{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]],"date-time":"2026-09-15T02:00:49Z","timestamp":1789437649416,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":63,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2019,12,27]],"date-time":"2019-12-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1577404800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Plants"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The use of medicinal plants for treatment of humans and animals is entrenched in the Maasai culture and traditional knowledge related to it is passed on from one generation to the next. A handful of researchers have in the past decades documented this knowledge. No single study has documented medicinal plant uses of the Maasai community as a whole. This review provides a consolidated database of the diversity and uses of medicinal plants among the Maasai in Kenya. The study will help conserve traditional medicinal plant knowledge that is valuable for the development of modern medicine. Relevant information on medicinal plants used by the Maasai of Kenya was extracted from journals, books, M.Sc., and Ph.D. dissertations. We found evidence of 289 plant species used by the Maasai of Kenya in traditional medicine. Most species were used to treat health conditions in the categories gastrointestinal and respiratory system disorders. The most used families were Leguminosae, Asteraceae, Malvaceae, Euphorbiaceae, and Lamiaceae. Medicines were commonly prepared as a decoction and administered through oral ingestion, with roots reported to be the preferred plant part for medication. The Maasai preference for roots compared to other plant parts may be unsustainable and could threaten species availability in the future.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/plants9010044","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2019,12,27]],"date-time":"2019-12-27T11:42:47Z","timestamp":1577446967000},"page":"44","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":105,"title":["Medicinal Plants of the Maasai of Kenya: A Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Jedidah","family":"Nankaya","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197-00100 Nairobi, Kenya"},{"name":"School of Natural Resources and Animal Sciences, Maasai Mara University, P.O Box 861-20500 Narok, Kenya"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nathan","family":"Gichuki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197-00100 Nairobi, Kenya"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Catherine","family":"Lukhoba","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197-00100 Nairobi, Kenya"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7101-7120","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Henrik","family":"Balslev","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Bioscience\u2014Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Aarhus University, Build. 1540, Ny Munkegade 116, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,12,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"57","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02861295","article-title":"Usefulness and economic potential of the rare plants of the United States: A statistical survey","volume":"52","author":"Phillips","year":"1998","journal-title":"Econ. Bot."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"365","DOI":"10.1089\/acm.1996.2.365","article-title":"Research on medicinal plants and traditional medicine in Africa","volume":"2","author":"Sofowora","year":"1996","journal-title":"J. Altern. Complement. Med."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"WHO (World Health Organization) (2018, December 03). Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990 to 2010. WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and World Bank Estimates. Available online: https:\/\/www.who.int\/reproductivehealth\/publications\/monitoring\/9789241503631\/en\/."},{"key":"ref_4","first-page":"32","article-title":"Current trends of traditional herbal medicine practice in Kenya: A review","volume":"2","author":"Kigen","year":"2013","journal-title":"Afr. J. Pharm."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"231","DOI":"10.17348\/era.3.0.231-242","article-title":"Ecological and anthropological threats to ethno-medicinal plant resources and their utilization in Maasai communal ranches in the Amboseli region of Kenya","volume":"3","author":"Kiringe","year":"2005","journal-title":"Ethnobot. Res. Appl."},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Dharani, N., and Yenesew, A. (2010). Medicinal Plants of East Africa: An illustrated Guide, Najma Dharani in Association with Drongo Editing and Publishing, Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"82","DOI":"10.1038\/scientificamerican0694-82","article-title":"The ethnobotanical approach to drug discovery","volume":"270","author":"Cox","year":"1994","journal-title":"Sci. Am."