ETHNOMEDICINAL PLANT RESOURCES OF SOUTH
Gordian C. Obute
Department
of Plant Science and Biotechnology,
P.M.B. 5323,
E-mail:
goddie_chi@yahoo.com
Abstract
Common
plants used by the indigenous people of south eastern
The need to study medicinal plants,
according to (WHO 1978) cannot be overemphasized for a vista of reasons
including inter alia widespread use of plants in folk medicine,
rescuing traditional medicinal plants and knowledge about them from imminent
loss as well as the need for health for all. Since the first earth summit in
Medicinal plants are generally scattered
in various families of angiosperms, gymnosperms, pteridophytes, bryophytes and
thallophytes. It has been observed that traditional medicine practitioners tend
to hide the identity of plants used for different ailments largely for fear of
lack of patronage should the sufferer learn to cure himself. In order to
mystify their trade, cultivation of the plants is not encouraged, thus all the
collections are virtually from the wild.
With the passing away of most of these practitioners along with their wealth
of knowledge, a huge loss is made in the body of knowledge dealing with plants
that heal. Often the discerning ones try to relate this important information
to a few close relatives where any interest is shown. This mode of information
transfer is, however, grossly inadequate in that it lacks continuity. We have
aimed, in this study,
to document information on the common plant genetic resources
employed in the ethnomedicinal practice of the indigenous people of the
southeastern
Materials and methods
Field trips were embarked upon to
various traditional healing homes and popular herbalists followed with direct
collections from the wild at the local government area levels of the states in
southeastern
Samples not readily identified were
taken to the Plant Science and Biotechnology Department Herbarium in the
Results
This document focuses on some 35
medicinal plants scattered in 23 families of Angiosperms, with reported
medicinal importance to the people of southeastern
Table 1. A catalogue of some medicinal
plants and ethnomedicinal uses among the southeastern Nigerian people.
S/N |
Name |
Family |
Botanical description |
Habitat/ source |
Common/ vernacular (Igbo) names |
Medicinal use |
1. |
Acanthus Montanus (Nees) T. Anders |
Acanthaceae |
Perennial about 1.40m
high, body covered with tiny thorns, leaves dentately lobed with thorny
margin and opposite in arrangement. |
T / W |
False thistle/ Inyinyi ogwu |
Antitussive, Leaf decoction used to treat
chesty coughs and boils. |
2. |
Afromomum melegueta |
Zingiberaceae |
Perennial herb of about
3ft, with narrow leaves, fruits ovate with red-brown irregular seeds that
strongly aromatic and pungent to taste. |
T / W or C |
Alligator pepper/ ose oji |
Stimulant/Diuretic Crushed seeds mixed with
crushed bitter kola and water extract of bitter leaf all mixed with proper
amount of water is used to treat diabetes. Whole fruit eaten along with two
moderately sized ginger cures beri beri. 1 whole pepper added to 3 seeds of
ripe papaw, dried locus bean all ground to make soup is a remedy for female
infertility. |
3. |
Ageratum conyzoides Linn. |
Asteraceae |
Annual herb 30 – 80cm
tall, with opposite leaves with dentate margin and stem covered with fine
white hairs. |
W |
Goat weed / ula njula,
urata njele |
An infusion is used a
purgative. Sap squeezed from the leaves is used to treat wounds and eye
problems. |
4. |
Anarcadium occidentale Linn. |
Anarcadiaceae |
A spreading evergreen
tree of height up to 12m, often producing aromatic gum, leaves 20cm x 30cm,
yellowish-pink flowers, fruit thick pear-shaped pulpy and red or yellow when
ripe with a hard rusty green kidney-shaped nut at the tip. |
T / W, C |
Cashew / kanshuu |
1 – 2 drops of a tincture
applied 4 – 5 times a day treats ringworm infection. The bark and leaves used
as diuretic. |
5. |
Alstonia boonei DeWild. |
Apocynaceae |
A large tree of up to 30m and 3m in girth
with brown bark yielding copious latex when slashed, Leaves obovate, flowers
yellowish white fruit up to 60cm, pendulous. |
W |
/ Egbu |
Local application as
analgesic for rheumatic pains, bark is boiled with garlic and lime and taken
1 glass 3x daily. Juice extract mixed with lime and
a tinge of salt is used to treat mouth odour. |
6. |
Azadirachta indica A. Jussieu. |
Meliaceae |
An evergreen tree of up
to10 – 11m tall, leaves divided into leaflets, flowers small and white fruit
green or yellow 1.5 – 2cm long. Bark usually cracked up. |
C |
Neem / Dogoyaro |
Drinking or bathing with
leaf decoction or infusion is a remedy for chicken pox and small pox, Boiling
leaves with lemon grass treats malaria, used as a vermifuge, remedy for
ulcers and wounds. Juice squeezed from leaves with a little water is used as
an eye drop but if mixed with pure honey is good for ear ailments. Twig
chewed as a relief for toothache. |
7. |
Carica papaya L. |
Caricaceae |
Herbaceous dioecious
plant of up to 6m high, leaves bone on long petioles and palmate in shape.
