Ethnobotanical plants used for fertility control and delivery enhancement among Akoko and Ose Aborigines in Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The aboriginal people in parts of Akoko and Ose areas of Ondo State have dialectical convergence, which is a peculiar greeting known as ''HAO''. The people revel in their knowledge of herbal medicine and efficacy of herbs especially for fertility, pregnancy controls and delivery enhancement processes. In the developed countries, fertility control and ease of childbirth are controlled through orthodox practice, while in the developing countries, traditional methods are sometimes adopted. On this basis, an ethnobotanical survey was conducted among the HAO people, to identify and document medicinal plants used for fertility control and delivery enhancement processes. Traditional medical practitioners, traditional birth attendants, herb sellers, traders, and farmers in the respective Local Governments were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. A sample size of 300 respondents was randomly selected. The questionnaire considered the local plants' names, common names, species, families, plants parts used, and methods of preparation and administration. Data obtained were processed and subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences (p< 0.05) among species occurrence and location for both fertility control and delivery enhancement processes. Occurrence of species for fertility control and delivery enhancement processes ranged from the lowest in Citrus sinensis (0.67) and Acanthus montanus (0.67), to the highest in Sida acuta (13.33) and Carica papaya (7.33) respectively. The results also revealed that 27 plant species belonging to 19 families were responsible for delivery enhancement processes, while 20 plant species belonging to 15 families were responsible for fertility control. Four (4) species of Malvaceae and Euphorbiaceae were responsible for delivery enhancement processes and fertility control. Since ethno-medicines are affordable, accessible and available to all, it is therefore recommended that there should be experimental validation of efficacy, establishment of effective dosage and prompt revitalization strategy to protect indigenous knowledge from complete desertion.