ETHNOBOTANICAL SURVEY AND ASSESSMENT OF HERBAL DECOCTIONS FOR HELMINTH PARASITE CONTROL SOLD IN THREE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF OGUN STATE

Abstract

Herbal decoctions are traditional medicines that involve methods such as boiling. soaking in water, coconut water, lime water, or other liquids to extract their active ingredients, and they are a widely practiced method of treating helminthic infections in African communities. The aim of this study was to conduct an enthnobotanical survey and validation of herbal decoctions for helminth control sold by traditional sellers in three local governments of Ogun State, Nigeria..The study adopted quasi-experimental and descriptive survey research designs. A comprehensive collection of local decoctions were carried out Odogbolu, Ijebu-Ode, and Ijebu-North. Data for this study were collected using two primary instruments: questionnaires and interview guides. The collected data were computed on SPSS version 26, and analysed by using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation), Chi-square and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA).Results showed that local herbal decoctions are widely used for treating roundworm infections, often without standardized preparation or dosage. Herbal sellers generally have good knowledge of these remedies, with roots (40%) and leaves (26%) being the most preferred plant parts. Apocynaceae was the most frequently identified plant family among the twenty found in the samples. Despite reports of side effects (44.4%) and inconsistent safety practices (44.4%), most people consider the decoctions safe and effective..It is therefore recommended that government agencies should develop and promote standardized methods for preparing and using herbal decoctions to ensure safety. Public health campaigns should strengthen and expand community knowledge of herbal remedies based on validated research. Veterinary practitioners should monitor haemoparasites in cattle regardless of breed, given the widespread infection.