Ethnobotanical survey of anticancer plants in Askira/Uba local government area of Borno State, Nigeria

Abstract

Received 20 March, 2014; Accepted 14 January, 2015 Ethnobotanical survey was conducted on anticancer plants in Askira/Uba local government area of Borno State, Nigeria. Administration of questionnaires and oral interviews to 20 traditional medicine practitioners (TMPs) and field trip were carried out in the study area. A total of 65 different plants belonging to 41 families were identified during the survey. Six plants belong to the Caesalpinioideae, 5 from Fabaceae, 4 each from Mimosoideae and Euphorbiaceae and 3 from Burseraceae. The most frequently implicated plants as anticancer among respondents were Securidaca longepedunculata (Polygalaceae), Andira inermis ssp. rooseveltii (Fabaceae), Pterocarpus erinaceus (Fabaceae), Carissa edulis (Apocynaceae), Detarium microcarpum (Caesalpinioideae) and Cassia sieberiana (Caesalpinioideae). These 65 plants should be investigated scientifically to ascertain their acclaimed anticancer properties with the view to develop new drugs. Key-sickle cell subjects (control). Copper which have been implicated in antagonizing zinc for the same binding site showed no significant change in sickle cell patients when compared with the Hb-AA control group. Growth retardation factors (height and weight) significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in sickle cell patients when compared with the control group. These results confirm that zinc and magnesium are deficient in sickle cell patients; hence, trace element supplementation may be necessary in the management of sickle cell disease as it will arrest oxidative stress and per-oxidation with resultant stability of erythrocyte membranes as well as reduction in the rate of hemolysis and other symptoms often noticed in sickle cell anemic patients.