The Impact of Urbanization on Traditional Medicinal Plant Use in Disease Management                                                            

Kamanzi Ntakirutimana G.

School of Natural and Applied Sciences Kampala International University Uganda

ABSTRACT

Urbanization has transformed the relationship between humans and their environments, leading to significant shifts in traditional medicinal plant use. Traditional medicine, a cornerstone of cultural health practices, is increasingly threatened by the demographic transition from rural to urban areas. This paper examines how urbanization affects the use of medicinal plants, the preservation of ethnopharmacological knowledge, and the integration of traditional and modern healthcare systems. It examines challenges such as habitat destruction, cultural dilution, and access barriers while highlighting the role of urban herbalists and the commercialization of traditional remedies. Through case studies, this paper illustrates both the erosion and resilience of traditional medicinal knowledge in urbanized settings. Finally, it outlines strategies for sustainable integration of traditional medicinal plant use into urban health systems, emphasizing conservation, community engagement, and policy advocacy.

Keywords: Urbanization, Traditional medicinal plants, Ethnopharmacology, Healthcare integration, Cultural preservation, Sustainability.

CITE AS: Kamanzi Ntakirutimana G. (2025).The Impact of Urbanization on Traditional Medicinal Plant Use in Disease Management. RESEARCH INVENTION JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL AND APPLIED SCIENCES 5(1):47-50. https://doi.org/10.59298/RIJBAS/2025/514750