Knowledge Patterns and Comparative Use of Medicinal Plants and Biomedical Medicines Among Migrants in an Urban Setting

Prevalence, Medicinal Plant Use and Its Factor Associated Among People in Banlung District, Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia

Introduction: Medicinal plants remain widely used in many Cambodian communities, particularly in settings where traditional knowledge, cultural beliefs, affordability, and access to formal healthcare shape treatment choices. Understanding patterns of medicinal plant use is important for pharmacy, public health, and healthcare planning because traditional medicine may influence self-care practices, treatment-seeking behaviour, and medicine safety. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of medicinal plant use and identify associated factors among people in Banlung District, Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was employed to determine the prevalence and identify factors associated with the use of herbal medicine in Ratanakiri Province. The sampling methods were selected based on the experience of taking traditional medicine and the ongoing use of the medicine by the population at that site. A structured questionnaire used to collect data through face-to-face interviews. The questionnaire consisted of two parts: Socio-Demographic Data, and Medicinal Plant Use. Descriptive analysis to describe the data and Univariate analysis to determine the factors were associated with using the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software program version 26.0. Results: Among 109 respondents, 99.1% reported using medicinal plants. The most commonly reported preparations were mixed herbal remedies (15.6%), followed by Cananga latifolia (6.4%) and Curcuma longa (6.4%). Medicinal plants were most often used for gastritis (20.2%), joint pain (13.8%), childbirth-related conditions (8.3%), and common cold (4.6%). Just over half of respondents (51.4%) reported using medicinal plants only when ill, while 25.8% reported daily use. Significant associations were identified between religion and duration of medicinal plant use, and between gender and herbal-use experience (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Medicinal plant use was highly prevalent among respondents in Banlung District, highlighting the continued importance of traditional medicine in Cambodian community health practices. These findings suggest the need for further research on safety, effectiveness, and potential integration of traditional medicine knowledge with formal healthcare and pharmacy practice.

Diversity and Utilization Patterns of Medicinal Plants Used in the Management of Diabetes Mellitus: An Ethnobotanical Study in Selected Communities in Sierra Leone

Background: Diabetes mellitus is an increasing public health challenge in Sierra Leone, where access to diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care remains limited. Traditional medicine continues to play a significant role in disease management; however, ethnobotanical knowledge related to diabetes remains insufficiently documented. Methods: A cross-sectional ethnobotanical survey was conducted among 40 informants, including traditional healers, herbalists, and knowledgeable community members in Waterloo, Pendembu, and Bo. Data were collected using structured questionnaires administered via Kobo Toolbox and paper-based tools. Information on medicinal plants, plant parts used, preparation methods, routes of administration, and knowledge transmission pathways was obtained. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, including Frequency of Citation (FC), Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), were calculated. Results: A total of 21 medicinal plant species were documented. The most frequently cited species were Moringa oleifera (FC = 9; RFC = 0.225), Vernonia amygdalina (FC = 7; RFC = 0.175), and both Cassia siberiana and Telfairia occidentalis (FC = 6; RFC = 0.150). Leaves were the most commonly utilized plant part (40.9%), and decoction was the predominant preparation method (76.2%), with oral administration accounting for 95.2% of use. The Informant Consensus Factor (ICF = 0.69) indicated a relatively high level of agreement among informants. Knowledge was primarily transmitted through apprenticeship and inherited family practices. Conclusion: Traditional medicinal plants remain an important component of diabetes management in Sierra Leone. The high level of consensus among informants and the repeated citation of specific plant species suggest structured and culturally validated therapeutic practices. The findings provide a foundation for future phytochemical and pharmacological investigations and highlight the need for documentation, preservation, and sustainable utilization of ethnobotanical knowledge.

Ethnobotanical study on medicinal plants used by Jinuo people in Yunnan, China.

