scholarly journals Utilization of Plants for Medicinal Purposes and Concerns with Endangered Plant Species from Ghana

Author(s):  
Alfred Ofori Agyemang ◽  
Bernard Kofi Turkson ◽  
Michael Frimpong Baidoo ◽  
Isaac Kingsley Amponsah ◽  
Merlin Lincoln Kwao Mensah ◽  
...  

There has always been a strong human dependency on plants for health purposes and such an important relationship should be sustained. Plants remain a repository of drug leads for discovering new pharmaceutical agents for prevention, treatment and improving the quality of health for many people globally. In the effort to improve healthcare services, Ghana put up the Recommended Essential Herbal Medicine List (REHML) consisting of products that are used in the treatment of both Communicable and non-Communicable diseases. To inspire confidence among prescribers and clients of the products it has become necessary to validate the plants and their products. The aim of the study was to identify the medicinal plants' species in the herbal products in Ghana’s REHML commonly used for treatment, the conditions being treated with them and finding published research for the plants therapeutic use. Medicinal plants on the REHML with chances of getting extinct were also assessed. The REHML of Ghana and the Ghana Herbal Pharmacopoeia were reviewed for the required information. Electronic databases; PubMed and Scopus, as well as online search engines, Google Scholar and Google were used to obtain information on the identified medicinal plants and their families. A total of 167 medicinal plant species were found to be used in 180 products as compiled in the Ghana REHML and these belonged to 63 botanical families. Most of the medicinal plants are collected from the wild making sustainability and bio-conservation a challenge. Decoctions, creams and ointments are the commonest dosage forms. The REHML of Ghana caters for 13 disease areas using 180 finished herbal products. These products are made from 167 medicinal plants, 16 of which are in the group of medicinal plants classified as endangered species. There should be a conscious effort to bio-conserve these endangered medicinal plant species so that there can be continuous supply for use in the preparation of herbal products for healthcare purposes. 

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rupali Sharma ◽  
Hukum Singh

Abstract Human-induced CO2 emissions since the preindustrial era have accumulated CO2 in the atmosphere which has influenced the plant structure and function including bio-chemical constituents of the plant system. The Himalayan vegetation has been predicted to be more vulnerable and sensitive to climate change. However, it is still not well documented that how atmospheric CO2 concentration will change the biochemical constituents considering nutrients status of Himalayan endangered plants in future climate change. Hence, we examined the impacts of elevated CO2 concentrations (ambient- ~ 400, 600, and 800 µmol CO2 mol− 1) on biochemical constituents (chlorophyll, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, protein, and total sugars and carbon partitioning) and nutrients response (potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium) in leaf, stem and root tissue of Asparagus racemosus Willd. (an endangered medicinal plant species of Himalayas). The results showed that the elevated CO2 concentration significantly (p ≤ 0.05) enhanced the chlorophyll, protein, total sugars, and carbon accumulation conversely diminished ascorbic acid in leaf tissues. The nutrients accumulation especially potassium and magnesium were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved while phosphorus accumulation suppressed under elevated CO2 concentration. Moreover, elevated CO2 notably altered protein, sugars, carbon, and nutrients partitioning in plant tissues viz. leaf, stem, and root of A. racemosus. The fate of rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations beyond 800 µmol CO2 mol− 1 will require much more study. Further studies are needed to understand the impacts of elevated CO2 concentration as well as a combination with other associated climatic variables on biochemical response particularly bioactive ingredients/health-promoting substances and nutrient profiling of this and other endangered medicinal plant species for improving livelihood support of the society.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Sidra Ahsan Shah ◽  
Wajeeha Iqbal ◽  
Muneeba Sheraz ◽  
Bilal Javed ◽  
Syeda Sadaf Zehra ◽  
...  

Bajwat Wildlife Sanctuary is a complex riverine ecosystem and is unique because of the presence of river Chenab, various seasonal streams, lakes, and Head Marala barrage. These ecogeographic conditions provide diverse natural habitats for various plant and animal species to grow uninterrupted and have undocumented ethnopharmacologically important medicinal flora. The present study involves the first-ever extensive investigation to document the ethnopharmacological knowledge on medicinal plants of local healers and inhabitants of the Bajwat Wildlife Sanctuary to treat ailments. The unstructured and semistructured interviews of the local healers and inhabitants were conducted that included 130 individuals. The ethnomedicinal formulations, their method of preparation, mode of administration, parts of the plant used, diseases cured, and their categorization along with species use report (UR) were analyzed. The ethnopharmacological study led to the enlisting of 114 medicinal plant species belonging to 97 genera and distributed among 47 plant families. 2029 URs were collected with 42 general disease categories. Each plant species was reported 18 times to cure various diseases (∼18 UR), while ∼48 URs were collected on each disease category by local informants. Digestive issues (290 URs, ∼14.29%) and skin infections (279 URs, ∼13.75%) were found most commonly among the occupants of the area. The oral administration (69%) of herbal drugs and the preparation of plant extracts (32%) were the most common ethnopharmacological strategies. Inhabitants of the area were well aware of the limited use of poisonous plants. 8 (∼7%) out of the total 114 medicinal plant species were listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Least Concern, while Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. was enlisted as near-threatened. The results of the present investigation show that the occupants of the Bajwat have sound information about the ethnopharmacological consumption of medicinal plants, and some of the novel ethnomedicinal formulations were reported which provide the basic data for further pharmacological research.


Author(s):  
S.Zh. Erekeyeva ◽  
◽  
R.B. Arysbayeva ◽  
A. Musrat ◽  
László Orlóci ◽  
...  

