Nigeria isendowed with anenormous diversity of animals and plants. Interestingly, it is the treasure house from which future food needs, cures to diseases, and elements for knowledge and technology will be found, thus the need to preserve and record traditional know'how on medicinal plants.Even though pharmacological industries have produced a number of new antiviral drugs in the last three decades, resistance to these drugs by disease-causing germs has increased. The use of plant extracts and phytochemicals being of great significance in therapeutic treatments can however be explored in ameliorating this problem. What's more, the ethno-medicinal uses of plants is one of the most successful criteria used by the pharmaceutical industry in finding new therapeutic agents for the various fields of biomedicine.But the dearth of information on the various medicinal plants that are available for treating specifically infections of viral causes was the impetus for a survey carried out in Ekiti, Ondo, Osun and Oyo States of the Southwestern Nigeria to ascertain medicinal herbs and plants used to treat viral diseases. Viral infections can be one of the biggest nightmares for medical practitioners and patients.In the survey entitled 'Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in treating viral infections among Yoruba tribe of South Western Nigeria' which was published in the 2011 edition of the African Journal of Microbiology Research, over 208 plants are in use in treatment of common viral diseases, such as chicken pox, poliomyelitis, influenza, hepatitis, measles and jaundice.The survey, which was carried out by Oladunmoye, M. K. and Kehinde, F. Y. from Department of Microbiology, School of Sciences, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, involved the administration of questionnaires and oral discussions in the study participants. These included consulting herbalist, herb sellers, enquiry from villagers about plants/recipes used in the areas, and enquiry from relations.Quite intriguing, the survey found that leaves of the plants were mostly used in treating viral infections, followed by the use of stem bark. All other parts were less commonly used to treat viral diseases and the application of the plant in its different forms was mostly through the mouth, followed by ingestion and external applications. Decoction was the most frequently used method of anti-viral herbal preparation, while concoction was least used.For instance, plants used in the treatment of measles were about 80 in number and included Citrus aurantifolia (Osan ojan in Yoruba or Bitter orange); Cajanus cajan (Otili in Yoruba or pigeon pea leaves); Ehretia cymosa (Puzzle bush leaves or Jaoke); Xylopia aethiopica (Ethiopia pepper leaves or Eeru); Bryophylum pinnatum (Tassel flower leaves or Odundun (abamoda) in Yoruba); Aframomum melegueta (Alligator pepper leaves or Atare in Yoruba); and Clerodendrum Capitalum (Hollow stem leaves or Asangba (feregede) in Yoruba).Other common plants used in the treatment of measles are Tanium trianuglae (lettuce leaves or Gbure in Yoruba); Nauclea latifolia roots (Gberesi in Yoruba); Uvaria afzelii root (Cluster pear or Gbogbonise in Yoruba) and Brysocarpus coccineus (Crimson thyme leaves or Amuje in Yoruba).For a viral disease like jaundice, over 43 plants useed in its treatment was recorded. They included Khaya ivorensis (African mahogany stem bark or Oganwo in Yoruba); Morinda lucida brimstone tree roots or Oruwo in Yoruba); Alstomia boonel stool wood, pattern wood or Ahun in Yoruba); Xylopia aethipaca (Ethopia pepper fruits or Eeru in Yoruba); Vernonia amygdalina (Bitter leaves or ewuro in Yoruba); Citrus aurantifolia (Lime leaves or Osan wewe in Yoruba); Citrus sinensis (oranges or Osan mimu in Yoruba); ginger root; Momordica charantia (Bitter cucumber or Erinje in Yoruba); Mango stem bark; and neem stem bark as well as Pawpaw leaves.With yellow fever, plants that were mentioned by the participants for its treatment included Momordica charantia Curbitaceae (Bitter cucumber or Erinje in Yoruba); ginger root; Morinda lucida (brimstone tree roots); Terminalia super Stem bark (Afara in Yoruba); and mango stem barkIn addition, for the treatment of chicken pox, over 50 plants were mentioned. These included Cajanus cajan, Capparis thonningii (bush leaves or Buba awodi in Yoruba); Eleusine indica (Wire grass leaves or Gbegiojude in Yoruba); Kigelia Africana (Sausage tree leaves or Pandoro in Yoruba); Alcohorneae laxiflora (Christmas bush leaves or Ijan, Pepe in Yoruba); Avocado pear leaves; Argyreia nervsa (Elephant creeper leaves or Rerinkomi in Yoruba); Xylopia aethipaca; and Spondias mombin (Yellow mombin stem bark or Iyeye in Yoruba)What more, in the case poliomyelitis, 32 plants mentioned by the herbalist included Kigelia Africana Avocado pear fruits; Jatropha curcas (Physic nut leaves or Osanlakuregbe in Yoruba) ; Coconut palm leaves; Alchornea laxiflora (Three veined bead string leaves or Opoto in Yoruba); Ageratum conyzoides (Goat weed leaves or Apasa in Yoruba); Lawsonia inermis (Hennaplant leaves or Laali in Yoruba); Ageratum conyzoides (Apasa or Imi-esu in Yoruba); ginger and wild lettuce stem bark.Even in the surveyed communities, about 13 herbs were mentioned as useful in the treatment of hepatitis. These included Tetraplera tetraptera (Aridan in Yoruba); Spigelia anthelmia (worm weed roots, Aparan or pupaati funfun) in Yoruba); Deterium microcarpum stem bark (Arira in Yoruba); Argemona Mexicana (Mexican poppy leaves or Mafowokanmilomo in Yoruba); Psuedocera kotschyi stem bark (Emiyemi) and Bryophylum pinnatum (life plant feaves or Odundun in Yoruba).Given the finding of the survey that some of the reported plants have similar uses in the area, it can be taken as an indication of their pharmacological effectiveness haven been tested in different areas by different culture.They concluded: 'Scientists, therefore should rise to get the knowledge from the elders and encourage the herb sellers to register with the government agency and make them available so that herbal medicine could easily be accessible and cheap for the less privileged.
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