102 plants used in treating fibroid in Ogun, Osun —Survey

Experts in a survey for herbs for treating fibroid have identified 102 medicinal plants and 16 recipes used in treating fibroid in Ogun and Osun states.

The study, carried out with the purpose of documenting information available on traditional plants from herbs sellers and traditional medical practitioners  that are used in the treatment of fibroid, indicated that many of the recipes included plants in the Euphorbiaceae family.

The survey documented in the June edition of the Journal of Research in Forestry, Wildlife & Environment indicated that more traditional medical practitioners are involved in the treatment of fibroid as compared to herb sellers. It was carried out by Mr M. A Adebisi at the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN).

The plants’ parts usually used for the fibroid treatment include the plant root, bark, leaves, fruits, seeds, extracted juices from the fruits, and bulb.  Most of the preparations had leaves.

The method of preparations includes soak, decoction, infusion, pyrolysis, fermentation, cook or fry and pound and air-dried. Most of the plants were prepared from the combination of more than one plant parts. Few herbs preparation was made from a single plant.

The recipes included cutting in pieces and soaking in water equal amounts of Xylopia aethiopica (Eeru) and Cocos nucifera (coconut seed and pod) for three days. Half a teacup is taken daily for at least 90 days.

Seeds of Diociea reflexa (Agbaarin) and leaves of Sida pilosa are ground and soaked in local gin and a quarter of a teaspoon is to be taken for 90 days.

The bark of Kigelia africana (Igi amuyan), fruits of Ricinus communis (Lara), leaves of Newbouldia laevis (Akoko) and leaves of Pseudospondias microcarpa (Ekeja) were soaked with fermented maize water to which table salt had been added. One teacup of it is to be taken for 90 days.

The fourth recipe indicated that leaves of Macaranga barteri (Agbosa) were ground and soaked with local alcohol. Four teaspoons are taken daily for 30 days.

Others included soaking the bark and seeds of Xylopia aethiopica (Eru) with a dry gin for two to 24 hours. A small- cup full of this is taken twice daily for 30 days.

Barks of Palisota hirsuta (Akeretupon), Olax subscorpioidea (ifon) and Heliotropum indica (Atapariobuko) were cut in pieces and boiled with water. A teacup is taken daily for 60 days.

Leaves of Desmodium velutinum (Emo berodefe), the bark of Uvaria chamae (Iju igi) and seeds of Xylopia aethiopica are soaked with water. A teacup of it is to be decanted after three days is taken daily for 90 days.

Ground trona (Kahun bilala or potash) is mixed with lime juice. Four teaspoons are taken for 30 days. Also, 25 seeds of Elaeis guineansis (Ekuro) are eaten every morning to treat fibroid.

The leaf, bark and root of neem tree (dongoyaro) are boiled in water for five minutes. One tea or glass cup of the boiled mixture is decanted and it is to be taken after three days morning and night for 60 days.

Roots of Aristolochia repens (Akogun), Citrullus lanatus (bara), Gladiolus daleni (Alubosa baka), Mondia whitei (Isirigun) and Curculigo pilosa (Epakun), as well as Trona (Kahun bilala), are heated together. One table spoonful of this is taken with lime juice or local alcohol once in three days for 100 days.

Fruits of Musa nana (Ogede wewe), leaves of Senna alata (Asunwun), Jatropha curcas (igi botuje) and Solanun aethiopicum (igi osun) are cut into pieces and pounded together and made into a fine powder. Four teaspoons are to be taken daily with local alcohol for 100 days.

Volvarieella esculenta (Olu iju), roots of Jatropha curcas (Botuje) and Microdesmis puberula (Ako osunsun), Xylopia villosa (Eru awonka), Trona (Kahun bilala) and Baissea axillaris (Imu nla) are boiled with fermented maize water. One teacup is to be taken for 60 days.

The bark of Blighia sapida (Igi isin) and seeds of Xylopia aethiopica (Eru) are soaked with local alcohol for three days. Four teaspoons of this are to be taken daily for 90 days.

The bark of Kigelia africana (Igi pandoro), Citrullus lanatus (bara), Allium ascalonicum (Alubosa or onion), Mondia whitei (Isirigun), Xylopia aethiopica (Eru), Piper guineense (Iyere), and Tetrapleura tetraptera (Adian) are boiled with fermented maize water (omidun). One teacup is to be taken daily for 60 days.

The survey concluded that there is a need for proper documentation on medicinal plants used which is at the verge of extinction due to the depletion of the older generations, which was disposed to be use of herbs. This situation has been responsible for knowledge gap and death of information and sustainable utilisation of plants.