Traditional uses of Corchorus olitorius L in Oyam District, Northern Uganda: A cross-sectional ethnobotanical survey

Abstract

Background: Corchorus olitorius L is a naturally growing green leafy vegetable used for various medicinal purposes worldwide. Several studies conducted elsewhere indicate that the plant is used for treating cardiac insufficiency, infertility, wounds, malaria, typhoid fever, female and ulcers. However, in Uganda most studies that define medicinal plants do not reveal Corchorus olitorius L as being one of them. As a result, there is dearth of documented information regarding its medicinal benefits in the country. In order to bridge this gap, we conducted a study to establish the traditional medicinal uses of Corchorus olitorius L in Oyam District, Northern Uganda. Methods: We employed an ethnobotanical survey using quantitative approach of data collection and analysis. We randomly sampled 246 participants from 40 villages and four sub counties from Oyam district. Data was collected using an interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed for descriptive statistics using SPSS v20 software. Results: We collected a total of 239 valid questionnaires giving a response rate of 97 %. The study found out that 231 (96.7%) of the participants ate Corchorus olitorius L whereas 185 (77.4%) used it for medicinal purposes. Interestingly, they used it mainly for treatment of joint difficulties (58.12%) and gastrointestinal disturbances (31.19%). Conclusion: Corchorus olitorius L is predominantly used as a medicinal plant for the treatment of joint and gastrointestinal complications.