Ethnobotanical Survey Of Medicinal Plants Research Articles

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by the indigenous people of Ilorin, North Central, Nigeria

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by the indigenous people of Ilorin, North Central, Nigeria

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in north-central Morocco as natural analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents

For centuries, the Moroccan population has relied on herbs as medicine to treat a variety of diseases, especially inflammation and pain-related ones. To the best of our knowledge, no survey had ever been conducted to address this subject in the Fez-Meknes region of Morocco. Thus, a survey was conducted of 544 interviewees, using a semi-structured ethnopharmacological survey designed with “Why-How” questions about plants used, their vernacular names, parts used, mode of preparation, and mode of administration. Fidelity level (FL), relative frequency of citation (RFC), frequency of citation (FC), informant consensus factor (ICF), and family importance value (FIV) were calculated. A total of 104 plant species belonging to 49 families used for inflammatory and pain treatment were documented. Lamiaceae (16 species) was the most used family and Curcuma longa L. (RFC=0.069) was the most frequently prescribed by local traditional healers and herbalists. Leaves were the most used part for herbal remedies, appearing in 30.8 % of preparations. Decoctions and infusions were the most popular preparation methods with percentages of 38.3 % and 19.2 %, respectively. Inflammations and pain in the digestive system had the largest widespread affections (IFC= 0.729) in the Fez-Meknes region. The findings of this study uncovered a reliable and original source of ethnomedicinal data pertaining to plants used to treat inflammation and inflammatory pain in the Fez-Meknes region, which could serve as a credible source of knowledge to determine new-based phytomedicines.

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in Malumfashi Local Government Area, Northwestern Nigeria

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in Malumfashi Local Government Area, Northwestern Nigeria

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by various ethnic tribes of Mizoram, India.

Mizoram has a diverse range of ethnic and cultural groups, including the Lushai, Mara, Lai, Bawm, Hmar, Chakma, and Bru. Through practice and experience in their protracted battles with disease and the harsh natural environment, they have amassed rich folk medicine knowledge. The preservation of indigenous knowledge, identification of bioactive compounds, and the eventual discovery of novel medicinal plant species all depend on the documentation of the traditional uses of medicinal plants. Therefore, the present study was designed to document the ethnomedicinal knowledge related to the usage of medicinal plants in Mizoram, India. An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants was carried out in 17 villages of 5 districts in Mizoram between September 2022 and January 2023. A total of 128 informants (77 males and 51 females) were interviewed. Information was gathered through field observations, group discussions, and semistructured interviews. The data were presented using descriptive statistics. To assess the importance of medicinal plant species, quantitative indices such as the informant consensus factor (ICF), fidelity level (FL), use value (UV), and cultural index (CI) was used. In our ethnobotanical investigation, 102 medicinal plant species from 95 genera and 58 families were recorded and documented. The majority of them (90 species) were obtained from wild habitats. The majority of the documented species were trees (48), followed by herbs (23 species) and shrubs (21 species). The most common method of preparation was decoction (67 species). Diabetes had the highest ICF value (0.81), followed by cancer, liver problems, and hypertension (0.8). The fidelity level (FL) of indigenous communities in the study area was evaluated to determine the dependability and consistency of herbal drug use. Indigenous knowledge and the variety of medicinal plant species that are used are of great values. The therapeutic applications of documented plants provide fundamental information for additional studies centered on pharmacological investigations and the preservation of the most significant species.

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants claimed by traditional herbal practitioners to manage digestive disorders in an oasis of Tafilalet-Morocco

To highlight the different medicinal plants traditionally used by the local citizens of the Tafilalet region to treat digestive disorders, floristic and ethnobotanical research was conducted in that region from April 2021 to July 2021. The ethnobotanical surveys were carried out using questionnaire sheets with 30 herbalists in different areas in Tafilalet (Errachidia, Rissani, and Erfoud). This study enabled us to gather extensive information about local traditions of therapeutic practices using medicinal plants on one hand and to make a floristic catalog of the same plants on the other hand. Thus, this work ended up by identifying 48 species belonging to 28 floristic families in which Apiaceae and Lamiaceae are the most dominant, and the Ranunculaceae exhibited the highest family use value (FUV=0.667). Of the species listed, Nigella sativa L. has the highest use value (UVs=0.677). The highest relative citation frequency is noted for Rosmarinus officinalis L. and Nigella sativa (RFC=0.233). The leaves (29.82%) are the most used part of plants, and a large part of the remedies are used in powder form (35%) and infusion (28%). The most treated digestive disorders are gastritis (26%) and abdominal pain (24%).