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"479","DOI":"10.1002\/1099-1573(200011)14:7<479::AID-PTR958>3.0.CO;2-2","article-title":"Ethnobotany and its role in drug development","volume":"14","author":"Heinrich","year":"2000","journal-title":"Phytother. Res."},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"Karehed, J., and Odhult, E. (1997). An Ethnobotanical Study among the Maasai of Loita Hills, Kenya. Minor Field Studies No. 14, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, International Office."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Nankaya, J., Nampushi, J., Petenya, S., and Balslev, H. (2019). Ethnomedicinal plants of the Loita Maasai of Kenya. J. Environ. Dev. Sustain.","DOI":"10.1007\/s10668-019-00311-w"},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"Hollis, A.C. (1905). The Masai: Their Language and Folklore, Clarendon Press."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Merker, M. (1910). Die Masai, Dietrich Reimer.","DOI":"10.5479\/sil.120833.39088000479063"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"22","DOI":"10.1186\/1746-4269-2-22","article-title":"Plant use of the Maasai of Sekenani Valley, Maasai Mara, Kenya","volume":"2","author":"Bussmann","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Ethnobiol. Ethnomed."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.17348\/era.4.0.61-74","article-title":"A survey on the use of ethno-medicinal health remedies among the Maasai of Southern Kajiado District, Kenya","volume":"73","author":"Kiringe","year":"2006","journal-title":"Ethnobot. Res. Appl."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"207","DOI":"10.1007\/s12231-018-9411-9","article-title":"Knowledge loss and change between 2002 and 2017\u2014A revisit of plant use of the Maasai of Sekenani valley, Maasai Mara, Kenya","volume":"72","author":"Bussmann","year":"2018","journal-title":"Econ. Bot."},{"key":"ref_16","first-page":"16","article-title":"Indigenous (medical) knowledge of Maasai","volume":"2","author":"Sindiga","year":"1994","journal-title":"Indig. Knowl. Dev. Monit."},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"Seno, S.K.O. (1998). Strategies for Enhancing Local Support for Wildlife Conservation in Masailand, Kenya. [Ph.D. Thesis, University of Arizona]."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"95","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2005.03.011","article-title":"Evaluation of plants used for antimalarial treatment by the Massai of Kenya","volume":"101","author":"Koch","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_19","unstructured":"Maundu, P., Berger, D., Ole Saitabau, C., Nasieku, J., Kipelian, M., Mathenge, S., Morimoto, Y., and H\u00f6ft, R. (2001). Ethnobotany of the Loita Maasai: Towards Community Management of the Forest of the Lost Child. Experiences from the Loita Ethnobotany Project, UNESCO. People and Plants Working Paper."},{"key":"ref_20","unstructured":"Kokwaro, J.O. (2009). Medicinal Plants of East Africa, University of Nairobi Press. [3rd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2011.02.005","article-title":"Ethnobotanical study of anthelmintic and other medicinal plants traditionally used in Loitoktok district of Kenya","volume":"135","author":"Muthee","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"725","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sajb.2011.03.008","article-title":"Antiplasmodial and cytotoxicity activities of some selected plants used by the Maasai community, Kenya","volume":"77","author":"Kigondu","year":"2011","journal-title":"S. Afr. J. Bot."},{"key":"ref_23","unstructured":"Dharani, N. (2011). Field Guide to Common Trees & Shrubs of East Africa, Random Struik Publishers. [2nd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_24","unstructured":"Nankaya, J., Layton, P., Hall, K., and Bardwin, E. (2014). The Salient Traditional Medicinal Plants and Conservation Strategies of the Loita Maasai of Kenya. [Master\u2019s Thesis, Clemson University]."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"463","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2015.10.013","article-title":"Ethnobotanical survey of food and medicinal plants of the Ilkisonko Maasai community in Kenya","volume":"175","author":"Kimondo","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecoser.2015.05.010","article-title":"Reweaving stakeholder networks: Promoting climate mitigation and Maasai culture using medicinal plants in Kenya","volume":"15","author":"Ngaruiya","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ecosyst. Serv."},{"key":"ref_27","first-page":"3","article-title":"The utilization of medicinal plants by the Masaai community in arid lands of Kajiado county, Kenya","volume":"6","author":"Tsigemelak","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Plant. Anim. Environ. Sci."},{"key":"ref_28","first-page":"2","article-title":"An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the Masaai People of Losho, Kenya","volume":"6","author":"Duncan","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Pharm. Res."