Abstract
Regardless of the high value of medicinal plants to residents of Cross River State in health maintenance especially for the treatment of “ailments of utmost native importance”, the major constraint is the uncertainty of the availability of the herbs and knowledge of traditional medicine still being passed by word of mouth. For better reliance on the plant species as medicine, this research seeks to identify and infer on the population and distribution of the species used in their treatment and documents them. Data were collected using field work and oral interviews. The survey team comprised of Taxonomists, survey assistants, five trado-medical herbal practitioners and the Authors. The status and geographical distribution of the identified medicinal plant species was appalling, 59 percent of the medicinal plant species were distributed in 3 out of 15 sampled plots. Causal factors included over misuse of therapeutic plant species, habitats destruction and absence of proper conservation education of the masses. Recommendations are that Communities should set up therapeutic plants farms, enrichment planting be made in agricultural fields and sustainable harvesting methods used.
Highlights
The use of plants as medicine otherwise known as traditional medicine (TM), dates as far back as the origin of human kind
Regardless of the high value of medicinal plants to residents of Cross River State in health maintenance especially for the treatment of “ailments of utmost native importance”, the major constraint is the uncertainty of the availability of the herbs and knowledge of traditional medicine still being passed by word of mouth
Khaya ivorensis was used in the treatment of snake bite, partial stroke and infertility and gynaecological problems while Afromomum malequeta was used in treating snake bite and partial stroke
Summary
The use of plants as medicine otherwise known as traditional medicine (TM), dates as far back as the origin of human kind. In the past two decades, there has been a world resurgence of interest in traditional medicine for the treatment of ailments that defy orthodox medicine (ailments of utmost native importance) primarily because many diseases developed resistance to conventional drugs these ailments are better treated with the use of medicinal plants. Fracture and dislocation for instance have led to patients at discharge after treatment with conventional drugs suffers periodic pains in the affected parts. The climax of it is situations whereby metallic structures are built into human legs to provide needed strength but suffers total collapse after series of years
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