ETHNO-BOTANICAL SURVEY OF ANTI-MALARIAL AND ANTI-DIABETIC PLANTS USE IN EBONYI STATE, SOUTH-EAST, NIGERIA

Background and Objective: The use of medicinal plants has remains the kernel for the treatment of diabetes and malaria in recent times, as herbal therapies are being used for therapeutic purposes. Despite the relevance of medicinal plants to manage malaria and diabetes in many villages in Ebonyi state, there have been limited empirical studies to plants used by traditional healers to treat this life threatened diseases.

Materials and Methods: An ethno-botanical survey was conducted in ten out of thirteen local government areas in Ebonyi state, south-east Nigeria to ascertain the medicinal plants with anti-malarial and anti-diabetic potentials. Ethno-botanical data were collected from herb sellers, traders, civil servant and farmers using in-depth interview and a semi-structured questionnaire administered to one-hundred and eighty two (182) respondents in twenty communities across ten local government areas of the state.

Results: From the survey, a total of forty plant species were observed to be useful in the management of malaria and diabetes. Herbal remedies were either prepared from dry or freshly collected samples while the solvents of extract includes; water, honey or alcoholic solvents. Studied populations find the medicinal plants cheaper, readily available with fewer side effects compared with orthodox drugs.

Conclusion: Scientific validation of the traditional claims is imperative as it contribute positively to the search for newer and more effective anti-malarial and anti-diabetic drugs.