Botanical Survey of Home Gardens with Moringa oleifera Lam; Popularity, Usage, and Domestication in Ibadan, South Western Nigeria

• Authors: O. K. Ogunsola , S. O. Egbewale
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Moringa oleifera (MO) Lam. is a medicinal plant that has crossed tribal, provincial and national boundaries in recent times, with its use and domestication cutting across different ethnic and geographical borders of the world in general and Nigeria in particular. In view of this observation, this present study was aimed at examining the contributing factors to the high diversity of this much prized economic and medicinal species in Nigerian gardens. The survey was conducted among 17 populations, from which a total of One Hundred and Four respondents were purposively drawn from the wards that make-up the Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State. The purposive technique allowed at least 6 individual respondents to be randomly selected from each ward, based on their interest in home gardening, and their attached importance, domestication and accessibility to MO. The approach thus provided the opportunity to obtain an understanding of its medicinal importance, side effects and possible need for conservation. The respondents, who are of different backgrounds, were interviewed using semi-structured questions. Data collected were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively using descriptive statistics. The results of the study revealed that 50% of the respondents were home gardeners, while 40% are without gardens, although 80% showed the desire to own same. Also, 80% believed home gardens should provide food (Vegetables, spices and fruits etc.) and herbs (health-care). Over 95% of respondents claimed to have information about or cultivated Moringa, and 89% of them agreed to the important roles of agencies, as well as the media (radio, newspapers, etc.) in the dissemination of relevant information about this species. Moreover, close to 90% also have access to the plant from different sources: own garden (25%), friends’ or neighbors’ garden (44.2%) or market (13.5%), while 13.5% patronize all these sources. The part(s) mostly used are leaves & flowers (52.9%), followed by all parts (21.2%) and pods (seeds) (19%), while stem and bark are least employed (1.9%). In addition, a majority of respondents claimed that Moringa has solved some of their health concerns (64%) and thus, recommended it to someone or vice-versa (80%) with 65% claiming, no side effects. Consequently, many widely endorsed the conservation of MO and other MAPs (80%), with over 60% alluding to individuals, and government as major players in this responsibility. We conclude, therefore, that gardens, particularly home-based, play a valuable role in the conservation of not only the plant emphasized in this study, but many other useful plant species, most especially medicinals, that have become the cornerstone of health delivery in most developing nations. This study, therefore strongly recommends the strengthening of this strategy.

Keywords

EN

Moringa oleifera; conservation; domestication; home gardens; medicinal plants

Discipline

• BOTANY: BOTANY

• Publisher: Scientific Publishing House „DARWIN”
• Journal: World News of Natural Sciences
• Year: 2018
• Volume: 17
• Pages: 63-74

Contributors

author

O. K. Ogunsola

• Department of Botany, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

author

S. O. Egbewale

• Department of Botany, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

References

• [1] S.B. Adeyemi, K.O. Ogundele, & M.A. Animasaun, Influence of drying methods on the proximate and phytochemical composition of Moringa oleifera Lam. Global journal of medicinal plant research: Adv. in Nat. Appl. Sci. 2014, 2(1), 1-5.
• [2] D.O. Aworinde, S.M. Erinoso, B.O. Ogundairo, & A.O. Olanloye, Assessment of plants grown and maintained in home gardens in Odeda area, Southwestern Nigeria. Academic Journals: Journal of Horticulture and Forestry, 2013, 5(2), 29-36.
• [3] T.I. Borokini, A Systematic Compilation of IUCN Red-listed Threatened Plant Species in Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Sciences, 2014, 3(3), 104-133.
• [4] P.H. Canter, H. Thomas, & E. Ernst, Bringing medicinal plants into cultivation: opportunities and challenges for biotechnology. Trends in Biotechnology, 2005, 1-6.
• [5] L. Christanty, Homegardens in Tropical Asia: A special reference to Indonesia. Proceedings of the First International Workshop on Tropical Homegarden, 2 December, 1985, Bandung, Indonesia, (1985). Pp. 39-42.
• [6] P. Eyzaguirre, & O. Linares, Home gardens and agro biodiversity. Smithsonian Press. Washington, D.C, (2004), p. 254.
• [7] F. Farooq, M. Rai, A. Tiwari, A.A. Khan, & S. Farooq, Medicinal properties of Moringa oleifera: An overview of promising healer. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 2012, 6(27), 4368-4374.
• [8] T.R. Fasola, & O.K. Ogunsola, The Proximate and Phytochemical Composition of Sesamum indicum Linn. and Ceratotheca sesamoides Endl. at Different Stages of Growth. Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare, 2014, 4(6): 84-88.
• [9] J.K. Mensah, B. Ikhajiagbe, N.E. Edema, & J. Emokhor, Phytochemical, nutritional and antibacterial properties of dried leaf powder of Moringa oleifera (Lam) from Edo Central Province. Nigeria. J. Nat. Prod. Plant Resour. 2012, 2(1): 107-112.
• [10] P.H.K. Monica, B. Sharma, C. Sarkar, & C. Singh, Kinetics of drumstick leaves (Moringa oleifera) during convective drying. African Journal of Plant Science, 2010, 4(10): 391-400.
• [11] K.A. Oshikoya, I.O. Senbanjo, Njokanma & A. Soipe, Use of complementary and Alternative Medicines for Children with Chronic Health Conditions in Lagos. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2008, 8(66), 1-8.
• [12] J.O. Popoola, & O.O. Obembe, Local knowledge, use pattern and geographical distribution of Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae) in Nigeria. J. Ethnopharmacol. 150 (2), 682-91.
• [13] M.L. Price, The Moringa Tree. ECHO Technical Note (2007), Pp. 1-16.
• [14] D.K. Ved, & G.S. Goraya, Demand and Supply of Medicinal Plants in India. NMPB, New Delhi & FRLHT, Bangalore, India, 2007.
• [15] M. Manokari, Mahipal S. Shekhawat. Zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesis from Moringa oleifera Lam. Extracts and their characterization. World Scientific News 55 (2016) 252-262
• [16] N. Sharma, P.C. Gupta, ChV. Rao. Nutrient content, mineral, content and antioxidant activity of Amaranthus viridis and Moringa oleifera leaves. Res. J. Med. Plant, 6 (3) (2012), pp. 253–259
• [17] Ahmed S. Gouda, Nagla A. El-Nabarawy, Samah F. Ibrahim. Moringa oleifera extract (Lam) attenuates Aluminium phosphide-induced acute cardiac toxicity in rats. Toxicology Reports Volume 5, 2018, Pages 209–212
• [18] Farooq Anwar, Sajid Latif, Muhammad Ashraf, Anwarul Hassan Gilani. Moringa oleifera: a food plant with multiple medicinal uses. Phytotherapy Research Volume 21, Issue 1, January 2007, Pages 17–25
• [19] Aline Takaoka Alves Baptista, Mariana Oliveira Silva, Raquel Guttierres Gomes, Rosângela Bergamasco, Marcelo Fernandes Vieira, Angélica Marquetotti Salcedo Vieira. Protein fractionation of seeds of Moringa oleifera lam and its application in superficial water treatment. Separation and Purification Technology Volume 180, 8 June 2017, Pages 114-124.
• [20] Armando Cáceres, Amarillis Saravia, Sofia Rizzo, Lorena Zabala, Edy De Leon, Federico Nave. Pharmacologie properties of Moringa oleifera. 2: Screening for antispasmodic, antiinflammatory and diuretic activity. Journal of Ethnopharmacology Volume 36, Issue 3, June 1992, Pages 233-237.

• Document Type: article