Ethnobotanicals Used as Therapeutics Against Cancer, Dental Caries, and Helminth Infection in Nigeria

Introduction

Ethnomedical and therapeutic practices with plants are as old as human. Although the practice of traditional medicine in Africa and Nigeria in particular dates back to about 5000 years ago, there is dearth of written information and documentations on the use of plants and plant products as remedies in the management of diseases due to African progenitors and traditional healers adopted mythical approach in delivery and practice of ethnomedicine (Abdullahi, 2011). However, in recent times, determining the roles and use of plants as remedies for different health challenges is attracting the attention of scholars globally (Omagha et al., 2022). Nigeria as one of the global ecosystems is blessed with abundant and rich vegetation and flora. This enhanced the practice and use of phytomedicine in health care delivery (Omagha et al., 2021, 2022). Ethnobotanically, all plants are naturally endowed with phytochemicals with lots of active secondary metabolites and with potentials for the management of different human ailments (Omagha et al., 2020). Arguably, all plants have the potentials for medicinal application, but this is largely dependent on knowledge of the phytochemical compositions of the plants that are related to the particular health challenge and or the human well-being under consideration. Thus, medicinal plants are rich resources of ingredients and raw materials which can be used or tapped in synthetic drug development and production. The major use of herbal medicine is in health promotion and therapy for chronic diseases. However, usage of traditional remedies increases when conventional medicine is ineffective in the treatment of diseases, such as in advanced cancer and in the face of new and infectious diseases with recalcitrant attributes.

Today, on a global basis, the conscientiousness and knowledge of medicinal plants will be the main driver for the exploitation and discovery of natural plant resources. The sustainability of this knowledge vis-à-vis comprehensive approach and collaboration will be needed to maintain as well as update historical records on medicinal plants for the benefit of man and posterity. Evidence from different cultures and climes showed that medicinal plants epitomize the earliest and most widespread method of treatment in healthcare delivery (Halberstein, 2005). Prior to the evolution of orthodox medical practice, human medical treatment and healing were sourced directly from plants or animals. Notwithstanding the growing use of synthetic pharmaceutical drugs, the use of plants as healing materials may be described as the “option of treatment” for different health challenges for both the practitioners and growing world populations (Alimba et al., 2016a).