Ethnomedicinal Survey of Folkloric Plants Used in Managing Breast Cancers by the Traditional Medical Practitioners of North- East Nigeria

Z.K. Mohammed¹, A. Daja¹, H.G Hamza¹, A. Gidado¹, and I.M Hussaini²

¹Department of Biochemistry, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.

²Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.

E-mail: zkmahammed24@gmail.com  

ABSTRACT

An ethnomedicinal survey of plants used in the folkloric treatment of breast cancer and other breast related diseases was conducted in three locations of North East, Nigeria. About fifty respondents made up of traditonal medical practitioners located wihin Maiduguri, Nguru and Jimeta were interviewed orally through the use of questionnaires. Twenty five different plant species belonging to different families (leguminoseae (also fabaceae) (5), combretaceae (3), capparidaceae (2), asclepiadaceae, moracaceae, loranthaceae, orobanchaceae, sterculiaceae, polygalaceae, oleaceae, sapotaceae, puriaceae, annonaceae, bignonaceae, amaryllidaceae, burseraceae and mimosaceae (2) were identified to be useful in treating breast and other forms of cancer. These plants were taxonomically identified and classified according to their habitats, families and genera. This work provides an inventory of North East Nigeria plants with anti-breast cancer potentials for future verification and scientific validation.