Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 1997; 2: 194
To investigate the application and efficacy of herbal medicine in the treatment of mental disorders: schizophrenia, “moon-madness”, “spiritual-madness” etc. among indigenous Southern Nigerians.
A randomised observational study was carried out through personal interviews with 115 herbalists and discharged patients in Southern Nigeria. Twenty plant families commonly utilised were collected, identified in collaboration with Bernhard Zepernick, (former Curator, Botanisches Museum, Berlin), and photographed. Specimens are deposited at the University Herbarium, Nsukka.
Evidence indicates that herbal medicines are widely utilised in traditional psychiatric therapy. About 20 plant families and genera e.g. Rauwolfia vomitoria (reserpine) Pauridiatha viridiflora (harmala, alkaloids) etc. were utilised by the respondents (herbalists). Some patients were referred by orthodox medical practitioners to the herbalists for further therapy. Over 50% of psychiatric patients recovered and returned to normalcy. A glassful of leaf infusion of Boswellia serrata induced an analgesic or numbing effect on patients. From Phyllanthus discoidius and P. acidus rootbark, alkaloids, phyllathine, securirine etc. were investigated in France by Janot et al (1958; Parello et al 1963; Parello 1966; Blanpin et al 1967) and are sympathomimetic and excite the CNS (Oliver-Bever 1986; Tourova 1957).
From this study, it is inferred that there is a high incidence of patronage from herbalists by psychiatric patients - including cases of amnesia, insomnia and senile dementia which are not normally classified under orthodox psychiatry as mental disorders. This research, therefore, is not exhaustive and should be further experimented clinically.
