Ethnomedicinal Investigation of Herbs: Evidence from Kafanchan, Nigeria

This research reports an ethnobotanical study that focused on the traditional medicinal plants used in Kafanchan to treat human ailments. The aim of the study is to document medicinal plants used by locals in the study area and the threats currently affecting medicinal plants. Data were collected using well-structured questionnaires from one hundred (100) 66% male, and 34% female, randomly selected respondents. A total of 51 medicinal plant species, distributed in 24 families, were collected together with their medicinal uses. Of the 51 species of medicinal plants collected from the study area, the Mimosaceae came out as a leading family with 5 (10%) medicinal species, while the Solanaceae followed with 4 species (8%). The most frequently used plant parts were leaves (38%), followed by roots (21%), while Tea form, which accounted for 59% and application 16%, were the widely used methods of preparation of traditional herbal medicines. The number of reported medicinal plants and their uses by the local people of the District indicates the depth of the locals' indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants and their application. The documented medicinal plants could serve as a basis for future investigation of modern drugs.