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by people cured of SARS-CoV-2 in the center of Algeria

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by people cured of SARS-CoV-2 in the center of Algeria

Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants Used in the Traditional Treatment of Genito-Urinary Diseases in the Region of Fez, Morocco

IntroductionMedicinal and aromatic plants have been used for healing for a long time, and their methods of use have been inherited by the generations. However, there was little interest in studying this heritage and highlighting it to discover new molecules. This study was conducted in the region of Fez-Morocco, to collect the maximum information on the plants used by the local population to treat genito-urinary diseases, and to enrich the national catalogue of medicinal and aromatic plants in Morocco. MethodsA total of 115 informants were interviewed. The collected data were analysed quantitatively by calculating several indices such as the relative frequency of citations and family importance value. ResultsThe results obtained allow the identification of 49 plant species belonging to 26 botanical families. The dominant family was Lamiaceae with 11 species, followed by Fabaceae with four species, then Apiaceae and Asteraceae with three species each. Similarly, the data analysis revealed that the most cited plants were Quercus ilex L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Calamintha officinalis Moench., and Zea mays L. The most common method of preparation was the infusion. Moreover, the study found that the population uses the whole plant to treat genito-urinary diseases (plant part value = 0.415), and the most treated category was chronic renal failure (informant consensus factor = 0.86). ConclusionsThis study confirmed the importance of traditional medicine in the treatment of genito-urinary diseases and highlighted the value of ethnobotanical studies.Therefore, it is necessary to promote public comprehension in order to preserve indigenous ethnomedical knowledge in the research area.

An ethno-botanical survey of medicinal plants used in the treatment of fracture and dislocation in Ogugu, Kogi State Nigeria

The documented information on traditional medicinal plants in Ogugu communities of Kogi State is vague and limited to its species and thus very little research has been done on these medicinal plants. An Ethno-botanical study was conducted to take inventory of the species by the inhabitants of various communities in Ogugu, Olamaboro Local Government area of Kogi State in bone fracture treatment and dislocation. The study was carried out between May through September 2019. Ethnomedicinal knowledge was gathered from 20 traditional bone setters in 10 communities using questionnaires. The plants most referenced from the questionnaire were collected and identified using various standard methods and procedures. 80% of the respondents were male while 20% were female. 40% were in the range of 31-41 years of age and only 10% were in the age range of 20-30 years. About 45% has no formal education while only 5% had a university degree. TBS with most year of experience (21-25 years) are only 5% while the profession is dominated by those of moderate time of practice (11-15 years) with 40% representative. A total of 49 medicinal plant species distributed in 27 families and genera were documented. Family Euphorbiaceae was found to be mostly used for fracture treatment. The most frequent used plant parts were the leaves (49.5%). The method of preparation of the herbal remedies were generally best in the form of poultice administered in the form of paste to give the best result in fracture and bone setting treatment.

Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants used by Native Inhabitants of Protected Area of District Solan, Himachal Pradesh

Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants used by Native Inhabitants of Protected Area of District Solan, Himachal Pradesh

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by traditional healers in Karayar tribal village, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, India

This research aims to document and evaluate the traditional medical practices and the use of ethnomedicinal plants by the Kani tribal healers living in Karayar, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, India. The study documented 67 plant species from 59 genera and 35 families. Sixty-seven medicinal plants are used to treat thirty-one ailments, with the most common use of plants being for the treatment of cough (7 plants). Fabaceae has the highest number of species (10 species). The leaves of 23 species are used for medicinal purposes. This documentation can be valuable for pharmacologists, foresters, conservationists, researchers, and those interested in herbal medicine.

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in cosmetics in Ketama (North of Morocco)

Medicinal plants serve as a significant source of bioactive molecules, with their utilization in the medical realm dating back to ancient times through herbal preparations. In Morocco, the utilization of plants remains integral to traditional medicine. Despite numerous studies documenting indigenous knowledge regarding plant use, scant attention has been given to northern Morocco, particularly the Rif region. This study seeks to enrich and consolidate our understanding of plant utilization in this area. The ethnobotanical investigation was centred on medicinal plants employed in cosmetics within northern Morocco. A questionnaire was disseminated, gathering data encompassing plant names, utilized plant parts, and preparation methods. The study identified 32 plant species utilized in cosmetics, including Cannabis sativa L., Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter, Juglans regia L., and Rubus fruticosus L. Leaves emerged as the most used plant parts, with decoction and infusion being the predominant preparation methods. This survey facilitated a comprehensive examination of ethnobotanical knowledge, shedding light on the primary plants employed in cosmetics. Prudent management of these resources is imperative to prevent future shortages.

Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants Used to Treat Male Infertility in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria

Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants Used to Treat Male Infertility in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria

Short Communication: Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants for wound healing in Dir Upper District, Pakistan

Abstract. Jawadullah, Akhtar N. 2023. Short Communication: Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants for wound-healing in Dir Upper District, Pakistan. Asian J Ethnobiol 6: 145-152. Medicinal plants have been used since ancient time by the communities as an alternative to the synthetic medicine, which have adverse side effects and is not available to every individual. This study reports medicinal plants used for wound-healing by the local peoples in Dir Upper District, northern area of Pakistan. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect ethnomedicinal data by interviewing 50 informants of different ages (25 to 90 years old). Plant samples were collected as herbarium to be identified in the laboratory. The result shows a total of 20 plant species, each belonging to different families, were used for wound-healing. The majority of growth forms of such plants were herbs (35%) and trees (35%), followed by shrubs (25%) and climbers (5%). The plant parts used for healing were leaves of the plant (45%), followed by plant bark (10%), whole plant (10%), plant roots (10%), fruit peel (5%), gum (5%), bulb (5%), rhizome (5%) and latex (5%). Furthermore, external applications were more common than oral consumption to promote wound-healing. Berberis lycium Royle, Curcuma longa L. and Punica protopunica Balf.fil. were the most cited species used to heal wounds. This study revealed that there is an array of plant biodiversity among Pakistanis for the purpose of wound-healing. This is a result of the socioeconomic status and limited access to modern health services and their preference for folk medicine. Further studies should be planned to create an online database for a collection of therapeutic medicinal plants and their traditional healing potentials.

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the management of cancer in Uganda

IntroductionPatients with cancer in Africa embrace the use of herbal medicine more than anywhere else in the world. This study identified and documented medicinal plant species used to manage cancer in ten (10) districts of Uganda. MethodsAn ethnobotanical survey was conducted between October 2021 and January 2022. In total, 18 (out of 55) traditional medicine practitioners (TMPs) having more than 10 years of experience in managing patients with cancer were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The Relative frequency of citation (RFC) and Family importance value (FIV) indices were also computed. ResultsWe identified 121 plant species, belonging to 55 families, with the most common families being the Fabaceae (20 species, FIV = 0.119), Asteraceae (13 species, FIV = 0.131), and Euphorbiaceae (eight species, FIV = 0.079). The plant parts most commonly used were leaves (39.3%) and roots (12.9%). The most frequently cited plants were: Hoslundia opposita Vahl (RFC = 0.44), followed by Aspilia africana (Pers.) C.D. Adams (RFC = 0.33), Spathodea nilotica Seem (RFC = 0.33), Annona muricata L. (RFC = 0.33, Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkman (RFC = 0.28), Acacia hockii De Wild (RFC = 0.28), Bidens pilosa L. (RFC = 0.28), and Carica papaya L (RFC = 0.22). The most common method of plant preparation and administration was the decoction (69.2%) and oral (86.7%) route, respectively. ConclusionsAlthough most plants used by TMPs have the potential to generate leads for chemo-preventive cancer medicines, they remain unexplored. This study provides a lead to explore the potential of traditionally used plants for the management of cancer through pre-clinical and clinical research.

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used for the treatment of diabetes in Uganda

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used for the treatment of diabetes in Uganda

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants claimed by traditional herbal practitioners to manage cancers in Malawi

IntroductionThis study documented medicinal plants that are claimed by traditional herbal practitioners (THPs) to manage specific types of cancers in Mzimba and Nkhata Bay districts of the northern region of Malawi. MethodsA semi-structured questionnaire and purposive sampling technique were used in the survey to obtain data regarding the THPs and the herbal plants that are used to manage different types of cancers. Data was analysed using descriptive statistical methods. ResultsTwenty-five THPs were identified and sixty-three plant species from 37 families were used by THPs to treat various cancers in the studied areas. Forty-one percent of the cited plants were used in wound healing, 17%, 16%, 11%, 9%, 3%, 2% and were used to treat prostate, oesophageal, cervical and stomach cancers, ulcers, tumours, and internal wounds, respectively. Roots (47%) were the mostly used plant parts followed by stems (27.7%), leaves (9.2%), fruits (4.6%) and the remaining 10.8% included climbers, shrubs and whole plants. Most prepared recipes were uncarbonised powders (45%) followed by aqueous decoctions (32%), and the remaining 23% were distributed amongst maceration, carbonised powders and infusions. Topical (48%) was the most frequently used mode of administration followed by oral (39%), through porridge (10%) while incisions and bandaging were 2% and 1%, respectively. Some recipes were polyherbal mixtures which utilised the synergy amongst phytochemicals. ConclusionThe study has provided indigenous knowledge of herbal plants available in Mzimba and Nkhata Bay districts which can serve as a baseline for the identification and isolation of bioactive compounds with subsequent use of herbal medicines in clinical trials.