Usually branched, the female often bears the fruits that are green and turn
orange- yellow when ripe. |
T / W, C |
Papaya, papaw / okpurukwa |
Unripe fruit mixed with
garlic and fermented for 3 days is used as a diuretic. Chewing a handful of
seeds morning and evening and ad decoction of unripe papaw with unripe
pineapple, lime, 10cm long sugar cane piece, 6 bags of Lipton tea in 4 liters
of water has antimalarial effects. Sap from unripe fruit or trunk is used to
treat eczema, razor bumps and nematode infestations. |
8. |
Chromolaena odorata (Linn) R. M. King & Robinson |
Asteraceae |
A perennial shrub with
simple leaves oppositely arranged, Inflorescence is a corymb with pale blue
flowers and whitish or mauve florets; stem scrambling and dichotomously
branched often giving off a characteristic smell. |
T / W |
|
Mashed leaf water extract
used for stomach upset, sap from leaves used to treat wounds. |
9. |
Citrus aurantifolia (Christm)
Swing. |
Rutaceae |
Profusely branched small
evergreen tree about 1.5 – 5m tall; thorny stem, ovate leaves,
yellowish-white flowers fruit aromatic, small pungently acidic. |
T / C |
Lime / oroma nkirisi |
Local application with
honey to cure catarrh, juice used to treat stomachache and feverish
conditions. |
10. |
Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f. |
Rutaceae |
Perennial tree growing up
to 3m tall. Leaves lanceolate or elliptical, and toothed; flowers white fruit
with thick rind dull yellow to orange when ripe. |
T / C |
Lemon / lemonu |
Infusion of the rind
prepared in alcohol is used for digestive disorders, juice used to treat
diarrhea, ulcers, excessive weight gain. Diluted juice used to treat spots,
scabs, wounds scars and insect bites. |
11. |
Corchorus olitorius L. |
Tiliaceae |
A glabrous herb often
woody at the base; leaves lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate simple, stem light
green in colour, flowers yellow, fruits pods |
T / W, C |
Vegetable Jute /Ahihiara |
Leaves
pounded with rubber leaves and mixed with a little water then filtered is taken to remedy irregular menstrual flow in women.
