Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the treatment of malaria in Ogbomoso, Southwest Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
Malaria infection is the second largest killer disease after HIV in Nigeria. Failure of the orthodox medications due to drug adulteration, high cost of procurement of antimalarial drugs and inconvenience experienced in the use of high dosage of the new antimalarial drug combination therapy has turned the attention of the people in the world towards the use of local herbs.


METHODS
An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by the indigenous people of Ogbomoso for the treatment of malaria infection was conducted. Investigations were carried out on the names of plants, their parts (leaf, stem or root) used, method of preparing herbal antimalarial remedies, likely side effect and how it is administered were recorded through the use of a structured questionnaire.


RESULTS
The results of the survey revealed that 40 plant species from 32 plant families were mostly used for treating malaria infection in Ogbomoso. Twenty-three different antimalarial recipes were mentioned in the survey. The Asteraceae and Anacardinceae were the most represented plant families followed by Malvaceae, Solanaceae, Annonaceae, Poaceae, Rutaceae and Meliaceae. The leaf and the stem bark have been the most frequently used plant parts while concoction and decoction were the most common method of preparation. Treatment regimens of malaria generally included drinking, bathing and steam inhalation of the aqueous herbal preparations for 5-7 days or until symptoms of malaria disappear. About 53% of the plants mentioned in the survey had side effect.


CONCLUSIONS
Hence, the need for documentation of these plants for further investigation becomes necessary.
Phytomedicine Research Group, Department of Botany, University of Fort Hare, Alice 5700, South Africa; Department of Biochemistry, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria. Electronic address: sinbadkd@gmail.com.
O S
OS
Olorunnisola
A
A
Adetutu
E A
EA
Balogun
A J
AJ
Afolayan
D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003625:Data Collection; D019448:Ethnobotany; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009549:Nigeria; D008517:Phytotherapy; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal
D000962:Antimalarials; D028321:Plant Preparations
Antimalarial; Ethnobotanical; Herb; Malaria; Ogbomoso; Survey