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants on the foothills of Palamalai hills, Coimbatore district, Tamilnadu

Ethnobotany is a life science which studies the interaction between human beings and flora in particular and broadly deals with the investigations, observations, and identifications of botanical diversity used for the prevention and treatment of human and livestock ailments. The ethnobotanical survey resulted in the documentation of 40 medicinal plants that have been used for medicinal purposes by tribal peoples of Palamalai hills. The habitat of the plants was analysed and it is observed that shrubs were found to be dominant in the community followed by trees, herbs and climbers. The plants collected from the study area are used in the treatment of various diseases.

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by traditional Healers of Maripeda, Mahabubabad district, Telangana, India

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by traditional Healers of Maripeda, Mahabubabad district, Telangana, India

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by indigenous knowledge holders to manage healthcare needs in children.

Childhood diseases remain an increasing health problem in many developing countries and also associated with an enormous financial burden. In South Africa, many people still rely on traditional medicine for their primary healthcare. However, inadequate documentation of medicinal plants used to manage childhood diseases remain a prominent gap. Hence, the current study explored the importance of medicinal plants to treat and manage childhood diseases in the North West Province, South Africa. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted with 101 participants using semi-structured interviews (face-to-face). Ethnobotanical indices such as Frequency of citation (FC), Use-value (UV) and Informed Consensus Factor (ICF) were used for data analysis. A total of 61 plants from 34 families were recorded as medicine used for managing seven (7) categories of diseases resulting from 29 sub-categories. Skin-related and gastro-intestinal diseases were the most prevalent childhood health conditions encountered by the study participants. Based on their FC values that ranged from approximately 0.9-75%, the most popular medicinal plants used by the participants were Aptosinum elongatum (75.2%), Commelina diffusa (45.5%), Euphorbia prostrata (31.6%) and Bulbine frutescens (31.7%). In terms of the UV, A. elongatum (0.75), C. diffusa (0.45), E. prostrata (0.31), H. hemerocallidea (0.19) and E. elephantina (0.19) were the dominant plants used for treating and managing childhood diseases. Based on ICF, skin-related diseases dominated with the highest ICF value of 0.99. This category had 381 use-reports, comprising 34 plants (55.7% of total plants) used for childhood-related diseases. Particularly, B. frutescens and E. elephantina were the most-cited plants for the aforementioned category. Leaves (23%) and roots (23%) were the most frequently used plant parts. Decoctions and maceration were the main preparation methods, and the plant remedies were mainly administered orally (60%) and topically (39%). The current study revealed the continuous dependence on the plant for primary health care relating to childhood diseases in the study area. We generated a valuable inventory of medicinal plants and associated indigenous knowledge for child healthcare needs. However, investigating the biological efficacies, phytochemical profiles and the safety of these identified plants in relevant test systems remain essential in future research.

An ethnobotanical survey of traditional medicinal plants used against tuberculosis and symptoms associated in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

Abstract. Kande B, Grah ZM, Moyabi AGA, Soro Y, Kone WM. 2023. An ethnobotanical survey of traditional medicinal plants used against tuberculosis and symptoms associated in Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire). Asian J Ethnobiol 6: 38-47. Infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, are responsible for one-third of the world's mortality due to the mechanism of resistance to antibiotics. Faced with this alarming situation, the search for active principles from natural substances is a primordial need. In this study, semi-structured questionnaires conducted an ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used against tuberculosis and associated symptoms in Abidjan. Information was gathered from 171 herbalists. The respondents were asked questions regarding their use of medicinal plants to treat tuberculosis and associated symptoms. Information entailing plants used to treat tuberculosis, associated symptoms, plant parts used, mode of preparation, and dosage was recorded. The results showed that it is known among traditional medicine practitioners to cure tuberculosis but is better understood by its associated symptoms. These surveys revealed a diversity of 41 species of medicinal plants against this disease and its associated symptoms. They are mostly trees. Alchornea cordifolia (Schumach. & Thonn.) Müll.Arg. (Euphorbiaceae), Bombax costatum Pellegr. & Vuillet (Bombacaceae), Ficus sur Forssk. (Moraceae), Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. (Bignoniaceae), Nephrolepis bisserata (Sw.) Schott (Nephrolepidaceae), Terminalia glaucescens Planch. ex Benth. (Combretaceae) and Vitellaria paradoxa C.F.Gaertn. (Sapotaceae) are the most cited plant species. Leaves are the most used organs, decoction is the main mode of preparation, and the oral route is the main way to administer the remedies.