Table 2.
Species of plants reportedly being used by healers arranged according to their families with information on their habits, ailments treated, plant parts used, methods of preparation, and route of administration of the plants.
| Families | Scientific names (voucher specimen #) | Local names (Akuapem/Krobo) | Frequency of citation (%) | Habit of plant | Diseases and/ailments | Plant parts | Methods of preparation | Route of administration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acanthaceae | Ruellia brevifolia (Pohl) C. Ezcurra (A029) | Mokotso (Krobo) | 1.1 | Herb | Halitosis | Leaf | Infusion | Nasal |
|
| ||||||||
| Aloaceae | Aloe vera L. (A001) | Aloe | 6.5 | Herb | Diabetes Diabetes Typhoid fever Baldness |
Leaf Leaf Leaf Leaf |
Decoction Decoction Infusion Decoction |
Oral Oral Oral Topical |
|
| ||||||||
| Amaranthaceae | Alternanthera pungens Kunth. (A028) | Nkassenkasee (Akuapem) | 1.1 | Herb | Stomach ulcer | Whole plant | Infusion | Rectal |
|
| ||||||||
| Annonaceae | Polyalthia longifolia (Sonn.) Thwaites (K001) | Tsogaga (Krobo) | 2.2 | Tree | Fever | Leaf | Decoction | Oral |
|
| ||||||||
| Apocynaceae | Alstonia boonei De Wild. (A026) | Nyamedua (Akuapem) | 1.1 | Tree | Sexual disorders | Root and bark | Infusion | Topical |
| Rauvolfia vomitoria Wennberg (A025) | Unknown | 1.1 | Tree | Osteoarthritis | Leaf and bark | Infusion | Rectal | |
|
| ||||||||
| Asclepiadaceae | Calotropis gigantea (L.) W. T. Aiton | Unknown | 1.1 | Shrub | Heart burns | Leaf | Decoction | Oral |
|
| ||||||||
| Asteraceae | Chromolaena odorata (L.) R. M. King (K003) | Acheampong (Akuapem/Krobo) | 3.2 | Shrub | Typhoid fever Stop bleeding Typhoid fever |
Leaf Leaf Leaf |
Decoction Decoction Infusion |
Oral Oral Oral |
| Launaea taraxacifolia. (Wild). Amin ex. C. Jeffrey (K002) | Unknown | 3.2 | Herb | Blood pressure Diuretic Blood pressure |
Leaf Leaf Leaf |
Infusion Decoction Infusion |
Oral Oral Oral |
|
| Vernonia amygdalina Delile (A023) | Awunyun (Akuapem) | 3.2 | Shrub | Malaria | Whole plant | Infusion | Oral | |
| Vernonia conferta Benth. (K010) | Owudifukete (Akuapem) | 2.2 | Shrub | Diabetes | Root and bark | Decoction | Oral | |
|
| ||||||||
| Bignoniaceae | Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. (K004) | Nfuten (Akuapem) | 1.1 | Tree | Piles | Bark | Infusion | Oral |
| Spathodea campanulata P. Beauv. (K005) | Akuakua nisuo (Akuapem) | 1.1 | Tree | Stroke | Leaf | Decoction | Oral | |
|
| ||||||||
| Bombacaceae | Bombax buonopozense P. Beauv. (A002) | Nyankuduro/Akonkodies (Akuapem) | Tree | Stroke Diabetes |
Leaf Leaf |
Decoction Infusion |
Oral Oral/Topical |
|
|
| ||||||||
| Boraginaceae | Heliotropium indicum L. (K007) | Akomfemtikoro (Akuapem) | 2.2 | Herb | Convulsion | Leaf | Infusion | Oral |
|
| ||||||||
| Capparidaceae | Euadenia eminens L. (K008) | Dinsikuro (Akuapem) | 1.1 | Herb | Low sperm count | Root and bark | Decoction | Oral |
|
| ||||||||
| Chrysobalanaceae | Maranthes robusta (Oliv.) Prance (K009) | Afambere (Akuapem) | 1.1 | Tree | Rheumatism | Leaf and seed | Decoction | Oral/Topical |
|
| ||||||||
| Combretaceae | Terminalia superba Engl. & Diels (A021) | Ofram (Akuapem) | 1.1 | Tree | Convulsion | Root and bark | Decoction | Oral/Topical |
|
| ||||||||
| Cucurbitaceae | Momordica charantia L. (K020) | Nyenye (Krobo) | 2.2 | Climber | Snake bite Diabetes |
Whole plant Whole plant |
Infusion Decoction |
Oral Oral |
|
| ||||||||
| Cyperaceae | Cyperus esculentus L. (A020) | Winto/Wintino (Krobo) | 1.1 | Herb | Typhoid fever | Whole plant | Decoction | Oral |
|
| ||||||||
| Dennstaedtiaceae | Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn (A012) | Unknown | 1.1 | Herb | Fever | Leaf | Decoction | Oral |
| Pteridium esculentum (Forst.) Nakai (A018) | Meyaabea (Akuapem) | 1.1 | Herb | Menstrual disorders | Leaf | Decoction | Oral | |
|
| ||||||||
| Euphorbiaceae | Bridelia ferruginea Benth (K014) | Unknown | 1.1 | Tree | Diarrhoea | Root | Decoction | Oral |
