1.0 Introduction
Herbal medicine is part of a popular system of health care in Africa, practiced by traditional healers, that takes into consideration the socio-cultural background of the people. In addition to herbal medicine, messages, therapeutic dieting and fasting, hydrotherapy and radiant healing therapy are often among the other component of traditional medicine practices in Africa.
The use of herbs in the treatment of aliments is as old as Africa itself. The earliest humans used various, but specific plants to treat illness. It is worthy of note that the knowledge of using various but specific plants to treat illness is usually passed on from parents to their children orally and less often through writing.
Herbs undergo different stages, from the time of collection to the time of administration and these stages may include boiling, drying, wet grinding (i.e squeezing while wet) or dry grinding, depending on the preparatory method of the specific herb. The method of using or applying these herbal medicines differs depending on the assumed cause of the illness, some, inhaled while some are massaged into the body.
Africa is rich in plant diversity. There are thousands of wild and locally grown medicinal plants available throughout the continent. In South Africa alone, there are over 30,000 different species of flowering plants. Among the herbs commonly used in African herbal medicine traditions are the following” pellitory, senna, Aloe vera, devil's claw, myrrh coffee, buchu, calumba, kolanut and grains of paradise (Annous, et al., 2005).
1.1 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to carryout a phytochemical analysis of Anthocleista Djalonensis (Uteagu). In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To determine the medicinal activities involved; and
- To ascertain the phytochemical properties of the Anthocleista djalonensis.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Udensi (2009) explain that medicine plant has lost it's value in our society, due to lack of experts who could have work hard to extract the active ingredients from the plants.
1.3 Significance of the Study
Anthocleista djalonensis contain phytochemical properties which are of medicinal important to human health. The results of this work will determine if Anthocleista djalonesis contain phytochemical properties.
1.4 Limitation of the Study
This work is limited at the phytochemical analysis of Anthocleista djalonesis. Another constraint on this work was poor financial status on my part which was a hindrance during the course of this project work. Moreover, the cost of materials for this project work was high limiting the number of sample for the project work was limited to only phytochemical.
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