Ethnobiological survey of traditional medicine practice for Women's health in Oyo State

Abstract

A comprehensive survey aimed at documenting traditional medicinal practices was carried out between Novemberrn2008 and January 2012 in 16 different locations across Oyo State. This article focuses on the traditional medicinalrnpractices used for the treatment of human circulatory and nervous diseases. Semi-structured questionnaires andrnopen-ended informal interviews were administered during series of repeated visits to a total of 31 respondents. Arntotal of 62 traditional medicinal practices were described for the management of a wide variety of women’s healthrnissues A total of 67 plants, 9 animals and 16 other ingredients were described as being used in the preparations ofrnthe described traditional remedies. The 67 plants spread across 42 plant families, with Poaceae and Caesalpiniaceaernboth having the highest number (5) of species representatives. It is expected that the documentation of medicinalrnplant knowledge will further promote bioprospecting and pharmacological research.