Ethnobotanical survey of plants used in the treatment of typhoid and its complication(s) in Esan North East Local Government Area, Uromi, Edo State

Abstract

Background: Medicinal plants played a key role in the health maintenance of local residents; an ethnobotanical survey might help to preserve the traditional information and knowledge on the medicinal uses of these plants

Objective: To obtain an inventory of major medicinal plants used traditionally for the management of typhoid fever and its associated illnesses from Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo state.

Materials and methods: The use of semi-structured questionnaire was adopted to obtain relevant ethnomedicinal data. A total of seventy-one (71) questionnaires were administered to obtain ethnobotanical information on the plants used in the treatment of typhoid and its associated diseases such as dysentery, malaria, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea etc.

Results: A total of 71 respondents (traditional healers, herb sellers, mothers, elders and others) in the communities were interviewed. Many of the respondents claimed to have inherited their knowledge of herbal treatment from their ancestors and training. The plants obtained were identified in Forest Herbarium Ibadan and Ambrose Alli University herbarium, Ekpoma. A total of forty-eight plants mentioned from thirty-three families were collected. These families include: Asteraceae, Rutaceae, Apocynaceae and others. Most of the recipes are used in combination for proper treatment of typhoid fever. Methods of administration were concoction, decoction, infusions and paste.

Conclusion: Results from the survey reveals different herbs used in the treatment of typhoid and related diseases. The study further gives credence to ethnobotanical survey as relevant tool in natural product drug discovery and documentation.

Keywords: Ethnobotanical survey, Typhoid, complication