Ethnobotanical assessment of plants used for the treatment of endocrine disorder in Daura Emirate, Katsina, Nigeria

Abstract

Medicinal plants are integral components of traditional medical system in Nigeria as in other cultures and societies in Africa. This study examines local knowledge of woody vegetation use for the treatment of endocrine disorders in Daura Emirate with a view to providing information that can assist in management of medicinal plants in the area. This study employed open ended questionnaire and unstructured interview to collect information from local people and traditional healers in the study area respectively. Simple Random Sampling Techniques was used for the selection of 66 respondents and 24 interview participants. Data was collected using questionnaires which were administered in 5 communities of Daura Emirate while 18 traditional healers and 6 herbalists were engaged in an unstructured interview with a view to collecting their opinions on the treatment of endocrine disorders in the area. Result from this study found that endocrine disorders (diabetes, goitre and sexual dysfunction) were treated with 14 plants in combination with other products such as oil obtained from animals and red potash. This study further revealed that leaf (52.17%) was utilised most for the preparation of herbal remedies for endocrine disorders in the study area, while root and pod (04.35%) are the less utilised. It has been found that the remedies were administered orally and nasally. Respondents mentioned two methods employed for management of medicinal plants in the study area. These are: Assisted Natural regeneration (ANR) and seed bank. However, ANR was used by 79% of the respondents. This study recommended that pharmacopoeia of the area should be development in order to avoid knowledge losses. This can be done through collaboration among stakeholders in ethnobotany, medicine, pharmaceutical sciences.

Keywords: Ethnobotanical assessment, plants, endocrine disorders