ABSTRACT

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorder associated with the endocrine system that resulted in hyperglycaemic condition. The metabolic defects may leads to many complications such as neuropathy, retinopathy, micro-angiopathy, nephropathy, ischaemic heart disease and stroke. This survey assess medicinal plants used in treatment of diabetes mellitus in Ikwuano L.G.A. Structured questionnaires were administered to 80 participants in the four clans that made up Ikwuano L.G.A. i.e Ariam, Oboro, Ibere and Oloko and this was done using randomly sampling techniques to collect data from the respondents. Four tradomedical centers were visited and in each of the home, plant species use for medicinal purpose were collected and identified at the herbarium unit ofthe Department ofForestry and Environmental Management, Michael Okpara University. Out ofthe 69 respondents, 9 respondents (13%) said they do not use traditional medicines, while 60 respondents (87%) do use traditional medicines. This was influence by social and other factors such as; Culture (12%), family and friends (14%) and Safety/efficacy (13% and 17% respectively) of use. The use oftraditional medicines in the area is a bit high. Some ofthe plants used in the treatment of Diabetes mellitus includes Buchholzia coriacea (wonderful kola, Oji oma), Vernonia amydalina (bitter leaf, Olugbu), Chromoleaema odorata (devil weed, Awolowo), Garcinia kola (Bitter kola, Aki-uli). Phytochemical analysis of most ofthis plants revealed that it contains bioactive compounds which include: oxalate, phylate, tannins, saponins, flavonoid, cyanogenic glycosides, alkaloids, anthraquinone, steroid and phenol. Most ofthe medicines are administered on a daily basis by rubbing, or taken orally twice daily with shot, tumbler or bathing with it. Medicinal plants have been proved to be more effective, less side effects or zero side effect and relative low cost than the conventional pharmaceutical synthetic drugs. This review may be of help to researchers, diabetic patients and decision makers in field of ethanobotanical sciences