Leaf extracts by boiling is used for treating fevers. |
12 |
Costus afer Linn. |
Zingiberaceae |
A perennial herb with
tuberous rhizomes |
W |
Bush cane/ okpete |
|
13. |
Cymbopogon citratus
(DC.) Stapf. |
Poaceae |
A perennial grass about
2m tall, rarely flowers lower leaf sheaths with a characteristic waxy bloom,
mildly scented when cut. |
C |
Lemon grass / |
Used as an astringent,
diuretic and antiseptic. The leaf is boiled in 2 L of water for 30 – 40
minutes with 25 whole limes, 2 grape fruits, 2 unripe papaw fruits, and 2
unripe pineapples, cut garlic and the bark of Alstonia boonei
and used to treat typhoid fever. |
14. |
Diodia scandens Sw |
Rubiaceae |
A straggling herb with
slender angular stem up to 3m high, leaves scabrid, opposite ovate to
ovate-lanceolate, flowers white clustered in the axils, the fruit is an ovoid
capsule. |
W |
/ Onaedi |
Used with Napoleona
imperialis as a vermifuge for children; an infusion of the same
combination used for pregnant women and afterbirth treatment to clear the
womb. |
15. |
Ricinus communis L. |
Euphorbiaceae |
A glabrous shrub of about
9 - 12m high, reddish-green fruits that turn dark
when mature. The fruit is a 3–seeded capsule with spines. Leaves are palmate |
T / W, C |
Castor bean |
5-10g and15 – 30g of oil
used as a purgative for children and adults respectively. External
application of oil is used to treat skin infections. |
16. |
Elaeis guineeensis Jacq. |
Arecaceae |
A tall branchless tree
with huge pinnate leaves that are spiny at the base, flowers inconspicuous
and borne on pistillate and staminate inflorescences. Occurs mostly in
secondary forests. |
T / W, C |
Oil Palm tree/ nkwu, akwu |
Oil from the seeds is
administered as an antidote for poisons. Oil from the kernel used to treat
several skin ailments and convulsion in children. Unripe kernel is believed
to prevent fibroids when at least 25 – 30 nuts are chewed every day for 12
weeks. |
17. |
Eleusine indica (Linn) Gaertn. |
Poaceae |
An erect annual tufted
grass that grows up to 60cm. Leaves slightly hairy bears seeds in spikes. |
T / W |
Goosegrass, wiregrass /
Ichite |
Used as an
anti-inflammatory, and for convulsion in children. |
18. |
Emilia sonchifolia (Linn.) DC |
Asteraceae |
A bushy annual herb with
glaucous sparingly pubescent stems and leaves; inflorescence is an erect head
with mauve or creamy white florets. |
W |
Yellow tassel flower /
ogbunizu |
Fluid fro squeezed leaves
used to treat wounds because it contains coagulant factors |
19. |
Euphorbia hirta Linn. |
Euphorbiaceae |
An erect or decumbent
herb up to 45cm in height. Leaves are opposite narrowly –ovate and finely
toothed. Stem often covered with purplish –brown hairs. Inflorescence is a
dense axillary head with small pinkish flowers; fruit s a 3-chambered capsule
containing reddish-brown seeds. |
T / W |
Australian asthma plant,
garden spurge, spurge weed / ogwu asma, ahihia ugwa. |
Leaves used to treat
asthma and catarrh, external application for treatment of eczema. Speculated
to be a cure for aids since it stimulates the immune system. |
20. |
Garcinia Kola Heckel |
Guttiferae |
Evergreen tree of up to
33m tall, thick slash and grayish- brown bark and buttressed trunk. Leaves
opposite with pale midribs. Greenish-white flowers and orange-coloured fruit,
carrying brown seeds embedded in pulp. |
T /W |
Bitter cola / aku ilu,
agbu ilu. |
Seeds are chewed to treat
