Traditional herbal medicine is widely used by the local population in Nigeria to treat numerous health conditions. The below table documents the medicinal values, local names, method of preparation, dosage forms and parts of common medicinal plants sold in some markets in Abeokuta, Nigeria.
| Family | Latin name | Local name | Medicinal use | Part used | Dosage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALLIACEAE | Allium ascalonicum L. | Alubosa elewe | Stomachic and stop vomiting | Root and leaves | 1 small cup 3 times daily for 1 week. |
| ALLIACEAE | Allium sativum L. | Alubosa ayu | For stroke and pain in the eye | Root | The extracted juice by chewing is swallowed for as long as symptoms persist. |
| APOCYNACEAE | Rauwolfia vomitoria Afzel. | Asofeyeje | Anti insomnia | Root | 1 small cup once daily(preferably evening) for 3 days. |
| APOCYNACEAE | Alstonia boonei De Wild. | Awun | Anti malaria and body pain Reliever | Bark | 2 cups 3 times daily for 2 weeks. |
| ANACARDIACEAE | Lannea egregia Engl. & K. Krause | Eki dan | For blood supply | Bark | 2 tablespoons twice daily for adults / 2 teaspoons once daily for children for 1 week. |
| ANACARDIACEAE | Lannea welwitschii( Hiern) Engl. | Orira | Purgative and anti purgative | Bark | 1 small cup once daily for 2 days. |
| ANACARDIACEAE | Anacardium occidentale L. | Kaju | For oral infection | Bark | 1 small cup once daily for 10 days. |
| ARACEAE | Anchomanes difformis (Blume) Engl. | Langbodo | Anti hypertamia | Root | 1 small cup once daily |
| AMARYLLIDACEAE | Curculigo pilosa Engl. | Epa kun | For gonorrhoea | Root | 1 small cup once daily |
| AMARYLLIDACEAE | Crinum jagus (Thomson) Dandy | Isumeri | For asthma and tuberculosis | Root and leaves | 1 small cup once daily (can cause vomiting if taken in excess). |
| ARISTOLOCHIACEAE | Aristolochia repens Mill. | Ako igun | For deworming | Root | 1 teaspoon 3 times daily for 3 days. |
| ANNONACEAE | Uvaria afzelii Sc. Elliot | Gbogbonse | For any ailment | Root | 1 cup once daily. |
| ANNONACEAE | Uvaria chamae P. Beauv. | Eeruju | Anti malaria | Leaves | ½ stainless steel cup twice daily for 2 weeks. |
| ANNONACEAE | Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A. Rich. | Eeru awon ri n ka | For skin irritation | Seed | 1 small cup once daily |
| BORAGINACEAE | Heliotropium indicum L. | Atapari-obuko | Body pain reliever | Root | 1 small cup 3 times daily |
| CUCURBITACEAE | Citrullus colocynthus Schrad. | Baara | For dysentery | Fruit | ½ stainless steel cup twice daily for 3 days. |
| CUCURBITACEAE | Adenopus breviflorus Bth. | Tagiri | For measles | Fruit | The fruits are placed in the patient’s room for as long as symptoms persist. 1 teaspoon before eating (carry the victim because he/she will be too weak after the herbal remedy is administered) |
| CONNARACEAE | Agelaea obliqua (P. Beauv.) Baill. | Irohin | As an anti -convulsant | Root | |
| CONNARACEAE | Cnestis ferruginea DC. | Gboyin gboyin | Aphrodisiac | Root | 1 small cup once daily |
| COMBRETACEAE | Terminalia avicennioides Guill. & Perr. | Idi | For skin irritation | Bark | Drink in small quantity to avoid stomach |
| COMBRETACEAE | Terminalia superba Engl. & Diels. | Afara | Anti malaria and for measles | Bark | 1 small cup for adults twice daily / 2 teaspoons for children twice daily |
| DIOSCOREACEAE | Dioscorea cayenensis Lam. | Apepe | For blood supply | Bark | Administer in small quantity for 1 week. |
| EUPHORBIACEAE | Croton peduliflorus Hutch. | Iso ariwo | For cough | Seed | 1 small cup 3 times daily . |
| EUPHORBIACEAE | Euphorbia lateriflora Schum. & Thonn. | Enu opiri | For typhoid | Root | Administer in small quantity for 2 weeks. |
| EUPHORBIACEAE | Securinega virosa(Roxb. Ex Wille.) Pax. et Hoffm. | Iranje | Pain reliever | Leaves | ½ stainless steel cup 3 times daily |
| FABACEAE | Acacia ataxacantha DC. | Aso bo ni | Stomachic andfor dysentery | Pod and seed | Lick soup thrice daily for 1 week |
| FABACEAE | Angylocalyx oligophyllus Bak. f. | Oko aja | Aphrodisiac | Root | 1 small cup once daily for 5 days. |
| FABACEAE | Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. | Otili | For measles | Leaves | 1 small cup 3 times daily |
