Research Article

Ethnobotanical Studies and Phytochemical Analysis of Medicinal Plants in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Kanduga Local Government Area

Yagana Tayib Alkali*

Department of Surveying and Geo-informatics, Ramat polytechnic Maiduguri, Nigeria

Submission: June 08, 2021;Published: September 30, 2021

*Corresponding author: Yagana Tayib Alkali, Department Of Surveying And Geo-informatics, Ramat polytechnic Maiduguri, No.8 Mandara Road off lagos Street Maiduguri, Nigeria

How to cite this article: Yagana Tayib A. Ethnobotanical Studies and Phytochemical Analysis of Medicinal Plants in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Kanduga Local Government Area. Ecol Conserv Sci. 2021; 1(5): 555572. DOI:10.19080/ECOA.2021.01.555572

Abstract

A comparative survey was conducted on the distribution of medicinal plants, their curative uses and phytochemicals in Bama and Konduga Local Government Area (LGA), Borno State, Nigeria. Using questionnaire method, distributed among herbalists, traditional medicine vendors and users, obtain data for this study and was analyzed using SPSS for the Analysis of variance. The study revealed the medicinal plants used are Anacardium occidentale, Mangifera indica, Sclerocarya birrea, Annona senegalensis, Borassus aethiopum, Calotropis procera, Leptadenia hastata, Balanities aeygptiaca, Adansonia digitata, Boswellia dalzielii, Commiphora africana, Senna tora, Tamarindus indica, Piliostigma reticulatum, Capparis tomentosa, Carica papaya, Anogeissus leiocarpus, Guiera senegalensis, Diospyros mespiliformis, Jatropha curcas, Ricinus communis, Tephrosea purpurea, Azadirachta indica and Cassia siamea. Of these, the most prominent used in the two study areas are Carica papaya, Tamarindus indica, Boswellia dalzielii, Senna tora, Azadirachta indica, Adansonia digitata, Balanites aegyptiaca, Mangifera indica, Annona senegalensis and Sclerocarya birrea. Plants of higher use frequencies in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council are Bosewellia dalzielii, Tamarindus indica and Carica papaya whereas Annona senegalensis, Cassia siamea, Senna tora and Annona senegalensis are in Konduga LGA. Plants of similar use frequencies in both Bama and Konduga LGA are Mangifera indica, Calotropis procera and Capparis tomentosa. The plants are used both alone and in combination to treat malaria fever, typhoid fever, diarrhea, stomachache, hypertension, epilepsy and bacterial and fungal infections. It was also gathered that majority of plants prescription are to be taken twice daily.

Keywords: Metropolitan; Maiduguri; Phytochemical; Ethnobotanical; Guiera senegalensis; Diospyros mespiliformis; Jatropha curcas

Introduction

Medicinal plants are plants that have been recognized to cure different diseases and, plant-based natural constituents can be derived from any part of the plant like the bark, leaves, flowers, roots, fruits, seeds, etc. [1]. Medicinal plants are known to contain a variety of chemical substances. They are the oldest form of healthcare known to mankind and have been used by all cultures throughout history. It is an integral part of the development of modern civilization. Primitive man observed and appreciated the great diversity of plants available to him. The plants provided food, clothing, shelter, and medicine as well as the materials for the manufacturing of crafts and tools and many other products like fuel, paints, and poison etc. plants are often used for their ritual properties. Nowadays their chemical and genetic characters are increasingly explored. Many drugs commonly used today are of herbal origin. Indeed, about 25% of the prescription drugs dispensed in the United States contain at least one active ingredient derived from plant material [2]. Many plant species have been utilized as traditional medicines, but it is necessary to establish the scientific basis for the therapeutic actions of traditional plant medicines as these may serve as the sources for the development of more effective drugs [1]. Ethnobotany is the study of how people of a particular culture and region make use of indigenous plants as food, medicines, shelter as well as in the local industries. The medicinal uses of herbs have been traced back to the period of early man. Cultural and religious practices also reinforce the faith that individuals place in the curative properties of medicinal plants [3,4]. Medicinal plant use clearly expands beyond country borders [1,5,6] and prevails for Dominicans living in distant urban centers including New York City [7], where herbal medicine continues to be used for similar cultural reasons [5,6].

Materials and Methods

Data on the medicinal and economic importance of plants were collected through questionnaire method, designed for all the members of the community (users, vendors and herbalists). A total of 300 questionnaires were randomly distributed, 230 respondents were retrieved. The herbarium sheets were prepared as per established standards (voucher specimens) and deposited in the Department of Biological Sciences, as a reference point. The plants collected were authenticated by a plant taxonomist, in the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maiduguri. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of plant extract. The extract was tested for the presence of bioactive compounds using standard methods and those by [7,8]. Chemicals used in all the tests were of Analytical Grade.