bronchitis and throat infections. An infusion of the root with a little salt
is a remedy for asthma. |
21. |
Harungana madaga- scariensis |
Hypericaceae |
A shrub or small tree
with numerous tiny flowers and oppositely arranged ovate or rounded leaves up
10 x 20cm with prominent lateral nerves beneath. |
T /W |
/ Otori |
Gummy sap is applied
locally to treat skin diseases like itches and leprous spots. |
22. |
Mangifera Indica Linn. |
Anarcadiaceae |
Large tree up to 30m
high, simple alternately arranged. Young leaves are wine coloured but later
turn green. Inflorescence is a panicle with inconspicuous cream flowers:
fruit is a drupe with fibrous edible mesocarp. Stem produces a gum when
cut. |
T / W, C |
Mango / mangoro |
Boiling of leaves in
water and drinking the resultant solution is a cure for malaria; Bark is
soaked for 24huors and the water extract is used, along with bathing with
this 3x a day, to treat typhoid fever. |
23. |
Manihot esculenta Crantz |
Euphorbiaceae |
A perennial shrub growing
up to 1 – 3m tall or more with erect knobby leaf scars. The palmately
compound leaves tend to crowd around the top while lower ones are shed. The
flowers are small and cream coloured and bone as axillary racemes. |
T/ C |
Cassava /Akpu, jigbo,
Ugboro, jiaphu. |
Premature roots are used
to treat eye problems. |
24. |
Napoleona Imperialis P.Beauv. |
Lecythidaceae |
A tree or shrub seldom grows
above 6m with large leaves. Flower are showy and of variable colours but
usually cream. |
T / W |
Vogel’s Napoleona / Nnekeloche, abakalabaka |
An infusion of the leaves
is used to dissolve clotted blood in freshly delivered women; but used as a
vermifuge for children. Stem is used to cure gonorrhea while the roots are
used to fevers. |
25. |
Newbouldia Laevis (Beauv.) Seeman ex Bureau |
Bignoniaceae |
A tree of secondary
forests grows up to 12m with nearly erect mode of branching. Leaves compound
leathery broadly elliptic. Flowers purplish-pink, the fruit is a capsule that
splits in half to release winged seeds. |
T / W, C |
Smooth Newbouldia /
ogirisi |
Leaves are squeezed and
the extract use to treat eye problems. Roots, barks and leaves are used
during childbirth, constipation and on septic wounds. |
26. |
Ocimum gratissimum L. |
Labiateae |
A shrub of about 50 –80cm
tall, leaves are ovate, serrate and opposite in arrangement. Flowers are
white in colour. |
T / C |
The tea bush, Scent leaf
/ Nchuanwu. |
A glass of leaf extract
taken before a meal is a remedy for constipation as well as worms in the GIT.
As treatment for diabetes mellitus, the same amount of O. gratissimum
leaves and mistletoe Viscum album in water taken a glass 3x daily until the symptoms disappear. |
27 |
Palisota hirsuta (Thumb.) K. Schum. |
Commelinaceae |
An herb of regrowth areas
that grows up to 3 – 4 m high. The leaves are in rosette usually at the tip
of the axis; flowers are white to purplish, fruits are glossy black in
colour. |
T / W |
/ ikpere aturu |
Leaves and stem are used
in treating rheumatism arthritis if taken as an infusion. |
28. |
Gangronema latifolium Benth. |
Asclepiadaceae |
Climbing shrub with ovate
to ovate-rotundate leaves; flowers occur as racemes arranged in follicles
along the branches of inflorescence. |
T / W, C |
/ Utazi |
Used for cleansing the
womb after childbirth, the leaves are ground or chewed raw to treat stubborn
cough and also taken to treat running stomach. |
29. |
Piper nigrum Schum.
