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Medicinal Plants Used as Home Remedies: A Family Survey by First Year Medical Students
- Source :
- African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines; Vol 11, No 5 (2014); 67-72
- Publication Year :
- 2014
- Publisher :
- African Ethnomedicines Network (Nigeria), 2014.
-
Abstract
- Background: There is a hierarchical organisation of knowledge in the use of medicinal plants in communities. Medicinal use knowledge starts in thehome and is passed on to family members. Next in the hierarchy are neighbours, village elders and finally, traditional healers being the mostknowledgeable. For primary health care this hierarchy is actively followed in seeking remedies for ailments.Materials and Methods: This study was a survey of medicinal plant knowledge from family members of 1st year medical students registered atWalter Sisulu University. A total of 206 first year medical students participated in this study in 2010 and 2011.Results: Results revealed 47 species used as home remedies, 32% of which are food plants. Leaves and roots were reported as most commonly used. The top five ailments managed at home were gastrointestinal problems (25 plants), wounds (19 plants), respiratory tract problems (19 plants), infections, including sexually transmitted diseases (19 plants) and pain including headaches (19 plants). Chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer and reproductive ailments also formed a large group of diseases self-managed at home (29 plants).Conclusion: Family members hold knowledge of medicinal plant use. From this study, first year medical students were made aware of the relationship between common ailments and associated home remedies. This study forms a basis for further study of medicinal plants to validate theiruse as medicinal remedies.Key words: medicinal plants, home remedies, medical students, South Africa
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
medicine.medical_specialty
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Students, Medical
Adolescent
Gastrointestinal Diseases
Respiratory Tract Diseases
Alternative medicine
Primary health care
Pain
Infections
medicinal plants, home remedies, medical students, South Africa
Gastrointestinal problems
Drug Discovery
medicine
Humans
Home Remedies
Family
Medicinal plants
Medicine, African Traditional
Plants, Medicinal
Traditional medicine
business.industry
Data Collection
food and beverages
Research Papers
Complementary and alternative medicine
Family medicine
Chronic Disease
Wounds and Injuries
Female
Plant Preparations
Plants, Edible
business
Large group
Plant Structures
Phytotherapy
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 01896016
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....312a228e9e4c6029bd481dca99c2de5e