Abundance, richness and use of medicinal plants under different land uses in the Guinea Savanna zone of Northern Ghana

Ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal tree species used in the treatment of diseases by forest-fringe communities of Southwestern Ghana

“…4 ). The dominance of species belonging to the Fabaceae family may be due to their availability in a diverse range of ecosystems due to their speedy regeneration potential, resilient and ability to thrive in extreme weather conditions ([ 20 ,333,334]). Other studies have also revealed that species belonging to the family Fabaceae have biosynthetic phytochemicals with potent antioxidant, free radical scavenging, and antilipoperoxidant properties effective for treating bacterial diseases ([ 4 ,335]).…”

“…9 ). The high dependence on the forest for medicinal plants may be because forest reserves due to the strict protection contain the most diverse assemblages of indigenous species which are largely used in the treatment of diseases [ 20 ]. It is also believed that plants growing in their natural habitat over a long period have a high concentration of phytochemicals needed treating different kinds of diseases compared to similar species from other sources [ 18 ].…”

“…This, in addition to the ease of locating the suitable species for the different species, makes it the most reliable source for medicinal plants. Also, farmers who are aware of the medicinal value of some tree species on their farms maintain some of them during farming activities for use in the treatment of family and other community diseases [ 20 ]. However, the sustainable supply of medicinal plants from these sources is threatened by the increase in anthropogenic activities due to the rapid growth in the human population and demand for natural resources.…”

“…Despite the proven potential of medicinal plants in the healthcare and economic development in Ghana, human activities such as agricultural expansion, timber production, deforestation, fuel wood harvesting, overgrazing, overexploitation, population growth, and urbanization have been widely reported to pose a severe threat to their sustainability ([ 13 , 18 , 20 ]). According to 9, overharvesting and habitat destruction pose severe threats to about 15,000 medicinal plant species, with 20 % of their wild resources already, especially in Africa.…”

Anxiolytic-like activity of Aloysia virgata var. platyphylla leaves extract in mice

“…6). Medicinal plants have been part of traditional medicine for centuries and still provide alternatives for treating several diseases (11).…”