Traditional Medicine

Traditional medicine has played a key role in world health in spite of great
advances observed in orthodox medicine in recent decades, traditional medicine still makes an important contribution to health care delivery system. These societies thus developed indigenous medical systems through
interactions with their environment to ensure the health needs of the people
were met. The World Health Organization estimated that 80% of the
developing countries depend on traditional medicine to meet their healthcare needs. Due to the increased use of herbal medicine, there is an urgent need for the appropriate systems of quality control in the practice as well as in the production and use of the medicines. The main objective of this study is to find out the perception and utilization of traditional medicine among residents of Benin city in Edo-State. The specific objectives of this study were: to ascertain the factors influencing the utilization of traditional medicine as perceived by Benin city residents; Ascertain how Benin city residents perceived the efficiency and effectiveness of traditional medicine in Benin city; to find out the challenges hindering the utilization of traditional medicine; and to measure the extent of utilization of traditional medicine among residents of Benin city. With the one-time cross-sectional study designed subsumed in survey research design both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 400 respondents 5 interviewees respectively; they were analyzed using frequency and percentages tables, chat and the Spearman’s rho correlation statistical tools. A significant proportion of the population still patronizes traditional medicine due to its ability to explain the hidden cause of illness and consequently cure the illness. There is a significant relationship (p-value =0.00 <0.05) between affordability, cheapness and traditional medicine has stood the test of time and lower level of education, income status and certain age group of traditional medicine. The Functionalist theory and the Health Belief Model were used as a theoretical guide to examine the people’s perceptions towards the utilization of traditional medicine, the study further recommend that Effective and safe use of traditional medicine should be promoted in order to recognize traditional practitioners, as well as to train them to produce refined herbal medicines. Hence Traditional Medicine Practitioners should be properly trained to keep them updated with contemporary trends in the world of health and epidemiology

In this research study, the preparation of Calcium oxide (CaO) nanoparticles (NPs) from Trichosanthes cucumerina seeds was reported to be synthesized by precipitation method using CaCl2 and NaOH as starting materials.The gradual change of the particles from pale yellow to a white precipitate indicated the formation of CaO nanoparticles The synthesized nanoparticle was subjected to characterization using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS).The Phytochemical analysis of the CaO nanoparticles revealed that the aqueous extract was rich in phytochemicals as majority of the phytochemicals tested were positive which resulted in the rational support for the traditional use of T. cucumerina to cure wounds. T. cucumerina has antibacterial components that are effective against wound pathogens such as S. aureus, E. coli, B. cereus, K. pneumoniae, P. aeroginosa. The extracts displayed antibacterial activity against both gram (+) and gram (-) bacterial stain such as indicating the existence of a broad spectrum of antibacterial properties

Traditional medicine plays a crucial role in global healthcare, particularly in developing countries where plant-based remedies remain widely used. However, scientific validation of their safety and efficacy is necessary. This study examines the effects of a plant extract on liver and renal function in Wistar rats, focusing on its potential physiological impacts. Despite its traditional use, limited scientific data exist regarding its influence on hepatic and renal biomarkers.
This study investigates the impact of the extract on liver and kidney function in Wistar albino rats. A total of 40 rats were divided into control and experimental groups, with the test groups (B–E) receiving increasing doses of the extract, while Group A served as the control. The
experiment monitored changes in body weight and evaluated liver function markers, including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and total bilirubin levels. Additionally, renal function was assessed through creatinine, urea, and electrolyte levels. The study aimed to determine the extract’s potential hepatotoxic or nephroprotective effects.
The findings of this study provide critical insights into the physiological effects of the plant extract, revealing its implications for liver and kidney health. The results contribute to the growing body of knowledge on the pharmacological properties of medicinal plants and their potential integration into modern therapeutic applications.