Indigenous medicinal plants used in folk medicine for malaria treatment in Kwara State, Nigeria: an ethnobotanical study

Scoping review of ethnobotanical studies on Piliostigma thonningii (Schumach.) Milne-Redh. in Sub-Saharan Africa

Background

Piliostigma thonningii is a plant commonly used in traditional medicinal practices throughout Sub-Saharan Africa for the treatment of various ailments, such as respiratory infections, gastrointestinal and inflammatory disorders. Several studies have documented ethnobotanical uses of this plant in different countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Aim

This study critically reviews the ethnobotanical uses mainly focusing on traditional medicinal uses of P. thonningii in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods

A scoping review following the guidelines of Arksey and O'Malley was used to conduct this study. Various databases were used for searching for relevant articles and were handled in the reference manager EndNote. The data extraction focused on the links between P. thonningii and ethnobotanical uses in Sub-Saharan Africa. A descriptive analysis highlighted the years of publication, countries of publication, study designs, study participants, plant parts used, the diseases treated or managed, and how the plants are prepared or administered.

Results

Of the 46 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, only 14 have published studies on the ethnobotanical uses of P. thonningii. Notably, Nigeria emerged as a leader in this field, with the most publications. The results also highlight that leaves are the most common part of the plant used and that remedies are mostly prepared as a decoction, with the plant being popularly used to treat malaria.

Conclusion and recommendation

This scoping review provides a comprehensive overview of traditional healing practices using P. thonningii in Sub-Saharan Africa and reveals substantial knowledge gaps across the region. However, the study revealed limitations such as lack of standardization on methods used to prepare remedies and dosages.

Aqueous extract of Enantia chlorantha Oliv. demonstrates antimalarial activity and improves redox imbalance and biochemical alterations in mice

BACKGROUND

Malaria is an infectious disease, which has continued to cause inconceivable loss of lives every year, almost unabatedly. Currently, it has become more difficult to treat the disease due to the emergence and spread of resistance to recommended antimalarial drugs. This situation necessitates an urgent search for antimalarial compounds with unique modes of action. Here, we investigate the antimalarial activity, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity of Enantia chlorantha aqueous stem bark extract (EcASBE) in vivo.

METHODS

The extract was screened for selected phytoconstituents including alkaloids and flavonoids. We evaluated the antimalarial activity of EcASBE against Plasmodium berghei NK65 infection in mice, using curative, prophylactic, and suppressive antimalarial test models, respectively. In addition, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the extract were assessed.

RESULTS

The EcASBE significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited parasitaemia dose-dependently, with the highest inhibition (80.4%) and prolonged survival (MST = 20) observed in the curative test. Our findings reveal significant (p < 0.05) improvement of serum ALT, AST, ALP, GGT, and levels of TNF-α, creatinine and urea following extract administration. Furthermore, the extract led to a significant (p < 0.05) rise in the levels of CAT, SOD, GPx, and GSH, with a concomitant reduction in NO and MDA levels.

CONCLUSION

The antimalarial, antioxidative, antiperoxidative, and inflammatory-inhibiting properties of the plant in infected mice demonstrate its great value for therapeutic intervention, and substantiate its use in traditional medicine for malaria treatment. Hence, further investigation to identify the repertoire of the active antimalarial components is warranted.

Maganin Gargajiya: Assessing the Benefits, Challenges, and Evidence of Traditional Medicine in Nigeria

In Nigeria, traditional medicine, commonly called "Maganin Gargajiya," holds a significant place in the healthcare system and is widely used due to its cultural relevance, accessibility, and perceived efficacy. This review seeks to evaluate whether traditional medicine is a net benefit or risk to public health. It will explore the pros, such as the care provided by traditional healers, and the cons, including delays in seeking conventional treatment and the potential health risks associated with unregulated herbal remedies. This article synthesizes existing studies on traditional medicine in Nigeria, evaluating both the benefits and risks associated with its use, based on secondary data analysis. The review aims to provide a balanced perspective on the role of traditional medicine in Nigeria, examining whether it should be integrated into, regulated alongside or divorced completely from modern healthcare to improve overall patient outcomes and safety.

Traditionally used medicinal plants for human ailments and their threats in Guraferda District, Benchi-Sheko zone, Southwest Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

The field of traditional medicine encompasses a wide range of knowledge, skills, and practices that are deeply rooted in the theories, beliefs, and experiences of different cultures. The research aimed to identify traditional medicinal plants used in Guraferda District and assess the threats they face.

