Planta Med 2014; 80 - PP8
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1382703

Ethnobotanical survey of anticancer plants in Askira/Uba local government area of Borno state, Nigeria

SI Ngulde 1, UK Sandabe 1, IM Hussaini 2
  • 1Department of Veterinary Physiology, Pharmacology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Maiduguri, PMB 1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria
  • 2Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Maiduguri, PMB 1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

Ethnobotanical survey was conducted on anticancer plants in Askira/Uba Local Goverbnment Area of Borno State, Nigeria. Administration of questionnaires and oral interviews to 20 Traditional Medicine Practitioners (TMPs) and field trip were carried out in the study area. A total of 65 different plants belonging to 41 families were identified during the survey. Six plants belong to the Caesalpinioideae, 5 from Fabaceae, 4 each from Mimosoideae and Euphorbiaceae and 3 from Burseraceae. The most frequently implicated plants as anticancer among respondents were Securidaca longepedunculata (Polygalaceae), Andira inermis ssp. rooseveltii (Fabaceae), Pterocarpus erinaceus (Fabaceae), Carissa edulis (Apocynaceae), Detarium microcarpum (Caesalpinioideae) and Cassia sieberiana (Caesalpinioideae). Preliminary screening using U87 and U231 cell lines revealed 10 out of 21 crude extracts screened from these plants have antiproliferative activities. Further research still in progress to ascertain the acclaimed anticancer properties with the view to develop new drugs.

Key words: ethnosurvey, cancer, traditional medicine practitioner, Borno State, Nigeria