Green Africa resarch.

The fruits are widely used in traditional folk medicine in many parts of West Africa.

Other chemotherapeutic properties of this plant are used in the treatment of ascites, gout and constipation. “In conclusion, Jatropha multifida is a plant whose juice provides a cure for oral candidiasis.

It acts faster compared to Nystatin and compliance on the part of patients is likely to be better since it is a single dose application.

It is recommended for use in communities where it is easily accessible. However, further studies need to be carried out on this plant in order determine the ingredient in it, having the anti-fungal activities. This can be selectively extracted and made into oral preparations for general and commercial use.”

Another study published in the Journal of Microbiology Research concluded: “The study showed that the extracts from the leaves of Ocimum gratissimum had pronounced antifungal activities on all the fungi tested.

The preliminary screenings of O. gratissimum results are quite promising and have strongly indicated the antifungal activity spectra of leaves extract of the plant.

As the findings of study compared favourably with previous studies on the antimicrobial activity of Ocimum gratissimum against fungal infections, the plant holds great promise for use as both an antibacterial and antifungal agent.

Further studies should be carried out to unravel the identity of the active ingredients as well as its medicinal properties. Other methods of extraction should be tried to determine the best method for optimal yield of the medicinal ingredients. In-vivo testing using laboratory animals should also be carried out.”

The study is titled “Effects of Ocimum Gratissimum Leaves on Common Dermatophytes and Causative Agent of Pityriasis Versicolor in Rivers State, Nigeria.” The researchers include: Mbakwem – Aniebo C., Onianwa O., and Okonko I.O. of the Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The antifungal activity o

Commonly called bush candle, Cassia alata/Senna alata, which belongs to the plant family Fabaceae is an ornamental shrub. Senna alata also known as Cassia alata is a shrub from the leguminosae family.

It is called Asunrun Oyinbo in Yoruba and Ogalu in Ibo. It is locally used in Nigeria in the treatment of several infections, which include ringworm, parasitic skin disease. Senna alata is also credited for treatment of haemorrhoids, constipation, inguinal hernia, intestinal parasite, blennorrhagia, syphilis and diabetics.

The leaf of this plant was reported to be useful in treating convulsion, onolthoea, heart failure, abnormal pain, oedema as and as purgative but it was especially useful in treating dermatophytosis. Meanwhile, one of the studies titled “Efficacy of Two Commonly Used Antifungal Herbs in Nigeria Against Clinical Isolates of Fungi’ was published in Microbiology Journal and Science Alert.

The researchers include: Anejionu Miriam Goodness, Nweze Emeka Innocent, Dibua Esther Uju and Esimone Charles Okechukwu. The researchers concluded: “This present study has therefore demonstrated that the ethanolic extracts of Mitracarpus scaber and Ocimum gratissimum oil have antifungal activity against moulds and Candida albicans.

These findings justify their local use in Nigeria and other countries. Generally, the activity of O. gratissimum oil was better than M. scaber extract and the tested antifungal drugs as shown by the in vitro susceptibility test data of the fungal isolates to the antifungal herbal extracts. “The killing rate study indicated also that the oil has very good activity against the isolates.

The killing kinetics showed that the extracts started killing the tested isolates completely from two hour and upwards. However, further studies involving animal studies are warranted to confirm, among other things, the safety profile of these extracts.” The researchers wrote: “Mitracarpus scaber and Ocimum gratissimum are used extensively in Nigerian herba

Nigerian researchers have identified local herbs that could be effectively used to treat fungal infections including thrush (Candida albicans), dermatitis, eczema and scabies. CHUKWUMA MUANYA writes. Nigerian researchers have demonstrated how extracts of local plants could be effectively used to treat fungal and skin infections including thrush (Candida albicans), dermatitis, eczema and scabies.

Nigerian doctors have also identified local herb, which clears oral thrush faster and better than conventional drug.

Thrush is becoming one of the commonest infant diseases in the country, not sparing adults with compromised immunity due to certain diseases. It comes with white patches on the tongue and general skin diseases in infants (called nla in Yoruba and obu in Ibo) and in adults with white patches in ge***al areas. Thrush or candidiasis, caused by Candida albicans, is on the prowl.

But a local herb has been demonstrated by medical doctors to be more efficacious than a conventional antifungal drug, Nystatin, in the treatment of thrush. It has been shown that pathogenic fungi such as Candida albicans cause both superficial and serious systemic infections and are now widely recognized as important agents of hospital-acquired infection.

A very recent study has identified herbal combination of extracts of Mitracarpus scaber, Ocimum gratissimum, Senna alata and Jatropha multifida as novel treatment for fungal diseases including thrush. Mitracarpus scaber belongs to the plant family Rubiaceae.

