History and Philosophy of Medicine 1 Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used as antiulcer in Gwandu Emirate, Kebbi State, Nigeria Angela Nnenna Ukwuani-Kwaja, Ibrahim Sani, Lesley Sahber Kindzeka, Grace Joseph Gudu Abstract—Background: Peptic ulcer is a common disease of knowledge as an invaluable, underutilized and under the gastrointestinal tract often self-treated in Nigeria, par- documented knowledge pool[3]. The documentation of ticularly among the rural population with various forms of medicinal uses of African plants and traditional systems is herbal remedies. Aim: The ethno-botanical survey conducted becoming a pressing need because of the rapid loss of the was aimed at collecting and identifying medicinal plants used natural habitats of some of these plants due to anthropogenic and sold for the treatment of peptic ulcer in Gwandu emirate, Kebbi State, Nigeria. Methods: Administration of structured activities and also due to an erosion of valuable traditional questionnaire/interview was employed. Herb sellers around some knowledge [4]. major towns in Gwandu emirate (Birnin Kebbi, Aliero, Kalgo, Ulcer is a common gastrointestinal disorder which is seen Bunza and Jega Local Government Areas) were the respondents. among many people. It is basically an inflamed break in the Plant species were photographed and identified from December 2017 to February, 2018. Local names, botanical names and skin or the mucus membrane lining the alimentary tract [5]. families of antiulcer plant as well as the mode of preparation and Ulceration occurs when there is a disturbance of the normal administration of these plants were also documented. Results: equilibrium caused by either enhanced aggression or diminis- A total of 27 respondents mentioned 16 medicinal plants used, shed mucosal resistance [6]. Ulcer may be caused by Helicob- plant parts, mode of preparation and administration. Medicinal acter pylori infection, long term use of non-steroidal anti-infl- plants with high frequently index include Mangifera indica (37.04%), Moringa oliefera (37.04%), Acacia nilotica (33.30%), ammatory agent such as aspirin, ibuprofen etc., stomach canc- and Azadirachta indica (29.63%). The plant parts mostly used in ers or lifestyles such as excess fasting, stress, too much spicy antiulcer herbal preparations are the roots, leaves and seeds and foods and alcohol. There are many types of ulcers; such as are usually administered orally. Conclusion: This documentation mouth ulcer, esophagus ulcer, peptic ulcer, and genital ulcer showcases the indigenous knowledge and inventory of traditional [5]. Peptic ulcer is the most common and it includes ulcers of antiulcer medicinal plants used locally for ulcer treatment in Gwandu emirate, Kebbi State, Nigeria. digestive tract; in the stomach or the duodenum. The commo- nly available synthetic antiulcer drugs are associated with Keywords—Plants, Peptic ulcer, Ethno-botany, Gwandu many adverse effects including relapse of the disease and are emirate, Kebbi State often expensive for the poor populations [7]. Therefore, the search for safe antiulcer from nature is an area of intense I. INTRODUCTION research. Nigeria is blessed with large number medicinal plants and it The scientific study of relationship that exists between peo- is patronized by both local masses as well as elite. In Nigeria, ple and plants is known as ethnobotany [1]. It is a preliminary many people strongly rely on traditional healing practices method of research, suitable for gathering information on the therapy particularly the use of medicinal plants for their daily use of plants [2]. The study of ethnobotany is very ancient and healthcare needs despite the advancement in modernmedicine. of great importance as it gives a proper understanding of the This is due to the notion or believes that herbal remedies are interrelations of all several traits and of the whole material and of natural origin and as such have no toxic effect, are readily intellectual culture of a people in its entirety. In recent time, available, affordable and less complicated compared to it has become an important and crucial area of research and conventional drug treatment. Indigenous knowledge of using development in resource management, sustainable utilization medicinal plants for healing human ailments is, however, in and conservation of biodiversity, and socioeconomic develop- danger of gradually becoming extinct, because this knowledge ment. At a global scale, available evidence points toward a is passed on orally from generation to generation without direction of increasing relevance of traditional ethnobotanical the aid of a writing system and because many traditional healers do not keep written records [8].There is an abundant Angela Nnenna