| FABACEAE | Calliandra haematocephala Hassk. | Tude | Stomachic and for ringworm treatment | Root | 1 small cup for adults once daily / 1 teaspoon for children once daily |
| FABACEAE | Cassia sieberiana DC. | Aridan tooro | For dysentery | Root | 1 small cup taken only in the morning for 2 days. |
| FABACEAE | Cynometra manii Oliver | Eku | To suppress swelling on the cheeks | Seed | Use poultice to massage the cheek. |
| FABACEAE | Daniella oliveri (Rolfe.) Hutch. & Dalz | Iya | For rashes | Bark | 1 teaspoon for babies |
| FABACEAE | Detarium microcarpum Guill & Perr. | Ogbogbo | For dysentery | Bark | No dosage |
| FABACEAE | Dioclea secandens | Dasa | For good sight and to stop excessive menstrual flow (Anti menorrhagia) | Leaves | No dosage |
| FABACEAE | Erythrophleum suaveolens (Guill. &Perr.) Brenan | Obo | For skin irritation | Bark | Concoction is used to bath twice daily. |
| FABACEAE | Indigofera pilosa Poir. | Ka se | Anti malaria | Bark | 1 small cup twice daily |
| FABACEAE | Lonchocarpus cyanescens (Schum. & Thonn.) Bth. | Elu | For rashes | Root | 1 small cup once daily for adults and bath once daily for children |
| FABACEAE | Tetrapleura tetraptera (Schum & Thonn.)Taub | Aridan | Anti convulsant | Fruit | 2 small cups foradults / 2 teaspoons for children twice daily |
| GRAMINEAE | Bambusa vulgaris L. | Oparun | For measles | Leaves | ½ stainless cup 3 times daily |
| GUTTIFERAE | Garcinia kola Heckel. | Orogbo | Body pain reliever | Bark | 1 small cup once daily (for adults only) |
| LYTHRACEAE | Lawsonia inermis L. | Laali | For typhoid | Leaves | ½ stainless steel cup 3 times daily |
| MORACEAE | Bosqueia angolensis Ficalho. | Saworo | For blood supply | Bark | No dosage |
| MORACEAE | Treculia africana Decne. Moraceae | Afon | For skin irritation | Root | 1 teaspoon for children 3 times daily |
| MORACEAE | Ficus capensis Thunb. | Opoto | For blood supply | Leaves | ½ stainless steel cup 3 times daily for adults and 1 teaspoon 3 times daily for children |
| MELIACEAE | Khaya ivorensis A. Chev | Oganwo | For blood supply | Bark | 1 small cup once daily |
| MENISPERMACEAE | Sphenocentrum jollyanum Pierre | Akerejukpon | Anti malaria and typhoid | Root | 1 stainless steel cup twice daily for 2 weeks. |
| MYRTACEAE | Syzygium guineense (Wild.) DC. | Ori | Purgative and anti purgative | Bark | I small cup once for adults / 2 teaspoons once daily for children |
| OCHNACEAE | Lophira alata Banks ex F. Gaertn.f. | Ponhan | For typhoid | Bark | 1 small cup 3 times daily |
| OCHNACEAE | Schrebera arboreaA .Chev. | Opele | For skin tear on a child’s head | Seed | Place 9 seeds on male and 7 on female child (as seed closes the child’s head heals) |
| PAPAVERACEAE | Argemone mexicana L. | Ma fo wok an omo mi | For measles | Leave | To be used in small quantity |
| PHYLLANTHACEAE | Bridelia atroviridis Mull. Arg. | Arasa | For eczema | Leaves | Rub on affected part for as long as conditions remains |
| POACEAE | Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf. | Ewe tea | Anti malaria | Leaves | 2 small cups 3 times daily for 2 weeks. |
| PERIPLOCACEAE | Mondia whitei (Hook.f.) Skeels | Isirigun | For deworming | Root | 1 teaspoon 3 times daily (for children) |
| RUBIACEAE | Nauclea latifolia Sm. | Egbesi | For jaundice (yellow fever) | Root | 1 small cup once daily |
| STERCULIACEAE | Theobroma cacao L. | Koko | For blood supply | Bark | 1 small cup 3 times daily |
| STERCULIACEAE | Nesogordoniapapaverifera (A. Chev.) R. Capuron | Oro | For fibroid | Bark | 1 small cup once daily |
| SAPINADIACEAE | Lecaniodiscus cupanioides Planch. ex Benth. | Aka | To heal fractures and wounds of the leg | Root | Rub on affected parts. |
| ZINGIBERACEAE | Aframomum melegueta K. Schum. | Ata ire | For measles | Leaves | 1 small cup 3 times daily for 2 weeks. |
| ZINGIBERACEAE | Zingiber officinale Rosc. | Atalekopa | For typhoid | Root | Eat hot once daily. |
You may go through the full research document below:
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Reference(s)
Documentation on Medicinal Plants Sold in Markets in Abeokuta, Nigeria. MacDonald Idu, Joseph O Erhabor and Harriet M Efijuemue (Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research April 2010; 9 (2): 110-118)
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