Pregnancy detecting plants used in Remo and Ijebu areas of Ogun State, Nigeria.
OBJECTIVE
Plants and plants extracts are employed in cultures for religious purposes, as beauty therapies, in the detection and management/treatment of diseases.


METHODS
In this study, an ethnobotanical studies of plants used in detecting pregnancy in Ijebu and Remo areas of Ogun State were carried out using semi-structured to obtain demographic data, local names of plants, the morphological parts used. Furthermore, a phytochemical analysis of two of the identified plants was performed. Topical and urine tests of plants in detecting pregnancy were designed to mimic procedures used in traditional medicine for detecting pregnancy.


RESULTS
Five plant species were identified belonging to the families Araceae, Asteraceae, Convolvulaceae, Nyctaginaceae, and Rubiaceae in the survey. The identified plants had the use value (UV) of 0.25 (Culcasia scandens), 0.17 (Ipomoea mauritiana),Boerhavia diffusawhileLaunea taraxacifoliaandChassalia kollyhad the UV of 0.08, respectively.B. diffusaL,C. kolly(Schumach) Hepper tested positive for the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, and tannins. The onset and duration of symptoms of bothB. diffusaandC. kollyleaves at 2000 and 1000 mg were dose-dependent. The hexane, ethyl acetate, and ethanol extracts ofB. diffusaandC. kollyexhibited pruritus and restlessness in thein vivomodel while the urine of pregnant women caused black spots on the leaves ofL. taraxacifolia(Willd) Amin Ex. C. Jeffrey.


CONCLUSIONS
This study reports a rare knowledge of using plants in detecting pregnancy in the Remo and Ijebu areas of Ogun State, Nigeria.
Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Sagamu Campus, Ogun, Nigeria.
Adediwura
A
Fred-Jaiyesimi
Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Sagamu Campus, Ogun, Nigeria.
Jolaade
J
Taiwo
Detection; Remo and Ijebu areas; extracts; plants; pregnancy