& Thonn. |
Piperaceae |
A climber growing up to
30 – 40ft high on trees, racemous flowers produce red fruits that turn brown
later, leaves are cordate and alternately arranged. |
W |
/ Uziza |
Used to stabilize the
womb in women after birth. |
30 |
Psidium guajava Linn. |
Myrtaceae |
This is shrubby tree with
smooth but flecking bark with simple entire oppositely arranged leaves;
flowers are white and several shades of colurs of pulps are formed in the
fruits. Usually yield numerous seeds. |
T / C |
Guava / gova |
Leaves are soaked in salt
water washed and squeezed and product made up with fresh water to give a
greenish liquid that is taken one glass 2x daily for
one week to increase blood level. A decoction of 50g of the leaves and bark
of the root is made in one liter of water and taken a glass every 4 hours to
cure diarrhea and dysentery. |
31. |
Sida acuta Burm. f. |
Malvaceae |
An erect branched small
perennial herb with hairy woody stem. Leaves are lanceolate, alternate and toothed at the
margins. |
T / W |
Broom weed / udo, nsi
inyinya |
The stem is used to treat
malaria. |
32. |
Telfairia occidentalis Hook. f. |
Cucurbitaceae |
This is a perennial herb
that creeps. Leaves are palmately lobed and fruits are ridged deeply and very
large typical of the gourd family. |
T / C |
Fluted pumpkin / Ugu |
Leaves are squeezed in
water and taken to treat dizziness and anaemia. Roots are potent poisons. |
33. |
Vernonia amygdalina |
Asteraceae |
A small shrub with
silvery stem and leaves with a characteristic bitter taste. Inflorescence is
a capitulum producing dirty white flowers. It is vegetatively propagated. |
T / C |
Bitter leaf / Onugbu |
Squeezing the leaves and
mixing the product with palm wine and rubbing the body down together with
drinking a glass daily cures measles, small pox and chicken pox. If mixed
with lime and orange juice and taken for a fortnight is a cure for pile. Root
epidermis is used to treat diarrhea. The sap from the leaf is an antifungal
agent. |
34. |
Dacryoides edulis |
Burseraceae |
A medium sized tree
growing up to 18m with a scaly slash producing a resinous gum. The fruits are
pink to pale red when unripe but blue to blue-black when ripe. |
T / C |
Native pear / Ube |
Resin from the stem is
used to treat skin parasites; the fruit is eaten as a remedy for heat
conditions. |
35. |
Alchornia cordifolia |
Euphorbiaceae |
A shrub ………. |
T / W |
Christmas bush |
Leaves are chewed or
squeezed and drank to treat eye conditions; root epidermis is a good bitter. |
N.B. T = terrestrial, W = wild and C = cultivated.
Discussion
The results of this study show that more medicinal plants are sourced from the wild than are cultivated regardless of how medicinally important they are to the people of southeastern Nigeria. For those that are cultivated the extent is still rudimentary as no large-scale production is involved. Even less still is the proportion of these plants obtained from the wild and also cultivated. Obviously this tells a story of how these plant genetic resources are managed unsustainably in this part of the world. Naranjo (1995) advocated an urgent need to study these medicinal plants with the note that there is an abject neglect of this highly endangered but cheap alternative health care resource. As many young people get more out of the countryside for life in the urban centers even the meager cultivation is further threatened with further neglect just as the wild-sourced ones are faced with threats of gene eroding anthropogenic activities and environmental degradation. Unfortunately, little or no conservation strategies are in place to safeguard these plants. As noted by Herdberg and Herdberg (1992) knowledge of what to conserve is necessary in deciding on a programme of action. Most of these genetic resources are for now largely undocumented and the indigenous knowledge of their relevance is steadily being lost. This is because of either no initiative at preventing this or the little effort in place is fraught with the usual tardiness occasioned by official bureaucracy. Obute and Osuji (2002) opined that as nothing is done to protect our environment we shall wake one day to see that it is too late to save what is left by this onslaught on nonrenewable resources and regrettably to our eternal loss.
The results further highlight the
need to harmonize traditional medicine practice with the orthodox practice
rather than the disdain with which the later considers the former, in this part
of the globe. This is obvious in the
face of not only in the interdependence of the two but also for the fact that a greater number of people
have it as their only available healthcare service as the orthodox is far
removed from them. Furthermore, the traditional approach often treats some
ailments that have defiled modern medical practice. Ayodele (2005) challenged
Nigerian taxonomists and conservation biologists to rise up to the task of
properly identifying and conserving these important genetic resources, we
extend this challenge to all stakeholders in the commodity called environment
to do the necessary now before it is too late. Apart from direct traditional
utility of these genetic resources allopathic medicine is now taking recourse
to traditional medicines because of its cheapness and availability to a greater
percent of the world’s population. It is hoped that further research will be
generated from this effort as done elsewhere like
Like all peoples of the world the southeastern Nigerians have their rich traditional or folk medicine that needs to be properly organized and formerly integrated into the regular healthcare delivery system.
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