| Discoglypremna caloneura (Pax) Prain (A017) | Unknown | 2.2. | Tree | Stroke Female infertility |
Leaf and root Leaf and root |
Decoction Decoction |
Oral Oral/Rectal |
|
| Drypetes aubrevillei Leandri (K017) | Duameko (Akuapem) | 1.1 | Shrub | Stroke | Root | Decoction | Oral/Topical | |
| Drypetes floribunda Hutch. (K016) | Katirika (Akuapem) | 1.1 | Shrub | Miscarriage | Root and bark | Decoction | Oral | |
| Jatropha curcas L. (A014) | Unknown | 1.1 | Shrub | Hernia | Leaf | Infusion | Oral | |
| Jatropha gossypifolia L. (A015) | Unknown | 1.1 | Shrub | High fever | Leaf and fruit | Decoction | Oral | |
| Macaranga barteri Müll. Arg. (K015) | Opam (Akuapem) | 1.1 | Shrub | Foot rot | Bark | Decoction | Oral | |
| Uapaca guineensis Müll. Arg. (A016) | Agyahere (Akuapem) | 1.1 | Tree | Stroke | Root, bark and leaf | Decoction | Topical | |
|
| ||||||||
| Fabaceae | Acacia senegalensis (Houtt.) Roberty (K022) | Unknown | 1.1 | Tree | High fever | Leaf | Decoction | Oral |
| Albizia ferruginea (Guill. & Perr.) B. (K021) | Awiemtosamina (Akuapem) | 1.1 | Tree | Diarrhoea | Root | Decoction | Oral | |
| Baphia nitida Lodd. (A005) | Odwaen | 1.1 | Shrub | Retarded growth | Leaf | Infusion | Topical | |
| Berlinia sp. (A013) | Unknown | 2.2 | Tree | Rheumatism Fever |
Root and bark Bark |
Infusion Decoction |
Topical Oral |
|
| Cassia alata L. (K023) | Kobatso (Krobo) | 3.3 | Shrub | Purgative Menstrual disorders Fertility problems |
Leaf Leaf Leaf |
Decoction Decoction Decoction |
Oral Oral Oral |
|
| Copaifera salikounda Heckel (A030) | Otedua (Akuapem) | 2.2 | Tree | High fever Piles |
Bark Root and bark |
Decoction Decoction |
Topical Oral/Rectal |
|
|
| ||||||||
| Lamiaceae | Ocimum gratissimum Seem. (A011) | Nunnum (Akuapem) | 2.2 | Herb | Bloating | Leaf | Infusion | Oral/Topical |
|
| ||||||||
| Malvaceae | Gossypium hirsutum L. (K024) | Asawadua (Akuapem) | 2.2 | Herb | Osteoarthritis Infertility |
Leaf Leaf |
Infusion Infusion |
Oral Oral |
|
| ||||||||
| Meliaceae | Azadirachta indica A. Juss (A008) | Nimtso (Krobo) | 5.4 | Tree | Fever Fever Malaria |
Leaf Leaf Leaf |
Decoction Decoction Decoction |
Oral Oral Oral |
| Khaya senegalensis A. Juss. (K008) | Mahogany (Akuapem/Krobo) | 3.3 | Tree | Infertility Male infertility |
Bark Leaf |
Decoction Decoction |
Oral Oral |
|
|
| ||||||||
| Menispermaceae | Sphenocentrium jollyanum Pierre (K026) | Kramaoti (Akuapem) | 1.1 | Herb | Diabetes | Whole plant | Decoction | Oral |
|
| ||||||||
| Moringaceae | Moringa oleifera Lam. (A007) | Moringa | 3.3 | Tree | Blood tonic Pruritus Jaundice |
Leaf Leaf Leaf |
Decoction Decoction Decoction |
Oral Oral Oral |
|
| ||||||||
| Myrtaceae | Psidium guajava L. (K028) | Aguava (Akuapem/Krobo) | 2.2 | Shrub | Diarrhoea | Root | Decoction | Oral |
|
| ||||||||
| Rutaceae | Citrus sinensis Pers. (K030) | Anka (Akuapem)/Kpeta (Krobo) | 1.1 | Tree | Constipation | Leaf and fruit | Infusion | Oral |
| Zanthoxylum leprieurii Guill. & Perr. (K029) | Okanto (Akuapem)/Oyaa (Krobo) | 2.2 | Shrub | Sexual weakness Stroke |
Leaf Root |
Decoction Decoction |
Oral Oral/Topical |
|
|
| ||||||||
| Sapindaceae | Lecaniodiscus cupanioides Planch. (K031) | Unknown | 1.1 | Shrub | Stomach ulcer | Leaf | Decoction | Oral |
| Paullinia pinnata L. (A002) | Tuatin (Twi) Detsemamu (Krobo) | 6.5 | Herb | Miscarriage Stomach ulcer Stroke HIV/AIDS Bone fracture |
Leaf Leaf Leaf Leaf Leaf |
Decoction Infusion Decoction Decoction Infusion |
Oral Oral Oral Oral Oral/Rectal |
|
|
| ||||||||
| Sapotaceae | Aningeria altissima (A. Chev.) Aubrév. (K033) | Asanfena (Twi) | 2.2 | Shrub | Stops bleeding | Leaf and bark | Decoction | Oral |
| Malacantha alnifolia Pierre (K032) | Unknown | 2.2 | Shrub | Miscarriage | Leaf | Decoction | Oral | |
|
| ||||||||
| Solanaceae | Physalis angulata L. (K034) | Totoa (Krobo) | 1.1 | Herb | Cancer | Whole plant | Infusion | Oral/Topical |
| Solanum melongena L. (A003) | Unknown | 3.3 | Shrub | Anaemia | Fruit | Infusion | Oral | |