Browsing by Author "Happi, T. C."

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    Contribution of the indigenous health care givers to the herbal management of febrile illnesses in Rivers state, South-south, Nigeria
    (2005-12) Ebong, O. O.; Ajaiyeoba, E. O.; Ononiwu, I. M.; Eteng, M. J.; Akinbiye, D. O.; Gbotosho, G. O.; Falade, C. O.; Bolaji, O. M.; Oladepo, O.; Osowole, O. S.; Happi, T. C.; Fawole, O. F.; Ogundahunsi, O. A. T.; Agbagwa, I. M.; Oduola, O.; Oduola, A. M. J.
    This study was carried out in two rural communities; kaani and Boue, in Khana Local Government Area (LGA) and in one urban community, Elomo, in Elomo LGA, all in Rivers state, South-south, Nigeria. The investigations involved in-depth interview conducted with 104 health care givers comprising indigenous healers: herberlists, sellers of herbal remedies and community elders. Information was obtained on types of fevers (febrile illnesses) treated, symptoms and methods of establishing illnesses, and traditional herbs used in the prevention and treatment of febrile illnesses. On types of febrile illnesses treated, respondents presented the following: malaria (78.8%), typhoid (23.1%), yellow fever (21.2%), high fever (19.2%), convulsion (15.4%), and pregnancy fever (2.9%). Other illnesses treated were yellow eyes (4.8%), headache (11.5%), waist pain (14.4%), and joint pains (8.7%). Respondents determined whether a person had fever by the following: physical examination (85.4%), listening to patients' complaints (9.4%), through divination and inspiration (9.4%), while others (0.2%) were not quite explicit on their methods of diagnosis. On the treatment of febrile illnesees, respondents used herb teas (88.5%), herb powders (42.3%), incantation (3.3%), and performance of sacrifice (4.8%) or use of special fluids (27.9%). Majority of the respondents in describing the best herbal medicines for the treatment of febrile illnesses, 62.5% said that dogonyaro (Azadiracta indica) was the best medicine. Other responses were: lemon grass (Cymbepegon papaya) leaf/fruit (20.2%): guava (Psidium guajava) leaf (18.3%), akpagbogoro (Salacia nitida), 7.7%, plantain (Musa sapientum) sucker (6.7%), lipton tea (3.8%) and scent leaf (Ocimum gratissimum), 1.9%
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    Cultural categorization of febrile illnesses in correlation with herbal remedies used for treatment in Southwestern Nigeria
    (Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd, 2003) Ajaiyeoba, E. O.; Oladepo, O.; Fawole, O. l.; Bolaji, A. M.; Akinboye, D. O.; Ogundahunsi, O. A. T.; Falade, C. O.; Gbotosho, G. O.; Itiola, O. A.; Happi, T. C.; Ebong, O. O.; Ononiwu, I. M.; Osowole, O. S.; Oduola, O. O.; Ashidi, J. S.; Oduola, A. M. J.
    The ethnographic study was conducted in two communities in Oyo state in Southwestern Nigeria. The study sites consisted of a rural and an urban local government area located in the tropical rain forest zone of Nigeria. The study was designed to obtain information on febrile illnesses and herbal remedies for treatment with the aim of identifying potential antimalarial drugs. The study revealed that fever is a general term for describing illnesses associated with elevated body temperature. The indigenous Yoruba ethnic population has categorized fever based on symptoms and causes. The present communication is the result of focus group discussion and semi-structured questionnaire administered to traditional healers, herb sellers, elders and mothers. This was on types of fevers, symptoms and causes of febrile illnesses. The investigation also included use of traditional herbs in the prevention and treatment of the illnesses in the two communities. A total 514 respondents were interviewed. This was made up of 266 (51.8%) from Atiba local government area (LGA), an urban centre while 248 (48.2%) respondents were interviewed from Itesiwaju LGA, a rural community. The LGAs are located in Oyo State of Nigeria. The respondents proffered 12 types of febrile illnesses in a multiple response answering system in Yoruba language. The most common ones (direct translation into English) were: yellow fever (39.1%), typhoid (34.8%), ordinary (28.8%), rainy season (20.8%) and headache (10.5%) fevers respectively. Perceived causes each of the febrile illnesses included stress, mosquito bites, unclean water, rains and over exposure to the sun. Methods of fever prevention were mainly with the use of herbal decoctions, powdered herbs, orthodox medications and maintenance of proper hygiene. Of a total or 112 different herbal remedies used in the treatment or the febrile illnesses compiled from the study, 25 recipes are presented. Recipes consisted of 2-7 ingredients. Oral decoctions (84%), oral powders (63%). use as soaps and creams (40%) in a multiple response system, were the most prevalent routes of administration of prepared herbs used in the treatment of the fevers. Boiling in water or alcohol was the most common method used in the preparation of the remedies. The four most frequently mentioned (multiple response system) plants in the Southwest ethnobotany for fevers were Azadirachta indica (87.5%). Mangifera indica (75.0%), Morinda lucida (68.8%) and Citrus medica (68.8%).