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The Midzichenda have relied on plant resources for their basic needs, which
included medicinal use, for centuries. This paper presents an inventory of some
of the indigenous knowledge on medicinal plant uses of three Midzichenda
tribes: Duruma, Giriama and Digo. A significant proportion
(56%) of all plant species used were employed for the basic health care
system and magical rituals and this is likely to remain so in future. Some
plant species used for medicinal purposes are known to possess therapeutic
characteristics, while other medicinal plants are used only on the basis of
mythical beliefs within the society. However, much of the traditional knowledge
on medicinal plants used by the Midzichenda has not been tested
ethnopharmacologically.

South African Journal of Botany 2003, 69:
382–395