Ethnomedicine is a study or comparison of the traditional medicine based on bioactive compounds in plants and animals and practiced by various ethnic groups, especially those with little access to western medicines. The study examines the Ethnomedicinal Survey of Some Plants found in Sokoto State University. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out to investigate the use of medicinal plants by the students, and assess the ethnomedicinal plants used against gastrointestinal complaints in Sokoto State University. The majority of the inhabitants of Seymour in the most rural areas rely on traditional medicine for their health-care problems, and there is no documented information about the traditional medicinal plants and associated indigenous uses in the area. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses on the plants revealed the presence of secondary metabolites. In Acacia nilotica, flavvnoids (3.53 %), alkaloids (2.3 %), saponins (1.507 %), tannins (64 mg/dl), glycosides (0.32 g%), and steroids (79 mg%) were found to be present. In Balanites aegyptiaca, flavvnoids (2.66 %), alkaloids (2.6 %), saponins (1.05 %), tannins (72 mg/dl), glycosides (0.30 g%) and steroids (91 mg%) were present. In Khaya senegalensis, flavnoids (0.77 %), alkaloids (1.8 %), saponins (0.5 %), tannins (23 mg/dl), glycosides (0.23 g%), and steroids (65 mg%) present. This study will be of immense benefit to researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.1 Introduction
Ethnomedical research is interdisciplinary in its study of traditional medicines, it applies the methods of ethnobotany and medical anthropology. Often, the medicine traditions it studies are preserved only by oral tradition (Acharya et al., 2008). Often these traditions constitute significant interactions with insects as well Scientific ethnomedical studies constitute either anthropological research or drug discovery research. Anthropological studies examine the cultural perception and context of a traditional medicine. Ethnomedicine has been used as a starting point in drug discovery, specifically those using reverse pharmacological techniques.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
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