METHOD

A total of 96 individuals, 80 males and 16 females, were interviewed to gather ethnobotanical data. Statistical tests like independent t tests, ANOVA, correlation, and regression were conducted using R software version 4.3.2 to compare informant groups.

RESULT

The study found 81 medicinal plant species in the district from 71 genera and 38 families, with Asteraceae and Solanaceae families having the most species. Leaves were the most commonly used plant part for medicine. Significant differences in plant knowledge were observed across genders, age groups, education levels, and experiences. The highest ICF value was for Dermal and Cutaneous ailments, and Cissampelos mucronata A. Rich and Bidens pilosa L. had the highest fidelity levels.

CONCLUSION

The study highlighted the importance of traditional medicinal plants in treating ailments but noted threats like overharvesting, habitat destruction, and climate change. Conservation efforts and sustainable harvesting practices are crucial to ensure the availability of these plants for future generations. Further research is needed to explore their potential for modern medicine and develop sustainable use strategies.

A review of ethnobotanical studies reveals over 500 medicinal plants in Mindanao, Philippines

Medicinal plants have long been used to treat various diseases in both indigenous and non-indigenous populations of Mindanao, Philippines. Here, we extracted data from ethnobotanical studies to compile a comprehensive list of these medicinal plants and identify how and for what purpose they are most commonly used. We identified 530 verified medicinal plant species across 372 genera in 118 families. The two most frequently cited species were Euphorbia hirta and Psidium guajava. The most represented family was Fabaceae and the most represented genus was Ficus. A total of 28 medicinal plant species are designated as threatened at the national or global level; of these, 11 are endemic to the Philippines. Medicinal plant preparations most commonly use leaves for oral administration to treat various diseases such as digestive issues, including diarrhea. This study underscores the need for further ethnobotanical investigations, particularly in areas lacking records. It also emphasizes the need for conservation of threatened and endemic medicinal plants to ensure sustainable utilization of this valuable resource.

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the Yi people in Mile, Yunnan, China

BACKGROUND

The Yi people are a sociolinguistic group living in Mile City, which is their typical settlement in southeastern Yunnan, China. Over the long history of using medicinal plants, the Yi people have accumulated and developed a wealth of traditional medicinal knowledge, which has played a vital role in their health care. However, only a few studies have been performed to systematically document the medicinal plants commonly used by the Yi people. This study provides fundamental data for the development and application of ethnomedicine as well as supports the conservation of the traditional medical knowledge of the Yi people.

METHODS

This study was conducted from May 2020 to August 2022 and involved five townships in Mile. Information regarding medicinal plants was obtained through semistructured interviews, key informant interviews, and participatory observation. The collected voucher specimens were identified using the botanical taxonomy method and deposited in the herbarium. Ethnobotanical data were analyzed using informant consensus factor, relative frequency of citation, and fidelity level.

RESULTS

In total, 114 informants distributed in five townships of Mile were interviewed. The Yi people used 267 medicinal plant species belonging to 232 genera and 104 families to treat various diseases. Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, and Fabaceae were the most commonly used plant families by the Yi people. In addition, herbs were most commonly used by the Yi people. Whole plants and roots were the preferred medicinal parts. Decoctions were the most common method of herbal medicine preparation. There are 49 different recorded diseases treated by Yi medicinal plants, and among them, respiratory diseases, rheumatism, traumatic injury, fractures, and digestive system diseases have the largest number of species used. A quantitative analysis demonstrated that plants such as Zingiber officinale, Lycopodium japonicum, Aconitum carmichaelii, Panax notoginseng, Cyathula officinalis, and Leonurus japonicus played crucial roles in disease prevention and treatment.

CONCLUSION

Traditional knowledge of medicinal plants is closely associated with the social culture of the local Yi people. The medicinal plants used for health care in the study area were diverse. Local healers were skilled at using medicinal plants to treat various diseases. Their treatment methods were convenient and unique, exhibiting distinctive regional characteristics. However, the inheritance of their traditional medicinal knowledge and protection of wild medicinal plant resources are facing serious challenges, including the decreasing number of local healers, aging of healers, lack of successors, and excessive harvesting of medicinal plant resources. This ethnobotanical survey provides a useful reference for the sustainable utilization and protection of medicinal plant resources in Mile and the inheritance of traditional medicinal knowledge of the Yi people.