},{"key":"ref_29","first-page":"1","article-title":"The efficacy of some medicinal plants used locally within Transmara west, Narok County, Kenya against selected Enterobacteria and Candida","volume":"12","author":"Maingi","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Pharm. Biol. Sci."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"278","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sajb.2016.10.026","article-title":"Ethno-phyto therapeutic remedies used in meat, milk, and blood products by the Maasai people of Kenya","volume":"108","author":"Orech","year":"2017","journal-title":"S. Afr. J. Bot."},{"key":"ref_31","first-page":"1","article-title":"Use of putative antimalarial herbal medicines among communities in Trans-Mara, Kuria and Suba Districts of Kenya","volume":"1","author":"Nyambati","year":"2018","journal-title":"SEJ Pharmacognosy"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"90","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2017.12.003","article-title":"Ethnomedicinal plant diversity in Thailand","volume":"214","author":"Phumthum","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_33","unstructured":"(2019, January 05). The Plant List. Available online: http:\/\/www. theplantlist.org\/."},{"key":"ref_34","unstructured":"(2018, May 15). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website, version 14. Available online: http:\/\/www.mobot.org\/MOBOT\/research\/APweb\/."},{"key":"ref_35","unstructured":"Etkin, N.L. (1986). Informant consensus: A new approach for identifying potentially effective medicinal plants. Plants in Indigenous Medicine and Diet: Biobehavioral Approaches, Redgrave Publishing Company."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1186\/1746-4269-1-9","article-title":"Knowledge and use of medicinal plants by local specialists in a region of Atlantic Forest in the state of Pernambuco (Northeastern Brazil)","volume":"1","author":"Gazzaneo","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Ethnobiol. Ethnomed."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"335","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2009.02.035","article-title":"Medicinal plant knowledge and its erosion among the Mien (Yao) in northern Thailand","volume":"123","author":"Srithi","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_38","unstructured":"ICPC-2 (1998). International Classification of Primary Care, Oxford University Press. [2nd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_39","first-page":"165","article-title":"Ethnobotanical survey and antimicrobial evaluation of medicinal plants used by the Samburu Community (Kenya) for treatment of Diarrhea","volume":"5","author":"Omwenga","year":"2009","journal-title":"Pharm. Mag."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2006.10.032","article-title":"An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in Loja and Zamora-Chinchipe, Ecuador","volume":"111","author":"Tene","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1186\/s13002-017-0146-y","article-title":"Traditional knowledge on wild and cultivated plants in the Kilombero Valley Morogoro Region, Tanzania","volume":"13","author":"Salinitro","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Ethnobiol. Ethnomed."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02862203","article-title":"The useful plants of Tambopata, Peru I: Statistical hypothesis tests with a new quantitative technique","volume":"47","author":"Phillips","year":"1993","journal-title":"Econ. Bot."},{"key":"ref_43","first-page":"113","article-title":"Vascular flora of Kenya, based on the flora of tropical East Africa","volume":"90","author":"Zhou","year":"2017","journal-title":"PhytoKeys"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"382","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02866520","article-title":"Tropical forest healers and habitat preference","volume":"50","author":"Voeks","year":"1996","journal-title":"Econ. Bot."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2015.02.050","article-title":"African palm ethno-medicine","volume":"165","author":"Gruca","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"513","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2009.05.009","article-title":"Medicinal plants of the Meinit ethnic group of Ethiopia: An ethnobotanical study","volume":"124","author":"Giday","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_47","unstructured":"WHO (World Health Organization) (2018, December 23). 10 Facts on Malaria. Available online: https:\/\/www.who.int\/features\/factfiles\/malaria\/en\/."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"90","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02866603","article-title":"Introduced plants in the indigenous pharmacopoeia of Northern South America","volume":"54","author":"Bennett","year":"2000","journal-title":"Econ. Bot."