Sylver-Francis, Rosemary Alexandra; (2022) Medicinal plants use in Nigeria for the management of hypertension and diabetes. Masters thesis (M.Phil), UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

Worldwide, people constantly embrace alternative and/or complementary therapies, which include traditional medicinal plants (TMPs), for management of their health conditions. Two non-communicable diseases, hypertension and diabetes, evoke growing concerns over the escalating health threat which they pose to humanity globally. Over the past decade these conditions have become two of the biggest healthcare issues in Africa, rivalling communicable diseases. This study focuses on the use of TMPs for the management of hypertension and diabetes in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. The aim is to determine using questionnaire, the extent of the usage of these TMPs. The high prevalence of hypertension and diabetes in Nigeria is a national health problem. The impact of poor management due mainly to unaffordable healthcare costs makes it more burdensome on the patients. These factors, combined with disease complications, exacerbate the financial plight of individual families. Hence the search for alternatives. This study considers the drive behind TMP use. A survey among HTN and DM patients in two South Eastern Nigeria hospitals was run based on a structured/semi-structured questionnaire administered over 600 patients. The results of this study show high prevalence in the use of TMPs for the management of hypertension and diabetes. Approximately, 75% of the participants use TMPs. All of them use TMPs concurrently with their prescription medicines, predisposing them to severe hypotension or hypoglycaemia, possibilities of drug interactions, direct toxicities, as well as adulteration with active pharmaceutical agents. Also, the poor quality of herbal medicines raises safety concerns. Directions for use of these TMPs are scanty or anecdotal. Consequently, fifty (50) plants commonly used by these patients were recorded with known pharmacokinetic parameters. Most of these TMPs have been proven to possess therapeutic properties and pharmacological effects, thus providing a baseline for investigation into their uses by patients. Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf), Ocimum gratissimum (sweet basil/scent leaf) and Gongronema latifolium (bush buck) were three of the most commonly used medicinal plants identified from this work. Quantitative statistical cross-analysis was used to make statistical inferences using data from this study. It was ascertained that there were some associations between the use of TMPs by patients, their conditions and demographics. This study is important as it forms the basis of a future study - survey to be conducted on Nigerian doctors – to ascertain their views on alternative medicine and its integration into the national healthcare system. Keywords: Hypertension; Diabetes mellitus; Traditional medicines; Medicinal plants; Nigeria; South Eastern Nigeria; CAM; ethnobotany; ethnopharmacology; Antihypertensive, herbs, herbal remedies; hypertension/diabetes and medicinal plant.

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