Medicinal Plants used in Four Local Government Areas of South-Western Nigeria for the Management of Diabetes and its Comorbidities: An Ethnopharmacological Survey
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Date
2022-06-20
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Phytomedicine and Therapeutics
Abstract
Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) continues to pose a major global health threat with serious
economic burden in sub-Saharan Africa, especially Nigeria. This condition is often worsened as most
diabetic patients have other accompanying comorbidities such as hypertension, stroke, heart disease
and obesity, further putting a strain on their wellbeing. In spite of the several orthodox medicines for
the treatment of diabetes and its comorbidities, complication arising from the use of such agents have
limited therapeutic success. It is therefore imperative to search for safer alternative and affordable
treatment options from plants.
This study aimed at accessing and documenting the medicinal plants used in four local government
areas of South-Western Nigeria for the management of diabetes and its comorbidities. Semi-structured
questionnaires were used to obtain information from traditional medical practitioners, village elders
and herb sellers. The data obtained were analyzed and discussed in relation to previously published
literature. Fifty-three respondents mostly males (77.4%) provided information on medicinal plants
useful for the management of diabetes and its comorbidities. A total of 77 medicinal plants used
concomitantly belonging to 44 plant families were mentioned by the respondents. 53 medicinal plants
are being used for managing diabetes, 35 for hypertension, 28 for stroke, 17 for heart diseases and 25
for obesity. The frequently used plant species were Vernonia amygdalina Delile with use-mentionindex
(UMi) of 0.208, Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle (UMi 0.170), Viscum album L. (UMi
0.151), Carica papaya L. (UMi 0.151) and Allium sativum L. (UMi 0.132). Citrus aurantifolia was
the only plant mentioned for the management of the five ailments. Most diabetic patients often have
one or more accompanying comorbidities. A safe and efficacious single herbal preparation that can
manage both diabetes and its comorbidities may provide scientific breakthrough and relief from the
side effects associated with the use of different synthetic drugs that is often experienced by sufferers
of DM with accompanying comorbidities.