Exploratory Survey of Forest Plants in Traditional Treatment of Guinea Worm Infections (GWI)(<i>Dracunculus medinensis</i> Linn): Experiences from Nigeria and Ethiopia.

Abstract

Traditional medicines using forest plants as the major source of raw materials has been the system of Medicare especially in treating guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis LINN) infections in endemic areas of Africa such as Nigeria and Ethiopia. This system is age long and predates the advents of modern Medicare. With the problems of drug resistances and inability of poor people's access to modern Medicare, traditional medicines could still be the only source of succor. hence the relevance of this study which investigated the forest plants used in the traditional treatment of guinea worm infections (GWI) in some endemic areas of Nigeria and a cross check with the situation in Ethiopia. A total of 92 plant species were recorded representing 68 families. They were, trees (43species), shrubs (18species), herbs (24species) and climbers (7species).Majority of the species were sourced from the wild forests and fallow lands.

Wandering through southwestern Nigeria: An inventory of Yoruba useful angiosperm plants

“…ex DC. ; H Reku-reku Dagunro Medicinal (boil, snakebite, astringent, headache) [ 23 , 26 ] Amaranthus hybridus L.; H Efo tete Food (vegetable); medicinal (blood tonic) [ 29 , 30 ] Amaranthus spinosus L.; H Dagunro Medicinal (snake bite, gonorrhea, hemorrhoid, diabetes, female infertility) [ 10 , 24 , 28 , 31 ] Amaranthus viridis L. Tete abalaye Food (vegetable); medicinal (hemorrhoid, blood tonic) [ 30 , 31 ] Celosia argentea L.; H Ajefawo Sokoyokoto Food (vegetable); medicinal (diuretic, gonorrhea, diarrhea, hemorrhoid, blood tonic), and cosmetics (body cream) [ 11 , 26 , 30 , 31 , 32 ] Chenopodium ambrosioides L.; H Arunpale Medicinal (anticancer, diabetes, Guinea worm infections) [ 28 , 33 , 34 ] Cyathula achyranthoides (Kunth) Moq. ; H Opapara Esupupa Medicinal (female infertility) [ 24 ] Cyathula prostrata (L.) Blume; H Sawerepepe Medicinal (diabetes) [ 28 ] Pupalia lappacea (L) A. Juss; H Ima agbo Medicinal (headache); cosmetics (body cream) [ 10 , 11 ] Anarcadiaceae Anacardium occidentale ...…”

“…; T Ahun Alatapara Medicinal (toothache, malaria, tuberculosis, astringent, fever, candidiasis, gonorrhea, anticancer, skin infections, mental disorder, hemorrhoid, diabetes, female infertility, antisickling, anticancer, ulcer); timber [ 7 , 9 , 10 , 23 , 24 , 26 , 28 , 33 , 36 , 37 , 39 , 40 , 44 , 45 , 46 ] Calotropis procera R.B. ; S Bomubomu Medicinal (elephantiasis, leprosy, ringworm, diaphoretic, convulsion, antipyretic, anticancer, hemorrhoid, insomnia, diabetes, female infertility, Guinea worm infections); cheese making (leaf juice) [ 10 , 23 , 24 , 28 , 33 , 34 , 44 ] Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don; H Apabida pupa Medicinal (diabetes, menorrhagia, antitumor) [ 23 ] Funtumia elastica (Preuss) Stapf. ; T Ire Medicinal (pile, hemorrhoid, jaundice, malaria); timber [ 26 , 31 , 37 , 40 ] Gongronema latifolium Benth.…”

“…Bip. ; H Amunimuye Magical (charm used to paralyse enemy's memory); medicinal (Guinea worm infections) [ 34 , 50 ] Senecio biafrae Oliv. & Hiern.…”

“…; H Woorowo Bologi Cosmetics (body cream); Food (vegetable); medicinal (blood supplement) [ 11 , 30 ] Spilanthes filicaulis (Schum & Thonn.) C. D. Adams; H Awerepepe Medicinal (Guinea worm infections) [ 34 ] Struchium sparganophora (L.) Kuntze; H Ewuro-odo Medicinal (headache, gonorrhea) [ 26 ] Synedrella nodifloral (L.) Gaertn. ; H Apawofa Medicinal (sores, skin infections) [ 26 ] Taraxacum officinale (L) Weber ex F. H. Wigg; H Efo yanrin Food (vegetable); medicinal (blood tonic) [ 30 , 32 ] Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.)…”

“…Lam; T Pia kekere Food (fruit) [ 32 ] Calophyllaceae Mammea africana Sab. ; T Ologbojo Medicinal (Guinea worm) infections [ 34 ] Cannabaceae Cannabis sativa L.; H Igbo Social (Stimulant) [ 53 ] Capparaceae Cleome gynandra L.; H Epuya Cosmetics (body cream) [ 11 ] Crateva adansonii DC. ; T Taniya ewe Medicinal (diabetes) [ 28 ] Caricaceae Carica papaya L.; T Ibepe Food (fruit); medicinal (malaria, syphilis, convulsion, mental disorder, asthma, hypertension, typhoid, purgative, hemorrhoid, gonorrhea, diabetes, ulcer); cosmetics (body cream); cigarette and snuff [ 10 , 11 , 23 , 26 , 28 , 31 , 32 , 36 , 37 , 42 , 44 ] Celastraceae Celastrus indica L.; T Ponju-owiwi Medicinal (asthma, malaria, anthelmintic, anticancer) [ 23 , 33 ] Salacia pallescens Oliv.…”