Optimizing the Potentials of Herbs in a Growing Nigeria

The abundance of plants on the earth’s surfaces has led to an increasing interest in traditional medicines as remedies to various ailments and potential sources of new drugs. In Africa, particularly Nigeria, the standards of nutrition, health infrastructure and environmental sanitation are relatively low; contributing significantly to the intensity of the damages caused by diseases. This has made communities in these societies seek herbal drug alternatives that are affordable, and quite available. This article provides an overview of some commonly used herbal medicines in Nigeria, their local names and general traditional uses. As it is usually conveniently assumed that naturally sourced drugs are completely harmless, this review also discusses the need for caution and scientific interventions in the use of herbal medicines as they can be potentially dangerous if wrongly used or handled.