Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Sustainable use of Medicinal Plants for Health

Katu Amina H.

School of Natural and Applied Sciences Kampala International Uganda

ABSTRACT

Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is an invaluable repository of environmental understanding, deeply embedded in cultural heritage and oral traditions. This paper examines the sustainable use of medicinal plants through TEK, emphasizing its historical resilience, cultural significance, and conservation potential. Indigenous communities worldwide have long utilized medicinal plants for healthcare, passing down knowledge that ensures both efficacy and ecological sustainability. However, modernization, globalization, and habitat loss threaten this knowledge system. By examining biodiversity conservation, sustainable harvesting methods, and successful case studies, this study underscores the urgent need to integrate TEK with modern ecological and biomedical practices. Such integration can enhance global healthcare systems and biodiversity conservation, fostering a more sustainable and inclusive approach to health and environmental stewardship.

Keywords: Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), medicinal plants, indigenous knowledge, biodiversity conservation, sustainable harvesting, ethnobotany.

CITE AS: Katu Amina H. (2025). Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Sustainable use of Medicinal Plants for Health. RESEARCH INVENTION JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN MEDICAL SCIENCES 4(1):29-35.  https://doi.org/10.59298/RIJRMS/2025/412935