ETHNO-MEDICINAL PLANTS AND METHODS USED BY GWANDARA TRIBE OF SABO WUSE IN NIGER STATE, NIGERIA, TO TREAT MENTAL ILLNESS

• Published in: African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines Vol. 4; no. 2
• Main Author: J. A. Ibrahim, I. Muazzam, I. A. Jegede, O. F. Kunle, J. I. Okogun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: African Ethnomedicines Network 01-01-2007
• Subjects: mental illness, indigenous knowledge, ethno- medicinal plants
• ISSN: 0189-6016

The Gwandara people of Sabo Wuse in Niger State, Nigeria are the
original inhabitants of Wuse in Abuja Municipal Area Council. They were
resettled at this present location of Sabo Wuse from Wuse in the
Federal Capital Territory Abuja when the seat of government moved from
Lagos to Abuja 30 years ago. Sabo Wuse still remains relatively a
remote settlement and their lifestyle unchanged. They still depend to a
large extent on their traditional knowledge of medicinal plants to
treat ailments. Ethnobotanical survey was conducted to identify and
document methods traditionally utilized for treatment of mental illness
and to expand the quality and quantity of information for research and
development especially in the area of new drug discovery and
development. About sixty seven (67) Traditional Medicine Practitioners
were interviewed orally with use of questionnaire. From our survey,
various methods were found to be used by the traditional medicine
practitioners to treat mental illness and associated disorders. These
include music, incantations and medicinal plants in various
formulations - decoction, powder, infusion - which are
administered in various ways like fumigation, inhalation, bathing,
steaming and drinking. Eighteen plant species belonging to twelve
different families were documented to be included in these therapies.
In conclusion, there is an array of plants used locally to treat mental
illness and it is recommended that such surveys should be funded and
leads for drugs to treat mental illness obtained from such, at the same
time documenting our indigenous knowledge.