Medicinal Plants used in Four Local Government Areas of South-Western Nigeria for the Management of Diabetes and its Comorbidities: An Ethnopharmacological Survey.

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-mention-index (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.