Rosaceae Juss. family have more cosmopolitan plants growing in many parts of the globe. Apart from food and decorative plants, there are also medicinal plant species. Increasing the potential of the use of medicinal plants currently represents one of the top-priority objectives that requires a comprehensive study of plants in isolation from natural flora, growing and preserving the species. The article focuses on Kazakhstani plant species of the Rosaceae Juss. family, and specifics of their growth and distribution. Endangered species, as reported in the literature and online sources, are briefly described. Also, the specifics of introducing 30 plant species of family Rosaceae Juss. from global and Kazakhstan flora in the Main Botanic Garden of Almaty are described, introduction parameters (phenological observation and seed quality parameters) are analyzed for 7 medicinal plant species (Agrimonia asiatica Juz., Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim., Filipendula vulgaris Moench, Potentilla argentea L., Potentilla recta L., Fragaria vesca L., and Fragaria viridis (Duch.) Weston) are introduced from the Northern Tien Shan flora, and a brief summary of the introduction details obtained on the basis of the successful introduction index is provided.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 58-64
Author(s):  
Dwi Haryanto ◽  
Rosye H.R. Tanjung ◽  
Konstantina M.B. Kameubun

Study on the used of medicinal plants by Marind people who lived at Wasur National Park, Merauke was conducted by using descriptive methods which include observation, interview, documentation, literature review techniques, as well as  emic and ethic approaches. During the study there were 46 species which belong to 26 families plants found as medicinal plants used by Marind people to cure about 30 diseases. Among 46 species, there were 7 potential medicinal plant species which known  and used by most Marind people. The seven potential medicinal plant species were Ipomoea triloba L., Bauhinia sp., Pittosporum sp., Kingiodendron platycarpum Bent., Sophora tool mentosa L.Cyrtandra sp., dan Tinopspora disstiflora L. Part of plant used vary from leaf, root, bark, fruit and other part of plant. Compare to other part of plant, leaf was the most common used as traditional medicinal plant. Key words:   traditional medicinal plant, Marind people, Wasur National Park


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Sangay Tenzin ◽  
Pema Tendar

This paper documents the medicinal plant species in wetlands of the Eastern Himalayan Highlands of Gasa District, Bhutan. A random quadrat sampling method was used to assess the presence-absence of species. The study was conducted at Khatoed and Khamaed gewogs (blocks), Gasa District between January and December 2018. Identification of medicinal plant species and families were done in consultation with a botanist at the herbarium in Thimphu and volumes of Flora of Bhutan were referred. Based on the published and authentic scientific literature, information on medical uses of plant parts was collected. A total of 74 species of medicinal plant species in the wetlands, distributed in 69 genera and 43 families have been recorded. The study suggests preserving invaluable wetland medicinal plants and integrating ethno-medicinal practices in our lives.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boja Tilinti Bose ◽  
Yoseph Melka ◽  
Tesfaye Awas

Abstract Background: The world population use medicinal plants for treating diseases in forms of drug developments also traditional medicinal specially developing countries. The economic growth and cultural changes threaten the traditional lifestyle of local people. The aim of the study is to investigate medicinal plants and associated indigenous knowledge. Methods: Ethnobotanical data were obtained using semi-structured interviews, focus group discussion and market survey. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, informant consensus factor, preference ranking and Direct matrix ranking using Microsoft Excel and Statistical Package for Social Science Version 20. Results: Ethnomedicinal use of 136 medicinal plant species belonging to 117 genera and 63 families wereidentified and documented. The highest number of medicinal plants was used in midland kebele(74 species). Out of total medicinal plants 66 (48.53%) species were reported to treat human aliments only. Most of the medicinal plants harvested were herbs (37.50%), followed by trees (36.76%) and the least was lianas (0.74%). A Pearson correlation test indicated a positive and significant difference between age of informants and number of medicinal plant species cited, and negative and significant difference between level of education and number of medicinal plant species cited. The result indicates that there was significant difference between male and female informants in their knowledge of medicinal plants, and there was significant different between number of medicinal plants reported by key informants and household respondents. Cordia africana ranked first as a multipurpose medicinal plant. Agricultural expansion (41.96%) stood first as a factor threatening medicinal plants. Conclusion: The highest numbers of MPs were used in Sire Morose kebele (midland), but collection was not restricted only to their locality the move other kebeles to harvest MPs. In the study area elders have better knowledge of medicinal plant than younger and as people educate their knowledge on medicinal plants decrease.This implies that in study area there is potential indigenous knowledge but we are going loss this traditional knowledge if did not develop means transferring this to next generation. To support local people effort on in-situ conservation and ex-situ conservation needed


2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (04) ◽  
pp. 13-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. B.S. Kapoor ◽  
Veena Purohit

Evaluation of sterol contents from three selected medicinal plant species of Fabaceae family growing in Rajasthan Desert was carried out. The roots, shoots and fruits of Clitoria ternatea, Sesbania bispinosa and Tephrosia purpurea were analysed for sterol contents. - Sitosterol and Stigmasterol were isolated and identified. Maximum sterol contents were observed in shoots of Sesbania bispinosa (0.29 mg/g.d.w.), whereas minimum in roots of Tephrosia purpurea(0.15mg/g.d.w.


2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (02) ◽  
pp. 09-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. B.S. Kapoor ◽  
Raksha Mishra

Evaluation of flavonoid contents from three selected medicinal plant species of capparidaceae family growing in North–Western Rajasthan was carried out. The leaves of Capparis decidua, Cleome gynandra and Cleome viscosa were analysed for flavonoid contents i.e. Quercetin and Kaempferol. Flavonoid contents like Quercetin and Kaempferol were isolated and identified. The maximum total flavonoid contents (1.16mg./gdw) was found in leaves of Capparis decidua while minimum (0.71mg./gdw) in leaves of Cleome viscosa.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document