ETHNOBOTANICAL SURVEY OF POTENTIAL HERBAL REMEDIES FOR THE TREATMENT OF SARS-COV-2 AND ITS SYMPTOMATIC COMPLICATIONS IN ZARIA, NORTHWEST NIGERIA

Abstract

The novel coronavirus has caused many cases of viral pneumonia since December, 2019.The novel coronavirus was
named “SARS-CoV-2” by the International Virus Classification Commission. Traditional herbal medicines are
getting significant attention in global health. In China, traditional herbal medicine played a prominent role in the
strategy to contain and treat severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Eighty per cent of African populations use
some form of traditional herbal medicine. This project was aimed at surveying some selected traditional medical
practitioners (TMPs) within Zaria and its environs, Kaduna State-Nigeria with a view to identifying medicinal plants
with potentials for the treatment of viral and respiratory tract infections. A cross-sectional survey was conducted
within Zaria and its environs from October to November, 2022, where TMPs were interviewed using a structured
questionnaire in order to address the questions of community knowledge and practices in treating respiratory tract
infections. A total of 60 respondents were interviewed which comprise of 45 (75%) males while 15 (25 %) females.
20 of the respondents interviewed (36 %) fall within the age range of 20 – 40, 23 (41 %) fall within the range 41 –
55 years, 5 (9 %) are within 56 – 65 years and respondents with age above 65 are eight (14 %). Sixteen respondents
(32 %) had attained Islamic education, 13 (26 %) had attained primary education, 18 (36 %) had secondary
education and only 3 (6 %) had attained tertiary education. 52 plants were obtained from the survey. The plants were
herbs, shrubs and trees. Those with higher frequency of use were the most preferred. The frequency of use gave
relative frequency citation (RFC)of, 0.3, 0.12,0.05,0.03 and 0.02. The only and most frequently used plant being
Anogeissus leiocarpus (0.3), Followed by Allium sativum (0.12). The phytochemical screening gave various
phytochemical constituents including carbohydrates, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, terpenes, steroids and
alkaloids. These plants and their various constituents have potential for use in the management of SARS CoV-2
symptoms and complication.