Ethnobotanical Survey of plants used in the treatment of malaria by the Rumaya people of Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State

Abstract

Ethnobotanical survey of herbal plants used by the Rumaya people of Kauru Local Government of Kaduna State for the treatment of malaria was carried out. The survey was aimed at identifying the plants used in the treatment of malaria among Rumaya people. Information was collected by interviewing indigenous Rumaya herbal medicine practitioners, herb sellers, and farmers, using interviews and structured questionnaire. A total of 30 plant species belonging to 16 families were recorded from the surveys that are being used in herbal antimalarial recipes. Fabaceae was most represented with 6 species (20%), followed by Combretaceae with 5 species representing (16.67%), Malvaceae, Lamiaceae, Mytaceae, Euphorbiaceae, and Rutaceae were represented by 2 species each (6.67), while the remaining 9 families had 1 species each (3.33%). Investigations were carried out on the plant part used, method of preparing the herbal antimalarial recipe and how it is administered. The results indicated that water was the main medium of antimalarial recipe preparations, irrespective of the part, whole plant or combination of parts or whole plants used. Though large number of plants that are traditionally used for the treatment of malaria were identified, scientific validation of the claims of antimalarial potency is required.