Medicinal and Socio-Cultural Importance of Costus Afer (Ker Grawl) in Nigeria

Abstract

Medicinal plants play a great role in human life and have substances that are used for traditional therapeutic and modern drug production purposes in primary health care delivery. Costus afer as a medicinal plant is commonly used for traditional therapeutic and other socio cultural purposes such as wrapping of indigenous food items, mat making, feed to small ruminants, treatment of cough, measles, malaria, eye defects, hunch back and evil repellants. The major constituents of C. afer for modern drug production are steroidal sapogenins, saponins aferosides A-C and dioscin. Introduction In Nigeria traditional medicine has become a part of the people's culture. The ministry of Health in many African countries including Nigeria now has a department or agency that oversees the affairs of traditional health care delivery system. In addition, formalized training of traditional health care attendants has started in many African countries.