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Ehnobotanical
Leaflets 13: 1409-1416. 2009. Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants in West
Kordofan (Western Sudan) I.G.
Doka and� S. M. Yagi* ���
Department
of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Khartoum, P.O. Box 321,
Khartoum. Sudan *Corresponding author E-mail address: sakinayagi@yahoo.com Issued 01 November 2009 Abstract ������������� The aim of the present study was
primarily to evaluate the medicinal uses of the plants known to some western
Kordofan tribes and to encourage preservation
of their culture, conservation and sustainable utilization of the plant
wealth. The present study revealed a record of 49 plant species belonging to
26 families which are used in the folk medicine of West Kordofan, Sudan. It
is believed to be a form of healthcare in many aspects of curing practices.
The plants were arranged alphabetically by their family name followed by
species name, local name, parts used, mode of preparation and medicinal uses.
This wisdom available with the tribes is transmitted only through oral
communication therefore needs conservation. Key words:� Medicinal plants; Ethnobotany; West
Kordofan. Introduction � �������������Western Kordofan, an area in
Sudan, is located between latitude 270 E and 300 E.
Climatically, it is characterized by a long dry period (October-May) and a
shorter period of precipitation (June-September). The average annual rainfall
ranges for ��������������� The population of this area
is 768 000 inhabitants, 154 000 of whom are urban sedentary and 70 000
nomads, spending the dry season in the southern of the Sudan and migrating to
the north with advent of the rainy season. The Department of Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants at the National Centre for Research in Sudan has drawn an
urgent short term objective to issue an atlas of medicinal plants used in
Sudanese folk medicine (El Ghazali, 1987; El Ghazali et al., 1994; El Ghazali et
al., 1997; El Ghazali, 1998; El Ghazali et al., 2003). Ethnobotanically, Western Kordofan area remains
unexplored and no comprehensive account of traditional local remedies is
available. The only work existing for a few areas of
this region is compiled by EL-Ghazali et al., 1997 and. EL-Kamali,
2009. ����������������� The purpose of the present
study was to document the indigenous medicinal plants used by the locals of
West Kordofan with emphasis on those have never been
described in the ethnobotanical literature of Sudan or with new therapeutic
uses. The scant
knowledge concerning medicinal plants prompted investigation on intensive
search of systematic study to better understanding of traditional healing. � Materials and Methods �������������� The current ethnopharmacological
survey was conducted among 31 local practitioners in different regions of
West Kordofan Area, included Babanusa, Muglad, Rigl EL Fula, Lagawa, EI
Meiram. EI Tubn, EI Odaya, Ed Dibah, Abu EI Kiri, Namatein, Nama, Dambloya,
Tundy, Bajaj and Umm Jack (Fig.1).� The
choice of the individual informant to be interviewed was of fundamental
importance to the reliability of the gathered information. We only selected
practitioners who utilized medicinal plants as part or all of their
therapeutic activity, and who were regarded as professional. Questions
addressed to the informants were mainly focused on local names, ailments and
diseases treated, therapeutic part(s) of plants used and methods of
preparation. A therapeutically efficacious effect was accepted if use is
mentioned by at least three different informants. ������������� Botanical specimens of recorded
plants were collected and materials were mounted on herbarium sheet, and then
deposited in the Herbarium of Botany Department, Faculty of Science,
University of Khartoum. Identification was determined using the available
relevant African Flora with special attention to scientific publications of
Sudan and neighbouring countries (El Amin, 1990; Andrews, 1950, 1952, 1956;
Berge and Hijam Maria, 1898; Broun
and Massey, 1929; Hutchinson
and Dalziel, 1968; Maydell, 1990; Ross, 1975) and by means of a comparison
with herbarium specimens conserved in the Herbaria of Botany Department and
that of Soba Forests Research Centre. Results and Discussion ��� ����������Information obtained from the analysis
including the folk therapeutical data was compared with those of the atlas of
medicinal plants used in Sudanese folk medicine. 49 plant species belong to
26 families was reported with further emphasis on their vernacular names,
popular uses, parts used and methods of preparation. These plant species were
arranged alphabetically by their families and botanical names (Table 1). ������������� The plants listed in Table 1
include remedies for treating skin diseases, digestive system diseases,
urinary and the respiratory systems diseases and antidotes for treatment of
scorpion and snake strokes. Also, species like Mitragyna inermis
(bark), Balanites aegyptiaca (leaves) and Terminalia laxiflora
(bark) were used for the treatment of malaria. However,
for some species, there is evidence in the literature that the mode of
application being practised by the local people is likely to be effective.
For example, in the traditional medicine, the bark powder of Albizzia
anthelmintica is used as anthelmintic which coincides by the
pharmacological validation of Galal et
al., 1991a and b) and Koko (2000). The prevalence of numerous endemic diseases,
malnutrition, poverty and increasing cost of personal healthcare emphasizes
the role played by folklore medicine as revealed by the study conducted in
Western Kordofan. ������������� Moreover, we
observed that, knowledge of medicinal plant use among the young was less well
developed and negatively correlated with the level of informant education.
Our observation suggests that the educated, usually younger people tend to
migrate to more lucrative jobs away from the villages. As western Kordofan traditional
medical knowledge is orally passed down via lifestyle, it is important to
exhaustively document and publicize medicinal plant knowledge within the
young generation to raise awareness of and appreciation for their traditional
values and for the conservation and sustainable use of the plants as well as
to keep the traditional medical knowledge left in their community alive. In this context, it may be
important that personal contacts with natural areas not only provide learning
opportunities but also motivate people to protect their environment; thus,
the natural setting seems to be central to the acquisition of traditional
plant knowledge. In conclusion, folklore medicine in Western Kordofan may constitute an important
component of the health care system. However, more than 30% of these species
are endangered species. This calls for efforts for the protection and
conservation of these species. Further, the claimed therapeutical values of
the reported species call for thorough investigation and modern scientific
studies to establish their safety and identify the active ingredients. Acknowledgement ��������� We appreciate Dr El Sheikh Abd Alla
El Sheikh, Soba Forests Research Centre, for his help and interest in this
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&� Co.Ltd., Arbroath, Scotland. Andrews, F.W. 1952. The flowering plants of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Vol.II Buncle
& Co. Ltd, Abroath, Scotland. Andrews, F.W. 1956. The flowering Plants of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Vol.III. Buncle
& Co.Ltd, Arbroath, Scotland. Berge, C.C. and Hijam Maria E.E. 1898. Flora of Tropical
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537-537. Galal, M., Bashir, A.K., Salih, A.M. and Adam, S. E. 1991. Activity of water extracts of Albizzia anthelminthica and A. lebbek barks against experimental Hyenolepis diminuta.infection in rats. J. Ethnopharmacology 31 (3): 333-337. Hutchinson, J.
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GTZ, Germany. Ross, J.H. 1975. Flora of South Africa, Vol. 16 Part I. The Government Printer,
Pretoria. �������������������������������������� Fig. 1.
Location map of Western Kordofan, Sudan
Table 1: Medicinal plants used in West Kordofan.
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