Assessment of the Utilization of Traditional Medicinal Herbs

ABSTRACT The study investigated utilization of traditional medicinal herbs among rural farmers in Umuahia Agricultural Zone, Abia State, Nigeria. The specific objectives of this study were to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers in the study area, ascertain the readily available traditional herbs used in curing ailments in the area, ascertain the respondents’ utilization of traditional herbs, ascertain the ailment/diseases respondents’ use traditional medicine to cure, ascertain the perceived effect of traditional medicine on respondents’ agricultural production and identify constraint respondents’ face in their farming activities and treatment of ailment using traditional medicine. A multi-stage random sampling procedure was used in selecting 80 respondents for the study. Primary data were collected with use of structured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive (frequency, percentage and mean) and inferential statistics (OLS regression model.). The major results revealed the some of the common medicinal plants available were Neem tree (Dogonyaro) Azardirachta indica (100.0%), alligator pepper (100.0%), bitter leaf (olugbu) vernonia amygdalina (98.8%), basil or Scent leaf (Nchanwu) ocimum gratissimum(97.5%), waterleaf (Talinum fruticosum (92.5%), uda (Xylopia aethiopica) (90.0%), African bush mango (Ugiri) irvingia gabonensis (86.2%), turmeric (85.0%) amongst others. The result showed a grand mean of 3.51 which affirmed that the respondents utilized herbal medicine to a high extent in the study area. A grand mean of 3.07 confirmed that medicinal plants were used in curing ailment/diseases in the study area. A grand mean of 3.11 affirmed that the respondents subscribed that utilization of herbal medicine had positive effect on them. A grand mean of 3.57 confirmed that the respondents faced several constraints in their use of medicinal plants in the study area. The coefficient of sex (5%), age (1%), years of education (1%) and monthly income (1%) were statistically significant and influenced the utilization of medicinal plants. The study concluded that there was high level of utilization of medicinal plants in the study area. It was therefore recommended that research and development of medicinal plants should be intensified in order to meet the health challenges of the 21st century.