Ethnobiological Survey of Traditional Medicine Practice for The Treatment of Piles and Diabetes Mellitus in Oyo State

Abstract

A comprehensive survey with the aim of documenting traditional medicinal practices was carried out betweenrnNovember 2008 and January 2012 in 16 different locations across Oyo State. This article focuses on the treatment ofrnpiles and diabetes mellitus. Semi-structured questionnaires and open-ended informal interviews were administeredrnduring series of repeated visits to a total of 31 respondents. Seventeen herbal recipes were described for therntreatment of diabetes mellitus, while 30 herbal recipes were described treating piles in this study. Fifty plants, 1rnanimal and 9 other ingredients were described as being used in the preparations of the described traditionalrnremedies. The 50 plants spread across 33 plant families. Herbal products were administered orally for diabetesrnmellitus and by oral administration and topical application for piles. Furthermore, Vernonia amygdalina andrnOcimum gratissimum were the most frequently used plant species mentioned for the treatment of diabetes mellitusrnand piles in Oyo State.