum, MIC = 0.195–1.56 mg/mL [55].Combretum imberbe contains pentacyclic triterpenes, with MIC = 1.56–25 μg/mL againstMycobacterium fortuitum[55].Maytenus senegalensis is a known anti-HIV and antimycobacterial treatment in Uganda and Tanzania [56, 57]. ACleome species was used to treat TB in Livingstone. In South Africa, Hurinanthan [58] found thatCleome monophyllaleaf extract had anti-HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity.Cleome gynandrais a treatment for chancroid in Sesheke and a remedy for malaria in other parts of Zambia [17, 18].Studies show that HIV/AIDS is associated with low libido in men, sometimes because of depression and poor moods [59, 60]. Men on ART were also associated with sexual dysfunction [61]. Unsurprisingly, loss of libido and erectile dysfunction in men were commonly associated with HIV infection in Livingstone. HIV-infected men suffering from loss of libido and erectile dysfunction often used herbs to restore their sexual prowess.Mucuna pruriens, a plant with antibacterial activity [62], is also known to improve fertility, sexual behaviour, and erectile function in animals [63–65]. Extracts of the plantHoslundia opposita corrected erectile dysfunction in Livingstone men living with HIV infection and were also commonly used to manage noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus in Tanzania [66]. Erectile dysfunction and loss of libido are common in men with diabetes [67].


## 5. Conclusions

In Livingstone, Southern Province, Zambia, traditional healers and other knowledge holders use 94 medicinal plant species to manage HIV/AIDS-related diseases mainly skin infections, diarrhoea, STIs, TB, cough, malaria, and oral infections. Majority of the plants belonged to the families Fabaceae and Combretaceae. Most plant leaves and roots were utilized to treat two or more disease conditions related to HIV infection. These multiuse medicinal plants probably contain broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents but may also face the threats of overharvesting, thus requiring special regulations for their genetic conservation.The indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants is quite consistent especially for managing common HIV/AIDS-related conditions such as malaria, oral infections, fever, flu, colds, and headache. Although the results of this study are consistent with ethnobotanical and antimicrobial data from many reports in the literature, further studies are needed to confirm the antimicrobial efficacies, pharmacological, cytotoxicity, and active chemical ingredients of the plants.



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*Source: 4238625-2016-03-16.xml*