Ethnobotanical survey and chemical composition analysis of plants used for the management of snakebite symptoms in cattle by herdsmen in Saki and Ogbomoso Agricultural Zones, Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Snakebite is a significant menace that affects arable farmers, cattle herdsmen, their animals and other agricultural workers in rural communities globally. Some plant species have been found to have medicinal qualities, including physiologically active compounds with potential therapeutic benefits. This study was designed to identify and evaluate the chemical composition of the plant species used for the management of snakebite symptoms by cattle herdsmen in Saki and Ogbomoso Agricultural Zones of southwest Nigeria. Based on the sizeable population of Fulani herdsmen and the diversity of plant species in the study area, a purposeful sampling technique was utilized. The study was carried out between September 2017 and March 2018, using the snowball sampling technique to sample 100 Fulani herdsmen. Socio-demographic data collected through semi-structured questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The age of the respondents ranged from 11 to 60 years. The majority (98%) were married, while all the respondents possessed informal education. The predominant religion followed by the respondents was Islam (99%). Specifically, the respondents recognized the plant species using their local names. In this study, the plant parts, the method of preparation and the mode of administration of the identified plant species were highlighted. Moreover, the chemical constituents of the extracts of the mentioned plant species were identified using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS). For snakebite treatment, five commonly-used plant species and their respective prevalence were: Securidaca longepedunculata (29%), Piliostigma thonningii (24%), Vitellaria paradoxa (23%), Laccosperma secundiflorum (17%) and Ficus exasperata (7%). Leaves and stem bark were the plant parts prepared as decoction, while the mode of administration was predominantly oral. Securidaca longepedunculata had the highest Factor of Informant Consensus (FIC), 0.879, while the least FIC (0.429) was obtained for F. exasperata. The major compounds found in at least three of the five plant species were dihydroactinolide (0.66%–3.41%), coumaran (0.46%–4.52%), dodecane (1.27%–18.39%), alloaromandendrene (1.13%–2.07%), p-thymol (0.57%–1.23%), spathulenol (1.12%–17.16%), 9-Eicosyne (4.58%–21.08%), hexahydrofarnesylacetone (1.08%–7.73%), dioctyl ketone (0.91%–2.12%), phytol (2.88%–4.58%), farnesyl acetone (1.55%–5.56%), and granylgeraniol (1.43%–3.71%). In summary, this study provides scientific baseline information that is useful for veterinary pharmacology in the synthesis of drugs that can be used for the management of snakebite symptoms. • Plant species used to treat snakebite in cattle were identified. • They were Piliostigma sp , Securidaca sp , Laccosperma sp , Vitellaria sp and Ficus sp. • Preparation and administration modes were decoction and oral, respectively. • Total number of compounds identified via GCMS ranged from 39 to 65. • Common compounds included dodecane, spathulenol, phytol and 9-eicosyne.