Ethnobotanical Survey of Anti-Cancer Plants in Ogun State, Nigeria.

Ethnobotanical survey of the plants used in the man agement of cancer was carried out in Ogun State, Nigeria. Herbalists, herb sellers and traditionalis ts living within the area of study were interviewed by the administration of questionnaires. Seventy-three di fferent species of Angiosperm were found to be used for the management of cancer. Prominent among thes e are the members of Liliaceae family which were found to be very important and useful in the manage ment of the disease based on their frequency of occurrence in the recipes. Several plants parts wh ich were said to be useful were indicated in the recipes. Some of the plants have been characterize d for their active chemical components in literatur e but their efficacy is not yet established. A need fscientific research based on the finding s of this survey is indeed very necessary and recommended so that adequate records of indigenous methods for the management of cancer can be kept for posterity espe cially in the study area. A need for analytical wo rk on the plants identified as useful for the manageme nt of cancer is also necessary in order to determin e the actual dosage applicable so that the medicinal valu e of these plants could be made available to humani ty and hence reduce pain, cost and sudden death of Nig erians.