Biodiversity, Conservation of Some Medicinal Plants of Katsina State Nigeria

Abstract

The medicinal values of some plants are identified by
the indigenous people. The indigenous people are generally very
knowledgeable about the wild medicinal plants around them,
many of which have local names and are important to the people
medically. This traditional knowledge is best starting point for
effective in situ conservation, which requires accurate and up to
date information on the status of medicinal plants populations,
the extent and nature of plants used by local communities and
the capacity of the resources base to support different economic
activities. This knowledge can be used in the evolution and in
creation of the awareness of the importance of medicinal plants
as it is generally easier for the public to relate the cultural
significance than the result of scientific trials. This may not be
unconnected with the relatively high cost of conventional
pharmaceutical drugs, inaccessibility of orthodox medicinal
service to a vast majority of people particularly in the rural areas
prevalence of fake, substandard or counterfeit drugs in the
market and the problem of anti- biotic resistance whichis very
common in developing countries. It has been noted that in the
last few decades, there has been an upsurge in the circulation and
usage of traditional medicinal plants in the treatment and or
preservation of disease. An understanding of the many aspects of
human influence on biodiversity and the underlying driving
forces of the influence is of crucial importance for setting
priorities and directing efforts towards conservation and
sustainable use.