Mitracarpus scaber is a perennial annual herb of about 30 centimetres tall or much smaller and possess rough leaves. In Nigeria, it is known as Ogwungwo or Obuobwa in Igbo language, Gududal in Hausa language and Irawo lle in Yoruba language. The leaf extracts of Mitracarpus scaber is widely used in traditional medicine practices in West Africa for the treatment of headaches, toothaches, amenorrhoea, dyspepsia, hepatic diseases, venereal diseases as well as leprosy.

It is claimed

. Noni:



Noni (Morinda Citrifolia) is a fruit native to Southeast Asia, but cultivated widely in many tropical countries. It belongs to the coffee tree family and also called the "famine fruit", because of its availability even in adverse weather conditions. Noni is commercially sold in the form of juice to promote good heart health, treat diabetes, arthiritis etc. Drinking Noni juice regularly is known to strengthen our immune system and minimize lung damage caused due to smoking.

6. Neem:



Neem (Azadirachta Indica) is a medicinal tree native to India and other Asian countries. It is also called Sarva Roga Nivarani or the healer of all ailments as per Ayurveda. Every part of this tree, including the fruits, leaves, flowers and bark are used in various medicinal preparations. Neem exhibits powerful antimicrobial properties which can destroy even the toughest of pathogens like bacteria and virus. It is used in the form of neem powder, capsules and liquid (for topical use).

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7. Turmeric:



Turmeric (Curcuma Longa) is a rhizome that belongs to the ginger family.The roots of this plant are bright yellow in color due to a compound called Curcumin. Dried turmeric, the most commonly used form of this plant is made by boiling and drying the roots before pounding them. Turmeric is used for treating skin problems, fighting flus, infections and even aiding in faster wound healing because of its antiseptic properties. Studies on its anti-cancer properties are also in progress

With a rising number of people switching from allopathy to plant-based medication, there is a sudden surge in demand for medicinal plants. Herbal remedies are not only effective in treating many diseases but also free from major side effects.There are over 50000 species of plants currently used across the world for various medicinal and therapeutic purposes. Out of these, traditional Ayurveda practitioners use around five to seven thousand plants to cure different ailments.

In this article, we shall learn about Top 10 Medicinal Plants in India which are used in a majority of medications.

Top 10 Medicinal Plants Used in Ayurveda:

Here is a list of 10 plants that are widely used in preparing traditional herbal medications:

1. Ashwagandha:



Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera)is also called the Indian Ginseng or Winter Cherry for its shiny, red fruits. The fresh roots of this plant have a strong horse like smell, which is why it gets the name "Ashwagandha" (Ashwa-Horse and Gandha-Odour). This ancient medicinal herb is used in a variety of medications that treat both physical and mental ailments. It is known to be particularly beneficial for treating anxiety issues, depression etc. with its nerve-calming properties.

2. Gotu Kola:



Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica) is a popular medicinal plant used in many traditional Indian and Chinese herbal medications. It belongs to the Parsely family and the leaves, stems are used for culinary and medicinal purposes. Gotu Kola is also called the "elixir of life" by the ancient Chinese for its ability to treat a number of ailments like abdominal problems, flus, memory loss, varicose veins and skin issues. It also works as an aphrodisiac to treat many sexual problems.

3. Brahmi:



Brahmi (Bacopa Monnieri) is a medicinal herb used in many ayruvedic medicines, hair oils and dietary supplements. It grows like a creeper with green oval leaves and small white flowers with no inherent aroma. Brahmi offers many benefits like enhancing

The Brazilian savanna contains almost a third of Brazil’s biodiversity but less than 10% is officially protected and its native vegetation is threatened by a rapidly-advancing agricultural frontier.

Much of the flora and fauna remain unknown to conventional science.

A network of traditional healers is at the forefront of finding ways to protect, sustainably manage, and document the biodiversity based on their in-depth knowledge of medicinal plants.

Experts say that finding ways to value the savanna more, such as through recognizing its immense botanical and pharmacological value, could aid in its conservation.

Since Lucely Pio was a little girl, she has been collecting medicinal plants in the Cerrado, Brazil’s tropical savanna. At 5, she walked through the grasslands and forests of the Cerrado with her grandmother, a midwife and healer, who taught her about where to find and how to harvest the thousands of different plants that only existed there. When picking leaves and flowers, they would arise in the dark hours of the morning, before the sun came up. To harvest bark and roots, they would leave later, collecting them in the brightest hours of the day, but only during the waning moon. Some plants they harvested only once a year.

Several decades later, Pio, now a traditional healer, or raizeira in Portuguese, still relies on her grandmother’s wisdom when she goes out to collect plants.

“We call the Cerrado a living pharmacy,” she tells Mongabay in an interview. “If you walk over an area, you will find at least 10 medicinal species there alongside all the fruits.” She continues to document and experiment, carrying her knowledge forward to the next generation. “As I continue to study I’ve learned to make my own formulas,” she says. “They are the medicines I use today. It is science, but science based on the knowledge of my grandmother.”

Scholars increasingly see this kind of traditional knowledge as crucial to conserving and sustainably using landscapes, includ