Indigenous Leafy Vegetables and Health Management in South-Western Nigeria: A Review Based on Osun State

Abstract

Using Osun State in Nigeria as a case study, the use of indigenous leafy vegetables in health management was investigated. An extensive literature survey was carried out to classify and detail the medicinal use of some indigenous leafy vegetables in South-Western Nigeria followed by a field survey to substantiate the result of the literature survey. A multistage sampling procedure was adopted for the fieldwork. The fieldwork consisted of the collection of ethno-botanical data through well-versed semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and focused group discussions with key informants including farmers, shepherds, and housewives in five (5) communities. Twelve (12) vegetable species used as medicine, in addition to being eaten as vegetables and belonging to eight (8) families, were encountered in the five communities. Asteraceae had the highest number of species. Relative frequency of citation (RFC) and cultural importance index (CII) were calculated; it showed that Vernonia amygdalina holds a special place among medicinal vegetables in Osun State. The literature survey on the various indigenous leafy vegetables revealed that they have high medicinal value, and the study has given justification to the traditional uses of the plants by the indigenous communities in Osun State.