Ukwuani-Kwaja, Ibrahim Sani and Lesley Sahber Kindzeka are with Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, undocumented traditional knowledge of herbal remedies used Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero, Kebbi State, to treat diseases and this research was aimed at focusing on Nigeria. e-mail: [email protected] (Corresponding author: Angela herbal remedies used traditionally for the treatment of Peptic Nnenna Ukwuani-Kwaja) Grace Joseph Gudu is with Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, ulcer in Gwandu emirate, Kebbi Sate, Nigeria. Faculty of Life Sciences, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero, Kebbi State, Nigeria. II. MATERIALS AND METHODS History and Philosophy of Medicine 2 Study Site Respondent details The herb sellers reported that they majorly collect plant The ethnobotanical study was carried out in major towns samples from the wilds around their respective Local Gov- of Gwandu emirate. Gwandu emirate is one of the four (4) ernment Area. Medicinal plant parts when collected, may be emirates that make up Kebbi State in north-western Nigeria. used fresh but preferably used when dried. All respondents It is comprised of ten (10) Local Government Areas (Aliero, affirmed that the medicinal plants were efficacious and had no Jega, Bunza, Kalgo, Koko, Maiyama, Suru, Gwandu, Birnin- side effect. Kebbi and Bagudo). The emirate is a sub group of Hausa Herbal preparation and administration speaking people and Islam is the predominant religion. The The methods of preparation as well as administration of the occupations of the people is majorly farming and trading. It medicinal plants used in Gwandu emirate for the treatments has 1,400 mm per annum rainfall. of peptic ulcer is presented in Table 2. It was observed that Collection of Ethnobotanical Information methods of preparation were either by decoction or maceration Data were collected from December, 2017 to February, and is taken daily until one feels relieved of ulcer symptoms. 2018. Herb sellers in market places, motor parks and pop- The plant parts mostly used in antiulcer herbal preparations ular bus stops of the major towns of Gwandu emirate were are the roots, leaves, seeds and stem bark. (Figure 1). individually interviewed. Use of structured questionnaire and The etiology of peptic ulcer is unknown in most of the cases, oral interview were adopted to gather the ethno-medicinal data. yet it is generally accepted that it results from an imbalance Questionnaire was administered directly to those who could between aggressive factors and the maintenance of mucosal read and write, while others were filled after being interview integrity through the endogenous defense mechanisms [34]. To orally using an interpreter. Information collected included regain the balance, different therapeutic agents are used to in- knowledge on the use of the medicinal plant species, the local hibit the gastric acid secretion or to boost the mucosal defense names of the plant species, parts of plant used, dosage, mechanisms by increasing mucosal production, stabilizing the methods of herbal preparation, mode of administration, surface epithelial cells or interfering with the prostaglandin duration of treatment and other traditional uses. A total of 27 synthesis. The causes of gastric ulcer are believed to be due herb sellers were interviewed while field surveys were done to stress induced increase in gastric hydrochloric acid secretion on farm lands and forest reserves to identify the plants. and/or stasis of acid and the volume of secretion is also an Plant Identification important factor in the formation of ulcer due to exposure of On field, plant identification was carried out using some the unprotected lumen of the stomach to the accumulating acid texts useful for plant identification. Samples and Photographs [35]. of the surveyed plants were further identified at the Herbarium The goals of treating peptic ulcer disease are to relieve pain, of Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero, heal the ulcer and prevent ulcer recurrence. Currently there is Kebbi State, Nigeria by Professor Dhramendra Singh. no cost-effective treatment that meets all these goals. Hence, efforts are on to find a suitable treatment from natural product III. DATA ANALYSIS sources. In recent years, there has been growing interest in Information gathered from the structured questionnaires was alternative therapies especially from plant sources due to tabulated and analyzed using descriptive statistics with the aid their perceived lower side effects, ease of accessibility and of Microsoft excel computer software package. The frequency affordability [36]. For instance, Onyeka et al. [37] reported that index for each plant was calculated using