Abstract

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Inadequate information on the uses of medicinal plant species is affecting knowledge transfer of herbal medicines. Consequently, ethnomedical survey of plant species used for treatment of various diseases in Mbalom Council Ward (CW) of Gwer East Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, Nigeria was conducted. Stratified, multistage and simple random sampling techniques were adopted to select five communities, 10 villages and 170 respondents comprising 50 Traditional Medical Practitioners (TMPs) and 120 Key Informants (KIs) for the study. The study made use of the primary data. The primary data were obtained with the aid of semi-structured questionnaire and personal observation. Descriptive statistics and Performance Index (PI) were used to analyze field data. The PI was used to analyze the relative performance of plants and diseases in the study area. Results of analysis showed that the elderly persons were more in the herbal practice than the younger ones. Fifty nine plant species belonging to 35 families were cited in the area with Annona senegalensis, having the highest percentage citation of (6.76%) of plant species. The digestive system and specific symptoms groups of diseases were the most reported diseases which made them the most dangerous groups of diseases in the study area. Some of the plant species with high PI for treatment of various diseases were Manihot esculenta, Vernonia amygdalina, Vitex doniana, Tridax procumbens, Cochlospermum planchonii, Chromolaena odarata, Uvaria chamae, Parkia biglobosa and Uvaria chamae amongst others. The major threat to the conservation of medicinal plants was clearing for farming activities (66.67%). The study concludes that the youths should be encouraged to engage in herbal practices to ensure continuity of the practice. Further, the study request government, non-governmental organizations and private individuals to conserve these medicinal plants in the said study area by active participation and through awareness programmes.

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