Ethnobotanical survey of plants used in the treatment of mycobacterium tuberculosis in Gwagwalada and Kuje Area Councils

Abstract

An ethnobotanical survey on medicinal plants used by traditional medicinal practitioners for treating tuberculosis was carried out at Gwagwalada and Kuje area Councils, with specific objectives aimed at identifying, documenting and collecting the various diversity of plant species used. A well-structured questionnaire was used to obtained the required information on demographics and the ethnobotanical data Data was analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics were used to present results. The dominant sex of respondent was female. 17 plant species belonging to 12 plant families were discovered in Gwagwalada and a total 12 plant species belonging to 11 plant families were discovered in Kuje with the seeds and the leaves being the most commonly used part. The most frequently cited plant species were Garcinia kola, Allium sativum, Zingiber officinale, Afromomum melegueta, Abrus precatorius and Bryophyllum pinnatum. Phytochemical screening of the ethanolic extracts were carried out on the frequently cited plants. Of the 12 parameters tested, all were present except anthraquinone and glycoside. The result of the quantitative analysis records the presence of saponins, tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids and phenols in all the plant samples with Abrus precatorius recording the highest alkaloid, flavonoid and phenol content. Antioxidant activity was carried out using DPPH as the radical scavenger. The highest antioxidant activity was seen in Garcinia kola, followed by Afromomum melegueta. These findings not only validate traditional knowledge but ethnomedicinal application of the plant in the management of TB and further highlight the potentials of these plants as a valuable raw material in the pharmaceutical industries.