Emmanuel Azanlerigo, Philip T Thompson, Cephas Kanati, Mercy Badu
Documentation of the ethnomedicinal species in the Talensi District will not only ensure that traditional medicinal knowledge is preserved and passed on to future generations, but it will also provide their therapeutic usage, potentially leading to the discovery of new drug formulations.
BACKGROUND: The Talensi District uniquely combines ritual treatment and traditional medicine for patient care. Despite urbanization, they preserve their lifestyle and extensive knowledge of traditional medicinal plants, distinguishing them from other regions. However, there is no systematic documentation of the Talensi people's knowledge of these plants in the Upper East Region. This study explored utilization patterns, preparation methods, and the significance of plants in traditional medicine.
METHODS: A survey was conducted using semi-structured interviews. Informant Consensus Factor, Fidelity Level, Relative Frequency of Citation, Plant Part Value, and Use Value were selected as key quantitative indices. All analyses utilised GraphPad Prism (version 8.0.1) and Microsoft Excel.
RESULTS: Among 219 informants (115 females, 104 males), most practitioners were aged 51-60 years (53%) and predominantly illiterate (86%). 46 plant species were identified and grouped into four major ailment categories: gastrointestinal disorders, dermatological infections, snakebite, and malaria. Plant parts and preparation methods displayed distinct patterns by ailment category. Roots dominated treatments for skin infections, gastrointestinal disorders, and snakebites, while leaves were mainly used for malaria. Preparation methods varied: boiling was common for malaria and gastrointestinal treatments, while grinding fresh samples characterised snakebite and dermatological preparations. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices indicated high informant consensus factors (ICF) for gastrointestinal disorders (0.97), malaria (0.96), and dermatological conditions (0.93), signaling strong agreement on treatments, with moderate consensus for snakebite (ICF 0.85).
CONCLUSION: Documentation of the ethnomedicinal species in the Talensi District will not only ensure that traditional medicinal knowledge is preserved and passed on to future generations, but it will also provide their therapeutic usage, potentially leading to the discovery of new drug formulations.