Table 3.
Results of preference ranking of ten medicinal plants reported for treating toothache
| Medicinal plants used for toothache | Informants designated A to J | Total | Rank | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | |||
| Acmella caulirhiza | 8 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 45 | 10th |
| Capparis tomentosa | 8 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 53 | 7th |
| Carissa spinarum | 8 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 60 | 3rd |
| Clerodendrum myricoides | 10 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 70 | 1st |
| Fagaropsis angolensis | 8 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 59 | 4th |
| Pappea capensis | 7 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 47 | 9th |
| Pittosporum viridiflorum | 8 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 56 | 5th |
| Premna schimperi | 7 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 49 | 8th |
| Rhoicissus revoilii | 9 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 54 | 6th |
| Scherebra alata | 9 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 64 | 2nd |
N.B. Scores in the table indicate ranks given to medicinal plants based on their efficacy. The highest number (10) was given for the medicinal plant which informants thought was most effective in treating toothache and the lowest number (1) for the least effective plant selected currently for this ranking purpose from numerous medicinal plants used to treat this disease