Malaria endemicity: A survey of antimalarial herbal products in Ijebu Ode, Nigeria

Abstract

Empirical evidence has shown that approximately 80% of the global population uses herbal medicines as primary care, especially in developing nations, particularly Nigeria. Despite this, an estimated 95% of global cases of malaria occur in Africa, with Nigeria accounting for approximately 27%. Therefore, the current study investigated the prevalence of antimalarial herbal medicinal products in Ijebu-Ode for the fight against malaria endemicity. It explored their regulatory registration and active plant components, considering the documented evidence of their use for treating malaria. A cross-sectional study was adopted in the collection of empirical data and analyzed in SPSS (version 23.0), while spatial data were analyzed in ARC-GIS, and the results were graphically presented using pictorial variables. The results revealed the availability of approximately 18 different antimalarial herbal products, of which 72.2% were registered with regulatory agencies. Similarly, the herbal products were shown to contain more than one plant species as their active component (Azadirachta indica (83.3%), Nauclea latifolia (55.6%), and Enantia chlorantia (44.4%), which may be responsible for multiple indications (typhoid (83.3%), yellow fever (38.9%), and cold (33.3%). The results of this study provide valuable insights for developing evidence-based policies to standardize and regulate herbal remedies, particularly for combating malaria and other endemic conditions. These findings have implications for public health and the development of effective strategies to address the challenges posed by malaria in Nigeria and other similar regions.