ETHNOBOTANICAL SURVEY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS USED IN THE TREATMENT OF CANCER IN DUTSIN-MA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA

Oluwole Okunola,T Ali,O M Bello

doi:10.33003/fjs-2020-0402-237

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological surveys showed that herbal remedies and their products are mostly preferred type of alternative and complementary medicine (ACM) globally. In Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area (LGA) like other places herbal remedies are popularly employed against many ailment including tumor and cancer. Therefore, this study aimed to report and document the ethnobotanical survey of the plants used in the management of tumor and cancer in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area of Katsina State, Nigeria. Traditional medicine practitioners (TMPs) living within the area of study were cross-examined by employing questionnaires forms and key informant survey. Forty-two (42) different plant species were discovered to be employed against cancer and tumor management. The results obtained showed the parts of plant used for the herbs include; roots (4), bark (10), whole plant (13), seeds (5), fruits (3), stem (1) and leaves (6). The plant families Leguminosae caesalpinoideae and Leguminosae mimosoideae appeared more in the ethno-surveyed plant list though other families are involved. Many of these plants are mix together as storehouses for active compounds which may be good template for cancer and tumor management. The preparation of the remedies include; grinding to powder form then dispersing in either water or milk for drinking, or either mix with shear butter or water and administered on the affected part of the body. The reports showed that the herbal remedies indentified are effective for the treatment of cancer in Dutsin-Ma local government area. Hence, it is imperative for ethnobotanists and chemists to establish the toxicity and efficacy of these 

Highlights

Cancer is one of the principal cause of death globally, world’s second leading cause of death and is responsible for reported deaths of 9.6 million in 2018
Cancer is no respect for age or social status, the young and the old as well as the poor and the rich are susceptible to infection (Independent News, 2017).World Health Organization (WHO) report indicates that Nigeria has an estimated 10,000 cancer deaths annually, with no few than 250,000 new cases being recorded yearly
Fabaceae or Leguminosae is with over 600 genera and 17 900 species, it is renown to be the third largest family of flowering plants, followed by Orchidaceae and Asteraceae or Compositae. Plants of this family are rich in phytoconstituents which make them effective therapeutic agents for various diseases.Secondary metabolites from the plants of this family have been reported for their cytotoxicity against various human cancer cells (Kumar et al, 2011; Rayanil et al, 2011)

Summary

Introduction

Cancer is one of the principal cause of death globally, world’s second leading cause of death and is responsible for reported deaths of 9.6 million in 2018. Cancer is no respect for age or social status, the young and the old as well as the poor and the rich are susceptible to infection (Independent News, 2017).World Health Organization (WHO) report indicates that Nigeria has an estimated 10,000 cancer deaths annually, with no few than 250,000 new cases being recorded yearly. There is little report on the vast indigenous unexplored medicinal plants of Dutsin-Ma, Local Government Area (LGA), Katsina State despite its rich ethnomedicinal heritage. This calls for survey of medicinal plants of the study area in order to generate a data base for anti-cancer plants.

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