An Ethnobotanical Appraisal of Medicinal plants used for the Treatment of COVID-19 in Northcentral and Southwestern Nigeria

Sulaimon Olayiwola Folami; Ibrahim  Abuga; Muhammad Fawaz Abubakar; Lateefah O. Oladimeji; Moses Gbadebo ADETOYI; Abubakar Zubair LAWAL; Abiodun Sebioniga Lawal

doi:10.5455/JPPR.20240620043821

Abstract
BSTRACT
Introduction: The ongoing global pandemic of Covid-19 has led to a significant increase in the mortality rate of patients, despite the use of various pharmacological agents. This has sparked a rise in interest in the medicinal plants found in Nigeria's south-west (Lagos) and north-central (Ilorin), which have long traditions of using herbal remedies.
Aim: As a result, the current study set out to identify and catalogue the medicinal herbs used to treat Covid-19.
Method: To gather information on the herbal practices, medicinal plants, and personal information of herbal practitioners, questionnaires and oral interviews were conducted. The plants that were cited were collected, taxonomically identified by a botanist, and assigned voucher numbers. The plant names were further authenticated through the use of the Plant List (www.theplantlist.org) and World Flora Online (www.worldfloraonline.org).
Result: A total of 56 herbal practitioners from Ilorin and Lagos were interviewed, revealing the use of 38 distinct plant species. Among these, Petiveria alliacea was the most frequently cited, with a citation rate of 55.5%, while Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth was the least cited, at 11.1%. For treating Covid-19, practitioners utilized various plant parts, including leaves, bark, roots, and seeds, which were prepared as mixtures, decoctions, or powders, and either applied topically or ingested.
Conclusion: The study emphasizes the medicinal herbs utilized in conventional medical procedures to treat Covid-19., with Petiveria alliacea being the most frequently cited plant. This study also revealed the potential use of 15 medicinal plants for the first time as antiviral plants in treating Covid-19, which could serve as sources for the development of novel agents in the fight against the pandemic.
Keywords: Ethnobotanical, Medicinal plants, COVID-19, Northcentral Nigeria, Southwestern Nigeria and Treatment.

Key words: Keywords: Ethnobotanical, Medicinal plants, COVID-19, Northcentral Nigeria, Southwestern Nigeria and Treatment.