Traditional therapeutic uses and phytochemical screening of some selected indigenous medicinal plants from Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Medicinal plants including Achyranthes aspera, Brucea antidysentrica and Croton macrostachyus in the Zegie and Lake Tana area are among the main herbal agents traditionally used to treat various illnesses. However, scientific investigations including their phytochemical screening have not been conducted.

Objective: To survey the use of these selected medicinal plants by traditional healers and/or herbal medicine users in the Zegie and Lake Tana areas, and conduct phytochemical screening of such commonly used herbal agents.

Methodology: Detailed interviews about the therapeutic uses of Achyranthes aspera, Brucea antidysentrica and Croton macrostachyus were conducted among the traditional healers and users in the study area. The plants were collected and separately extracted using water and ethanol and the crude extracts screened for phytochemical components by using standard procedures.

Results: The interview results from the traditional healers and users in the study area on the selected medicinal plants pointed to the therapeutic usage of these herbal agents for a variety of disease conditions, including infectious and non-communicable diseases. Plant extracts from Achyranthes aspera and Brucea antidysentrica showed the presence of flavonoids, carbohydrates and vitamin C but the absence of saponins and proteins (peptides). Croton macrostachyus was found to have most of the screened phytochemical constituents (including saponins, flavonoids, carbohydrates, free amino acids and vitamin C) except proteins.

Discussion: The herbal agents were found to have a variety of therapeutic uses for various illnesses in the area. The presence of the above mentioned phytoconstituents detected may be responsible for the therapeutic activities of these herbal agents.

Key words: Traditional medicines, phytochemicals, Achyranthes aspera, Brucea antidysentrica, Croton macrostachyus