ETHNOMEDICAL SURVEY AND BIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF SOME EVAPORITES (KANWA) USED IN HAUSA AND FULANI TRADITIONAL MEDICINE IN SOME SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

ETHNOMEDICAL SURVEY AND BIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF SOME EVAPORITES (KANWA) USED IN HAUSA AND FULANI TRADITIONAL MEDICINE IN SOME SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract:

‘Kanwa’ is the local trade name for varieties of evaporites that are formed from evaporation and precipitation of minerals containing body of water. They are locally used extensively by the traditional healers, nomads and house wives of Northern Nigeria to treat diseases, as supplement to animal feeds and as additive to some foods and herbs concoctions. This research was aimed to document medicinal information through field survey in five selected local government area of Kaduna state and validate the claims through some biological studies. A survey was carried out on five most commonly used evaporites namely farar kanwa, jar kanwa, ungurnu, manda and duste danlibya with the view to establish characteristic features which may be useful for their correct identification and to validate their medicinal uses. The ethnomedical survey had shown that all the samples were well known by the respondents and were largely used for medicinal purpose as indicated by high informant consensus factor, use values and fidelity levels. The elemental analysis revealed the presence of Ca, Mg, K, Na, Fe, Zn, Pb, Cl, PO4, SO4, HCO3,and NO3 at various concentrations in ppm. Na content was greater in farar kanwa, jar kanwa, and ungurnu and all pH values were found to be between 8.7 to 10.6. Therefore, evaporites are classified as natron and dutse danlibya and manda as polyhalite. The acute oral toxicity (LD50 ) had shown neither mortality nor sign of toxicity at 2000 mg/kg. Biochemical parameters namely aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin, conjugate bilirubin and total proteins were all found to have no significant differences (p > 0.05) from the control group. Jar kanwa and dutse danlibya were found to be very soluble in water and non-hygroscopic, ungurnu was found to be very soluble in water, slightly hygroscopic. Farar kanwa and manda were found to be soluble in water and hygroscopic. Significant (p < 0.05) and dose dependent analgesic activities were observed when ix compared with control group. Jar kanwa showed the highest percentage (83.66%) protection of animals from abdominal writhes, followed by farar kanwa (76.73 %), Dutse danlibya (75.74 %), ungurnu (72.77 %) while manda (56.93 %) had the least activities. Farar kanwa, jar kanwa and ungurnu inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilus and Salmonella typhi. The result of the antimicrobial activity indicated by zone of inhibition of growth ranged from 10 mm to 23 mm. Farar kanwa was more potent against Bacillus subtilus (Zone of inhibition = 18 mm), jar kanwa was more potent against Staphylococcus aureus (23 mm) and ungurnu was more potent against Staphylococcus aureus (Zone of inhibition = 22 mm). The farar kanwa showed the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 25 mg/ml on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilus and 50 mg/ml on Salmonella typhi and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) value 50 mg/ml and 100 mg/ml. jar kanwa and ungurnu showed lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 50 mg/ml on Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella typhi, 25 mg/ml on Salmonella typhi. And 12.5 mg/ml on Bacillus subtilus.jar kanwa and ungurnu showed minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) value of 25 to 100 mg/ml. In conclusion the present studies had established the physical characters; analgesic and antimicrobial properties of the five evaporites evaluated which justified their uses in Hausa and Fulani traditional medicine as pain killer and antimicrobial agents.

ETHNOMEDICAL SURVEY AND BIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF SOME EVAPORITES (KANWA) USED IN HAUSA AND FULANI TRADITIONAL MEDICINE IN SOME SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

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