Volume 173, 15 September 2015, Pages 287–302
Abstract
Ethnopharmacological relevance:
Malaria is one of the most severe public health problems worldwide. It
is a leading cause of death and disease in many developing countries,
where young children and pregnant women are the groups most affected.
Spread of multidrug-resistant strains of Plasmodium and the
adverse side effects of the existing anti-malarial drugs have
necessitated the search for novel, well tolerated and more efficient
antimalarial drugs. This ethnomedicinal study surveyed the different
types of medicinal plants used for the treatment of malaria in Southern
Nigeria with the intent of identifying plants that are traditionally
employed in the treatment of malaria across geopolitical boundaries.
Materials and methods:
Data were collected from 79 respondents composed of 50 traditional
herbsellers and 29 herbal practitioners using a semi-structured
questionnaire. Data was analyzed using frequency and percentages.
Results:
Of the 79 respondents interviewed, 24% were males while 76% were
females. A total of 156 species belonging to 60 families were reported
being used to treat malaria in the study area. Fabaceae was the most
represented family having fourteen (14) plant species. Of the plants
identified during the survey, Azadirachta indica was the
species of highest relative frequency of citation (RFC – 1.0). The
dominant plant parts used in the preparation of remedies were leaves
(50.50%) and Decoction was the main method of preparation. Analysis of
regional plant occurrence revealed that South-Western Nigeria
represented the region with the highest plant occurrence (60.7%)
followed by South–South (24%) and South–East (15.3%). Regional
occurrence of plants used in the treatment of malaria in Southern
Nigeria is reported here for the first time.
Conclusion:
This study has documented a great diversity of plants used in the
treatment of malaria in Southern Nigeria. Extracts prepared strictly
according to the practitioners' recipes should therefore be screened for
antiplasmodial activity and toxicity by in vitro and in vivo
standard tests to justify their local usage. These studies might lead
to the isolation and possible identification of potentially active
compounds, which may be regarded as future promising phytomedicines in
the treatment of malaria. Conservation of these plant species is also
recommended to ensure their continuous availability for future use.
Graphical abstract
Keywords
- Ethnomedicinal survey;
- Medicinal plants;
- Malaria;
- Southern Nigeria;
- Regional occurrence;
- Relative frequency of citation
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