The frequency distributions of age, sex, status, occupation, and tribe

The result from (Table 1) shows those ages between 31-40 years have the highest percentage (37.0%) usage of medicinal plants, 41-50 years have 25.2% usage of medicinal plants, 50 years and above has 20.4% usage of medicinal plants and those between 20-30 years have the lowest percentage of 17.4% usage of medicinal plants. Sex (Male) has 56.5% out of the respondents as the highest percentage of response than Female which is 43.5%. Status of the respondents indicates that 78.3% are Married people who have the highest percentage of responds then followed by single and widowed with 8.7% of respond and Divorced had the lowest percentage of 4.3% responses. (Tables 1 & 2) shows that 30.0% hunters had the highest percentage of responds, 17.8% are farmer, 17.4% are trader, 13.5% are civil servant, 13.0% are housewife and 8.3% are student who shows the lowest percentage of responds while the Kanuri tribe has 57.0% responses as the highest then followed by Shuwa 17.0%, Hausa and other tribe had 30%, the lowest responses [9].

The frequency distributions of the available plant species and time of usage of medicinal plant

(Table 3) shows the use of the different types of plant species used for medicinal purpose, carica papaya has 7.8% with highest percentage of responses, Tamarindus indica has 7.4%, Boswellia dalzielli has 7.0%, Senna tora and Azadirachta indica have 6.5%, Annona senegalenses and Mangifera indica have 5.2%, Sclerocarya birrea, Balanities aegiptiaca and Adansonia digitata have 4.8%, Commiphora Africana, Piliostigma reticulatum and Guiera senegalensis have 3.9%, Borassus aethiopium, Leptademia hastata, Anogeissus leiocarpus and Diospyros mespiliformis have 3.0%, Anacardium occidantale, Ricinus communis, Tephrosca purponea and Cassia siamea have 2.6%, Jatropha curcas has 2.2%, while Calotropis procera and Capparis tomentosa have 1.7% as the lowest in response among the plants use as medicine by the respondents.

(Table 4) shows the distribution of time of usage by the respondents which indicates that (yearly) 34.8% had the highest percentage of responses, then (daily) has 26.1%, (sometimes) has 13.0%, (self-prescription) has 8.7%, while (frequently) and (when diagnosed by herbalist) had 6.5% of response, and (when modern drug fail) had 4.3% which is the lowest response by the respondents.

The Frequencies of sources of knowledge, income, the different therapies of the medicinal plant use, usage for treatment of diseases and plant form of treatment

(Table 5) shows the distribution of sources of knowledge by the herb users which indicates that (inherited) had 43.0% which is the highest in response, then (through friends) has 30.9%, (others) has 13.0%, (through training) has 12.6% while (none) had 0.4% which is the lowest in response by respondents. The responses of source of income, (yes) 57.0% which has highest response while (no) 43.0% had lowest response by the respondents. It reveals that therapy (easy access) had 65.2% with highest response; the therapy (cheap) has 21.7% and therapy (belief in it) 13.0 % as the lowest responses.

(Table 6) indicates that (malaria fever) has 30.4% with highest responses, then (diarrhea) has 13.5%, (typhoid fever) has 13.0%, (stomachache) has 9.1%, (diabetes) and (hypertension) had 8.7% of responses, (epilepsy) has 5.7%, (infection) and (pneumonia) has 4.3% while (other) 2.2% had the lowest responses by the respondents. (Table 7) presents the form of the plant used by the respondents, 1 (boiled and mixed with other ingredients) had 32.6% indicating the highest responses, then 2 (crushed, boiled and consumed) had 19.6%, 3 (dried and grounded to powder) had 17.4%, 5 (others) has 13.0% while 4(bathing with it concoction) and 6 (all of the above) had 8.7% which is the lowest response by the respondents.

The frequency distributions of treatment of different patient, time of return, patient complain, part of plant use, side effect complain, types of effect, dosage, and number of complainants

(Table 8) shows that 56.5% of treatment (NO), responses of different patients using the same plant with higher percentage and 43.5% treatment (Yes) has the lowest percentage of responses. Indicating 63.5% of time of return of patients for more treatment, (weekly) has the highest percentage of responses, followed by 21.3% (frequently) responses, 8.7% (they do not return) responses and the lowest of responses 6.7% (rarely) of patients return and the responses of patients (complain of the taste) 63.0% (yes) had the highest percentage of responses and 37.0% (No) has the lowest percentage of responses. (Table 9) which part of the plants are used by the herb patronizes, (leaves) has 39.6% with highest percentage of response, then (roots) has 21.7%, (fruits/seeds) has 17.4%, (latex) has 14.8% while (bark) had 6.5% with lowest responses by respondents.

