Ethno-medicinal survey of plants used for the treatment of typhoid fever in North East, Nigeria

Abstract

Herbal medicine, sometime also called phytomedicine or botanical medicine, which are used for therapeutic or medicinal purposes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to obtain, identify and documents medicinal plants used in the treatment of typhoid fever in the study area. Ethno-medicinal survey of plants was conducted from January to July 2016 in North East, Nigeria. The survey covered three local governments from the three states of North East Nigeria. Potiskum, Katagum and Bajoga from Yobe, Bauchi and Gombe states respectively and simple random sampling was used in selecting the respondents from which plants sample were collected. Ethno-botanical data was obtained through the use of two hundred and ten structured questionnaires and tape recorder during the interview session with the traditional healers. Descriptive statistics such as frequency table, percentages and chi-square test were employed for the analyses. Thirty nine (39) plants belonging to 25 families were revealed in the survey. The highest medicinal plants parts used reported were leaves (57.7%) followed by (12.9%) roots, (10.9%) stems/bark, (2.9%) fruits, (2.2%) bulb, and (6.4%) flower/seeds and the whole plants (7%). In the mode of preparation of medicinal plants, significant difference was observed (Z2=211.86, df=4, alpha (α) = 0.05 and table value = 9.49). The survey provides a basis for further screening and research on these plants.