Ethnobotanical survey of plants used for skin diseases and related ailments in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

Akwa Ibom State is situated in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria and is endowed with various plant species prominently employed in traditional medicine. The medicinal plants used to treat skin diseases and related ailments in Akwa Ibom are surveyed. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted to gather information through personal interviews with traditional medical practitioners, patients and community elders. 183 medicinal plant species representing 153 genera and 59 families, used in traditional Akwa Ibom medicine for the treatment of skin diseases and related ailments, were recorded from 930 households. The most treated ailment was skin spots followed by wounds and boils. The survey results provide information for traditional medical practitioners and medicinal plant researchers. These medicinal plants may serve as leads to drug discovery and may also be incorporated in the health care delivery system of Nigeria.