PERCEPTIONS ABOUT MALARIA TRANSMISSION AND CONTROL USING ANTI-MALARIA PLANTS IN MOLA, KARIBA, ZIMBABWE

An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in Mola, Kariba district, in order to collect information on some common herbal remedies used by traditional healers and rural folk in the treatment and prevention of malaria. Structured questionnaires were administered to 220 respondents in Mola, Kariba. Two hundred and twenty questionnaires were administered to respondents who were between the ages of 14 andd 80 years. There were 88 (40%) males and 132 (60%) females with mean ages of 41.0682+17.4572 and 41.5000 + 18.7028 for males and females respectively. A total of 192 (87.3%) of the respondents mentioned mosquitoes as transmitting malaria, one (0.3%) mentioned dirty water and 27 (12.4%) did not know. Fifty-four (24.5%) respondents did not know signs and symptoms of malaria. High body temperature, headache and shivering (23.2%) were major signs used in diagnosing malaria. A total of 155 (70.5%) respondents would go to the clinic if they suspect that they have malaria and 36 (16.4%) will visit a Traditional Healer. The following plants were mentioned as being used as anti—malarials: Carica papaya L. (Caricaceae), Zea mays L. (Sapindaceae), Amblygonocarpus andongenis (Olvi.) Exell and Torre (Leguminosae), Zanha africana (Radlk.) Exell (Sapindaceae), Solanum incanum L. (Solananceae), Solanum indicum L. (Solanaceae), Solanum panduriforme E. May (Solanaceae), Diplorhynchus condylocarpon (Muell. Arg.) Pick. (Apocynaceae), Harungana madagascariensis Poir (Guittiferae), Pterocarpus angolensis DC (Leguminosae), Euclea divinorum Hiern (Ebenaceae), Sclerocarya caffra Sond (Anacardiaceae), Terminalia sericea DC (Combretaceae), Aloe chabaudii Schonl. (Liliaceae), Aloe excelsa Berg. (Liliaceae), Aloe greatheardii Schoni (Liliaceae), Colophospermum mopane (Benth.) J. Leonard (Leguminosae) and Garcinia huillensis Oliv. (Guttiferae). In clonclusion, several plants used as anti-malarials were identified and their acivity will be determined. Key Words: Malaria, Zimbabwe, Antimalarial plants Nig. J. Nat Prod. And Med. Vol.5 2001: 4-