Survey of wild plant seeds and their value in traditional herbal medicine in Osun State, Nigeria

A gap in knowledge exist on the traditional medicinal use of wild plant seeds in Nigeria. The study involved oral interview of 100 herb sellers (stall owners) in five selected herbal markets in Osun State to elicit vital information on medicinal seeds. Seeds of 58 medicinal plant species belonging to 56 genera and 34 families were identified and documented. These seeds are used in the traditional management of about 28 ailments. The common ailments are fever, cough, skin disease, asthma, dysentery and piles. Seeds from tree species accounted for 23 or (39.7%) of the total list, closely followed by seeds of climbing plants with 13 or (22.4% .The price per kilogram of these medicinal seeds varies between N1, 766.79 for Sarcocephalus latifolius (Sm) Bruce and N6,557.38 for Monodora myristica (Geartn) Dunal, in the markets surveyed. Establishment of medicinal plant gardens by traditional health practitioners is proposed to reduce the mounting pressure on the natural forest ecosystem and ensure the conservation of its rich medicinal plant genetic resources

Antimicrobial Activity and Phytochemical Screening of Ficus Exasperata Root Bark

This study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of water and methanolic extracts from root bark of Ficus exasperata. The crude extracts were screened against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Samonella typhimurium Shigella spp, Candida valida, Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger and Fusarium flocciferum at 125μg/ml, 250μg/ml and 500μg/ml concentrations using agar well diffusion. The methanolic extracts had more inhibitory effect on test organisms than water extracts. Antimicrobial activity observed with water extract ranged between (10±0.24 - 25±0.20mm) with no detectable activity at 125μg/ml on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. Similarly, no detectable activity was observed with Candida valida, Candida albicans and Fusaruium flocciferum at all concentrations with water extract. Better antimicrobial activity was observed with the methanolic crude extracts at all concentrations with all test organisms. The activity ranged between (25±0.19 - 35±0.82 mm). Prelimlinary phytochemical screening of Ficus exasperata root bark showed that it contains saponin, alkaloids, cardiac glycoside and reducing sugar with no traces of tannin and anthraquinone. The results of the study provide scientific basis for developing a novel broad spectrum antimicrobial herbal formulation in future.Keywords: Ficus exasperata, antimicrobial activity and phytochemical analysi