Indigenous medicinal knowledge of plants used in the treatment of malaria in Mazowe and Shamva districts, Zimbabwe

Aims. The indigenous medicinal knowledge (IMK) of plants used in the treatment of malaria in selected localities of Mazowe and Shamva districts was assessed and documented. Methods. An anthropological method comprising structured interviews was used to collect data from 25 purposively sampled key informants. Relative frequency of citation (RFC) was used for data analysis. Eleven plant species from eight families, comprising native (63.6 %) and exotic (36.4 %) species were listed. Results. Based on RFC data, the most frequently mentioned plants were Lippia javanica (Burm.f.) Spreng (88.0 %) and Capsicum frutescens L. (84.0 %). Trees (45.5 %) and herbs (36.4 %) were the primary sources of medicinal plants, while roots (36.4 %), leaves (27.3 %), and bark (18.1 %) were the most commonly used parts. Decoction (54.5 %), infusion (36.4 %), and oral administration (100 %) were the most common methods of preparation and administration. A few of the plants (36.4 %) have documented antimalarial activities, while the majority of them (81.8 %) have similar ethnomedicinal uses in other parts of the country. Conclusions. In this context, the results obtained from this study could be used as a basis for developing future malaria medicines using local IMK and resources.