ETHNOBOTANICAL SURVEY OF PLANTS USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF TYPHOID FEVER IN MINNA, NIGER STATE, AND EVALUATION OF ANTI-TYPHOID ACTIVITY OF TERMINALIA AVICENNOIDES GUILL & PERR. (COMBRETACEAE

ETHNOBOTANICAL SURVEY OF PLANTS USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF TYPHOID FEVER IN MINNA, NIGER STATE, AND EVALUATION OF ANTI-TYPHOID ACTIVITY OF TERMINALIA AVICENNOIDES GUILL & PERR. (COMBRETACEAE

Abstract:

An ethnobotanical survey was conducted from December 2011 to April 2012 in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. The survey was aimed at identifying and documenting medicinal plants used for the treatment of typhoid fever in 6 communities in Minna, Niger State and establishing resourceful information on the pharmacognostic, phytochemical screening and anti- salmonella activity on the most frequently used plant. Ethnobotanical data were collected with the aid of a tape recorder and supported with a structured questionnaire during the interview interactive session with the Traditional medical practitioners. The survey revealed a total of 49 plants species belonging to 31 families and the most frequently used plant was Terminalia avicennioides Guill and Perr. The plant habit and habitat of collection showed that 63.34% of the medicinal plant species grow up to the height of a tree and are mostly found in the wild (50%). The survey also revealed that the leaves were the major parts used for herbal preparation. The main methods of preparation are decoction and infusion. The microscopic evaluation carried out on the leaves of T. avicennioides revealed: anomocytic stomata on both upper and lower surface, covering trichomes, rosette calcium oxalate crystals, phloem fibres, annular and spiral xylem vessels. The chemomicroscopy indicated the presence of cellulose, lignin, starch, calcium oxalate crystals, fat and tannins. The phytochemical screening carried out on the methanol extract of the leaves of the plant using thin layer chromatography (TLC) showed that phenolic compounds and terpenes were present and alkaloid absent. The anti-typhoid activity of T. avicennioides extract against Salmonella typhi collected from Ahmadu Bello University (ABUTH) Shika, Zaria showed significant inhibitory activity against Salmonella typhi with the methanolic extract (Defatted) showing the highest zone of inhibition (31mm). The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) value obtained using 9 the Broth dilution method was 6.25mg/ml while Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) was 12.5mg/ml. It can be concluded that the leaves of Terminalia avicennioides possess anti- typhoid activity.

ETHNOBOTANICAL SURVEY OF PLANTS USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF TYPHOID FEVER IN MINNA, NIGER STATE, AND EVALUATION OF ANTI-TYPHOID ACTIVITY OF TERMINALIA AVICENNOIDES GUILL & PERR. (COMBRETACEAE

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