Ethnomedical plants for the treatment of hypertension in Abia State: A case study of Bende Local Government Area, Nigeria

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used for local treatment of hypertension in Abia State was conducted in Bende Local Government Area. The study adopted the use of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) comprising elderly men, women, hunters, farmers and herbalists, with the view to obtaining vital information about the plants, parts used for medicine, mode of preparation and administration of medicinal preparations. Results showed that 26 plant species belonging to 23 families were identified. Investigations on the plant part(s) used and mode of preparation and administration indicated that water was the main medium for all medicinalpreparations. Treatment regimes generally included drinking the aqueous preparation at certain specifications until symptoms disappear. Although the anti-hypertensive efficacy of the plants described in this paper is not known with certainty, this survey adds to the efforts of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the search for natural anti-hypertension medicines and provides a basis for future research on these plants. Key words: ethnobotanical survey, medicinal plants, local treatment, hypertension, Abia State