Phytochemical screening and antioxidant evaluation of medicinal plants used for the menstrual pain management in Dekina local government area of Kogi state, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31989/afbc.v3i4.1923Abstract
Background: Dysmenorrhea, affecting 50–90% of reproductive-aged women globally, remains inadequately managed through conventional pharmacotherapy due to associated adverse effects.
Objective: This study aimed to document medicinal plants used traditionally for menstrual pain management in Dekina LGA, Kogi State, and to chemically profile and evaluate their antioxidant potential.
Methods: Ethnobotanical surveys were conducted with 45 traditional healers and herbalists (March–August 2023). Twenty-three plant species from 19 families were documented. Five frequently cited species (≥60% respondent consensus) were selected for analysis: Hibiscus sabdariffa L., Ocimum basilicum L., Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Mentha spicata L., and Allium sativum L. Aqueous extracts were prepared by decoction and analyzed for phytochemical constituents using standard colorimetric methods. Antioxidant activities were evaluated using DPPH radical scavenging, FRAP assay, and total phenolic content determination.
Results: Results showed that H. sabdariffa exhibited the highest total phenolic content (245.32±8.21 mg GAE/100g dry weight), while Z. officinale demonstrated the strongest DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀ = 38.45±2.15 µg/mL). All species contained significant levels of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, and saponins.
Conclusion: These findings provide scientific validation for the traditional use of these plants and suggest their potential as complementary therapeutics for dysmenorrhea management
Novelty of Study: This study represents the first systematic ethnobotanical documentation of medicinal plants used for dysmenorrhea management in Dekina Local Government Area, Kogi State, Nigeria
Keywords: dysmenorrhea, phytochemical profiling, antioxidant activity, ethnobotany, bioactive compounds, medicinal plants
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