Use of medicinal plants for the treatment of gastric ulcer in some parts of Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Ulcer is erosion in the lining of the stomach or duodenum. It is caused by disruption of the gastric mucosal defense and repair systems. There has been much interest in natural medicines derived from traditional knowledge of pharmacological properties of plants recently. The major aim of this study was to conduct an ethnobotanical survey of plants used in the treatment of Gastric ulcers in some local government areas of Ibadan, South-West, Nigeria. Five local government areas which have prominent traditional medical practitioners and herbal markets were visited. Ninety-two plants belonging to forty-five different families were recorded. The prominent plants’ families recorded include; Apocynaceae, Loranthaceae, and Lamiaceae. Some of the most frequently used medicinal plants mentioned by the respondents are: Sphenocentrum jollyanum Pierre, Euadenia trifoliolata (Sch. &Thon.) Oliv., Khaya ivorensis A. Chev., Lonchocarpus cyanescens Benth, and Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. Most of the herbs were prescribed together with other plants and recipes. Modes of administration were mostly concoctions and decoctions. Cultivation and proper documentation of some of the plants which may become endangered over time is therefore encouraged. Most of the identified plants have been used regularly by the traditional medical practitioners and the efficacies have been proven. Key words: Gastric ulcer, ethnobotanical survey, medicinal plants, traditional medicine, South-west Nigeria.