Abstract Detail

Ethnobotany

Kankara, Sulaiman Sani [1].

Medicinal Plants Used for the management of HIV/AIDS Opportunistic Infections in Katsina State, Nigeria.

Sub-Saharan Africa is the most affected region with HIV/AIDS in the world with Nigeria alone accounting for about 9% of people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. Traditional healers and local communities use medicinal plants to manage HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections (OIs) in those countries because of their availability and affordability. People leaving with HIV/AIDS prefer alternative medicine using medicinal plants because of the stigma associated with the disease. Despite the intense use of medicinal plants for managing HIV/AIDS OIs, this indigenous knowledge is poorly documented and very few studies are reported from Nigeria in spite of its rich cultural diversity vis a vis the human and natural factors affecting the plant biodiversity. In this study, an attempt was made to prepare an inventory of medicinal plants used for the management of this endemic In Katsina- one of the poorer states of the country. Semi-structured questionnaire method was adopted to obtain information from traditional healers, people living with HIV/AIDS, herbalists and other old people from the selected communities. Three Local Government Areas (one from each Senatorial District) were selected for this study. The survey revealed that 63 plant species belonging to 34 families and 48 genera are used for the management of HIV/AIDS OIs in the study area. Most of the cited plants belong to Fabaceae (15 species), followed by Combretaceae (7 species) and Moraceae (4 species). Families Rubiaceae, Rhamnaceae, Olacaceae, Myrtaceae, Anacardiaceae and Euphorbiaceae were represented with 2 species each, while the remaining families have 1 specie each. Anogeissus leiocarpa appeared to be the most popular species having the highest Relative Frequency of Citation (0.75), while Ipomea batata had the least Relative Frequency of Citation (0.01). A total of 16 OIs were managed with these plants. The most used plant parts were leaves (37.50%), bark (33.75%), root (17.50%), and whole plant (3.75%). While Seed, rhizome and fruit account for 2.50% each. This study reveals that people still patronise medicinal plants to manage HIV/AIDS OIs despite the availability of anti-retroviral drugs in conventional health centres. The provides baseline data based on which future pharmacological studies aimed at producing anti HIV/AIDS drugs could be conducted.

1 - Umaru Musa Yar'adua University, Department of Biology, PMB 2218 Katsina, Katsina State, Nigeria, Katsina, Katsina, Nigeria

Keywords:
Medicinal Plants
Ethnobotany
Cancer
Katsina State
Nigeria.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 35, Ethnobotany
Location: Sundance 4/Omni Hotel
Date: Wednesday, June 28th, 2017
Time: 8:45 AM
Number: 35002
Abstract ID:36
Candidate for Awards:None