(Table 10) find out from the herbalist whether patients complained of side effects from any of the plants, (yes) has 82.2% with highest responses by the herbalist while (no) had 17.8% the lowest response by the herbalist. The different type of side effect, (rise in temperature) has 34.8% with highest response, then (others) has 21.7%, (rashes) has 17.4% while (nausea) had 17.4% with lowest response by the respondents. Also indicates the frequency of plants administrations, (twice daily) and (other) has 30.4% showing highest responses, then (once daily) has 21.7% while (thrice daily) had 17.4% with lowest response by the respondents and shows the turn out of the number of patients with side effect on daily basis, (none) has 43.9% with highest response by the herbalist, then (1-5) has 41.3%, (16-20) has 8.3%, (6-10) has 4.3% while (11-15) had 2.2% which is the lowest responses by the herbalist.

The frequency distributions of number of patients per day, patient without relief, required result, follow-up, treatment of children, children’s aliment, children required result and number of monthly patients

(Table 11) finds out the number of patients gotten by the herbalist on daily bases, (others) has 82.6% as the highest responses by herb sellers, then (5-10) has 8.7%, while (1-5) and (15 and above) had 4.3% as the lowest responses by the respondents. Confirms from the herbalist, how often they get patients who have not gotten relief from using synthetic drugs, (sometimes) has 77.8% with the highest responses, then (none) has 11.3%, (weekly) has 8.7% while (others) had 2.2% which is the lowest responses by the respondents. And whether the patients always get the required result after using plant extracts, (yes) has 49.1% as the highest responses, (no) has 27.8% while (sometimes) had 23.0% with the lowest responses by the respondents. And finds out the patients follow up after consultation of herbalist or herb sellers, (yes) has 67.8 % with highest responses, (no) has 17.0% while (after using the extract) had 15.2%with lowest percentage of responses by the respondents.

It also shows, whether children are treated with herbs, (seasonally) has 44.8% as the highest responses, (no) has 33.9% while (yes) had 21.3% with lowest responses by the respondents. It also finds out the types of ailments that affect the children, (stroke) has 46.1% as the highest responses; (diarrhea) has 37.8% while (fever) had 16.1% with the lowest responses by the respondents. Children get required result, (yes) has 82.2% as highest responses, (no) had 13.5% while (others) had 4.3% with the lowest responses by the respondents. Finds out the number of patients that patroness the herbalist on monthly basis, (others) has 49.6% as highest responses, (10-20) has 17.4%, (30-40) has 12.6%, (20-30) and (40-50) has 8.3% responses while (50 and above) had 3.9% with the lowest responses (Tables 12 & 13).

The frequency distributions of money generated, means of income and respondents in the areas of study

(Table 14) shows the money generated by the herbalist or herb sellers, (none) has 39.6% which is the highest response, (less than x18000) has 38.7%, (x18000) and (x18000 and above) are 8.7% while (others) had 4.3% as the lowest responses the respondents. And finds out whether is the only source of income to the seller, (no) has 64.3% with the highest responses by the respondents, (yes) has 35.2 % while (others) had 0.4% as the lowest responses by the respondents. (Table 15) shows that Bama has 57.0% respondents as the highest percentage while Konduga LGA had 43.0% of responses as the lowest.

Conclusion

The results of the present study revealed that the people of Bama and Konduga LGA. Most people used medicinal plants for the treatment of different ailments and the people are satisfied with the results. In conclusion, the data obtained revealed information on species which have not be clearly documented from the areas of study. The phytochemical analyses revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins and saponins. From the study it is evident that the these plants - Anacardium occidentale, Mangifera indica, Sclerocarya birrea, Annona senegalensis, Borassus aethiopum, Calotropis procera, Leptadenia hastata, Balanites aegyptiaca, Adansonia digitata, Boswellia dalzielii, Commiphora africana, Senna tora, Tamarindus indica, Piliostigma reticulatum, Capparis tomentosa, Carica papaya, Anogeissus leiocarpus, Guiera senegalensis, Diospyros mespiliformis, Jatropha curcas, Ricinus communis, Tephrosea purpurea, Azadirachta indica and Cassia siamea - are commonly used to cure various ailments.

Recommendation

a) Focus on promoting health and prevention of diseases, conserve and cultivate medicinal plants,

b) Preserve important indigenous plant knowledge which may be lost as younger generation continue to move to the cities and western medical technology replaces medicinal plants,

To document data necessary for the conservation and management of Nigerian medicinal plants.

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