Locally used plants for malaria therapy amongst the <i style="">Hausa, Yoruba</i> and <i style="">Ibo</i> communities in Maiduguri, Northeastern Nigeria

Abstract

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A mini survey was conducted to ascertain the plants locally used in Northeastern Nigeria to treat malaria amongst the three major ethnic groups. Three traditional healers from each of the three Nigerian major ethnic groups (<i style="">Ibo, Hausa</i> and <i style="">Yoruba</i>) resident in Maiduguri were interviewed to ascertain the plants used traditionally in their locality to treat malaria. The study showed that the plants commonly used include <i style="">Azadirachta indica, Magnifera indica, Psidium guajava, Carica papaya, Musa sapientum, Citrus limon </i>and<i style=""> Cymbopogen citratus</i>. Their selected parts are prepared in various liquid mixtures and administered orally. The herbalists claim that these traditional plants remedies are effective and elicit little or no side effects. However, the traditional healers treat malaria and a wide range of other health problems using medicinal plants of unverified efficacy in various unstandardized dosage forms. Hence, there is need for scientific evaluation and standardization of these formulations and dosages, if found effective, to eliminate the possibility of short to long term toxic effects.

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