Abstract

ETHNOMEDICINAL USES AND PHYTOCHEMISTRY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS USED IN THE TREATMENT OF DIABETES BY THE PEOPLE OF NSUKKA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, SOUTH EASTERN-NIGERIA: A REVIEW

Uchenna E. Odoh*, Chukwuma Michael Onyegbulam, Constance O. Ezema, Patience O. Osadebe, Philip F. Uzor, Longinus C. Odoh and Chuka W. Agubata

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Abstract

Background: The older generation who are the reservoir of traditional medicine information and practice are fast passing away. Deforestation, strong preference for synthetic drugs and rural-urban migration has made it “unnecessary” to seek/acquire traditional medicine knowledge. Therefore, it is necessary to document ethnomedicinal uses of plants. This study aims to identify the plants used by the people of Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria in the management of diabetes, and document all relevant information on them. Materials and Methods: Available literature was searched for information on diabetes and plants used for treatment of diabetes by the people of Nsukka Local Government Area using Elsevier-Science direct, SpringerLink (Springer/Kluwer), Wiley Interscience (Wiley), Researchgate, Pubmed, Google Scholar, Virtual Health Library and Science Direct. The search included the following keywords: “Diabetes”, “antidiabetic activity”, “medicinal plants”, “ethnomedicine”,“Nsukka Local Government Area”, “phytomedicine”, “traditional medicine”, “phytochemistry”. The ethnomedicinal uses and phytochemistry were reviewed. Conclusions: The plants used by the people of Nsukka LGA of Enugu state for the treatment of diabetes mellitus have other medicinal uses in other places. They also contain many pharmacologically active compounds.

Keywords: Diabetes, Antidiabetic activity, Medicinal plants, Ethnomedicine, Phytomedicine, Traditional medicine.