BACKGROUND Traditional medicine is rooted in knowledge systems developed over time across diverse cultures, serving as an important source of healthcare practices and therapeutic methods. Ethnic medicine, in particular, reflects rich experience in the use of medicinal plants and has significant practical value. The medicinal plants of the Jinuo people and their associated traditional knowledge are an important part of China's ethnomedical system, yet systematic studies are still limited. This study therefore conducts an ethnobotanical survey in Jinuo communities to document and analyze their use of medicinal plants and associated traditional knowledge. METHODS The fieldwork was conducted from October 2021 to June 2025 in the Jinuo Ethnic Township of Jinuo Mountain, covering 12 villages. A total of 213 local residents were surveyed, including 126 men and 87 women. Thirteen traditional Jinuo healers were selected as key informants through purposive sampling. In addition, semi-structured interviews and group discussions were conducted with 200 additional informants from the Jinuo community. Finally, the collected ethnobotanical data were analyzed using relative frequency of citation (RFC). RESULTS A total of 226 medicinal plant species were recorded in the study area, belonging to 197 genera and 90 families, with Fabaceae, Asteraceae, and Lamiaceae as the dominant families. Herbaceous plants constituted the majority of medicinal species. Thirteen plant parts were used for medicinal preparation, among which roots were the most frequently used, followed by whole plants. The results showed that these medicinal plants were used to treat 94 human diseases, with the primary preparation methods being decoction for oral administration and fresh application by pounding. To assess the relative importance of medicinal plants locally, RFC values were calculated for each species. Among them, Plantago asiatica (0.87), Stephania epigaea (0.86), Tacca chantrieri (0.85), Gynostemma pentaphyllum (0.85), and Phyllanthus urinaria (0.84) showed relatively high RFC values. In addition, the survey recorded 40 common medicinal and edible plants in the local community. CONCLUSION This study shows that the Jinuo people possess rich medicinal plant resources, which play an important role in treating common ailments and maintaining daily health. However, the aging of knowledge holders, the decline in the number of traditional Jinuo healers, insufficient transmission to younger generations, and increasing human disturbances are leading to the continuous loss of medicinal plant resources and associated traditional knowledge. Therefore, it is urgent to strengthen the conservation of medicinal plant resources, as well as the documentation and transmission of traditional knowledge systems, in order to promote the sustainable use of Jinuo traditional medicine and provide references for the protection of ethnomedicine and the development of biological resources.

Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants Used in the Management of Common Diseases in Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Background: Traditional medicine remains an important component of healthcare in many rural communities, particularly where access to orthodox healthcare is limited. This study documented the medicinal plants used and characterised ethno-medicinal practices among residents of Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional ethnobotanical survey was conducted among 50 respondents using structured questionnaires, oral interviews, and field observations. Information on medicinal plants, their local uses, parts utilised, methods of preparation, routes of administration, and ailments treated was collected. Plant specimens were collected, identified, and authenticated. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and presented as frequencies and percentages. Results: A total of 50 medicinal plant species belonging to 47 genera and 34 families were documented. Euphorbiaceae, Gramineae, and Rutaceae were among the most represented families. Female respondents constituted the majority of participants, while knowledge of medicinal plants was more concentrated among older respondents. Malaria was the most frequently reported ailment treated with medicinal plants, followed by fever and cough. Herbs constituted the predominant growth form, leaves were the most commonly utilised plant part, and oral administration was the principal route of administration. Conclusion: Traditional medicine remains widely utilised in Ogbia Local Government Area, largely due to its affordability, accessibility, and cultural acceptance. The concentration of ethnomedicinal knowledge among older individuals underscores the need for systematic documentation, preservation of indigenous knowledge, and scientific investigation of commonly used medicinal plants to establish their safety and therapeutic potential.

Indigenous Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on Plant Use for Animal Disease Management: Ethnobotanical Survey in Kongwa District

To complement modern veterinary drugs in addressing the growing burden of livestock diseases, exploring alternative treatments such as medicinal plants is increasingly important. This study, conducted in Kongwa District, examined farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the use of medicinal plants to treat the infectious parasites of animals, with more emphasis on pigs. Randomly selected wards, villages, and streets were included, and face-to-face interviews were carried out with livestock owners using structured questionnaires. Plant identification was done with PlantNet software and verified by a botanist from the Department of Botany at Sokoine University of Agriculture. Findings showed that most respondents were aware of medicinal plant use for livestock treatment, receiving information mainly from family members, neighbors, and online sources. Many participants rated the effectiveness of medicinal plants as moderate to highly effective, though a few viewed them as less effective or ineffective. Several plants were documented for anthelmintic purposes, notably Azadirachta indica (roots and leaves), Cassia abbreviata (roots and stem bark), and Albizia anthelmintica (roots and stem bark). Plants used for managing ectoparasites includes Ocimum americanum, scattered or burned to repel pests; Capsicum annuum fruits burned to produce flea-repelling smoke; and Albizia lebbeck, whose root or stem bark was crushed in water to control ticks. Thus, it was observed that Kongwa District in Tanzania retains rich indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants’ use for managing animal diseases. Many farmers demonstrated awareness, positive attitudes, and continued practical use of these plant-based treatments.

Ethnobotanical documentation of plant resources used for women’s healthcare in Sahiwal division, Punjab, Pakistan