Evaluation of the Therapeutic, Phytochemical, Antimicrobial, and General Acceptability of Selected Medicinal Plants Used among Afikpo People, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

This study investigated the therapeutic potential, phytochemical composition, antimicrobial activity, and general acceptability of selected medicinal plants used among the Afikpo people of Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The study aimed to provide scientific validation for the traditional use of these plants and assess their suitability for addressing healthcare needs in the region. The therapeutic properties were evaluated through Invivo techniques and through feedback/responses between patients and certain ethnomedical practioneers, antimicrobial properties of the plants were evaluated against various pathogens using standard microbiological techniques, and their phytochemical composition was analyzed using best and standard protocols. Additionally, the general acceptability profile of the plants within the community was assessed through surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions. The findings highlighted that most of the medicinal plants possessed significant therapeutic potentials like anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cardiovascular support, immune boaster, anti-helminthic, anti-diabetic, antidiarrheal, wound healing, etc; the plants possessed strong antimicrobial activities against different pathogenic organisms like Staphylococcus spp, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus spp, Salmonella spp, Klebsiella spp, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger;they contained certain important phytochemicals like tannin,saponins, Sterols Flavonoids , Alkaloids, Cardiac glycosides,etc which enhances their antimicrobial activities; their general and cultural acceptability of the medicinal plants were equally high supporting their potential as alternative herbal remedies for healthcare delivery in the region. the alternative medicines used among Afikpo people which include vernonia amygladina, carica papaya, Psidium guava,moringa oleifera,magnifera indica,etc were found to be highly therapeutic, poses many phytochemicals, strong antimicrobial agents and highly accepted among the people. This has shown that these plants could serve as alternative medicine for not just Afikpo people but to general population.