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"269","DOI":"10.1007\/s12231-017-9389-8","article-title":"Theories and major hypotheses in ethnobotany","volume":"71","author":"Gaoue","year":"2017","journal-title":"Econ. Bot."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"58","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2014.10.009","article-title":"Geospatial patterns in traditional knowledge serves in assessing intellectual property rights and benefit-sharing in northwest South America","volume":"158","author":"Svenning","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.1016\/S0378-8741(03)00053-9","article-title":"Traditional herbal remedies used by South African women for gynecological complaints","volume":"86","author":"Steenkamp","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.1016\/0378-8741(93)90024-Y","article-title":"Plants used in traditional medicine in eastern Tanzania. VI. Angiosperms (Sapotaceae to Zingiberaceae)","volume":"39","author":"Chalabra","year":"1993","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1186\/1746-4269-2-27","article-title":"Ethnomedicine in Himalaya: A case study from Dolpa, Humla, Jumla and Mustang districts of Nepal","volume":"2","author":"Kunwar","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Ethnobiol. Ethnomed."},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"208","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2016.03.010","article-title":"Ethnobotanical study on the medicinal plants in the Mainarde Mountains (central-southern Apennine, Italy)","volume":"184","author":"Fortini","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_55","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"69","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sajb.2016.01.001","article-title":"Ethnobotanical survey of culinary herbs and spices used in the traditional medicine system of Nkonkobe Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa","volume":"104","author":"Afolayan","year":"2016","journal-title":"S. Afr. J. Bot."},{"key":"ref_56","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/1746-4269-8-1","article-title":"Ethnomedicinal study of plants used in villages around Kimboza forest reserve in Morogoro, Tanzania","volume":"8","author":"Amri","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Ethnobiol. Ethnomed."},{"key":"ref_57","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1186\/1746-4269-6-19","article-title":"Ethnomedicine of the Kagera Region, northwestern Tanzania. Part 2: The medicinal plants used in Katoro ward, Bukoba District","volume":"6","author":"Moshi","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Ethnobiol. Ethnomed."},{"key":"ref_58","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"307","DOI":"10.1186\/s12936-017-1953-2","article-title":"Systematic review on traditional medicinal plants used for the treatment of malaria in Ethiopia: Trends and perspectives","volume":"16","author":"Alebie","year":"2017","journal-title":"Malar. J."},{"key":"ref_59","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"14","DOI":"10.1186\/1746-4269-8-14","article-title":"Ethnomedicine of the Kagera region, northwestern Tanzania. Part 3: Plants used in traditional medicine in Kikuku village, Muleba District","volume":"8","author":"Moshi","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Ethnobiol. Ethnomed."},{"key":"ref_60","first-page":"123","article-title":"An ethnobotanical survey on plants of veterinary importance in two woredas of southern Tigray, northern Ethiopia. SINET: Ethiopia","volume":"26","author":"Mirutse","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. Sci."},{"key":"ref_61","unstructured":"Debela, H. (2001). Use and Management of Traditional Medicinal Plants by Indigenous People of Bosat Woreda, Wolenchiti Area: An Ethnobotanical Approach. [Master\u2019s Thesis, Addis Ababa University]."},{"key":"ref_62","first-page":"30","article-title":"A survey of medicinal traditional plants in Shirka district, Arsi Zone, Ethiopia","volume":"19","author":"Getachew","year":"2001","journal-title":"Ethiop. Pharm. J."},{"key":"ref_63","unstructured":"Chadwick, D.J., and Marsh, J. (1990). The role of ethnopharmacology in drug development. Bioactive Compounds from Plants, John Wiley & Sons. Ciba-Geigy Symposium No.154."}],"container-title":["Plants"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2223-7747\/9\/1\/44\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T13:46:03Z","timestamp":1760190363000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2223-7747\/9\/1\/44"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2019,12,27]]},"references-count":63,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,1]]}},"alternative-id":["plants9010044"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/plants9010044","relation":{},"ISSN":["2223-7747"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2223-7747","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2019,12,27]]}}}