DOCUMENTATION OF SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS AND TRADO-MEDICAL PRACTICES IN AGULUEZECHUKWU COMMUNITY OF ANAMBRA STATE.

ABSTRACT

The knowledge of the traditional uses of herbal plants in the management of illnesses is still very much intact among the trado-medical practitioners in the Aguluezechukwu community of Anambra state. A research was carried out on the medicinal potentials of common herbs in the native community. This research was motivated by the need to preserve the knowledge of trado-medical healthcare practices. The common plants used by the native people were compiled based on collection during field trips and informants’ input. Eventually, Forty (40) different plant species were come upon; the Multimodal theory of Kress and van Leeuwen (1996) was employed to represent these plant species by multiple means that include text, image and colour, the names of the plant species were rendered in their native and common names and finally, the various uses of the species and the part(s) of the plants used including how they could be combined with other plants for use were also documented (in tabular form). Translation is also a major concept in this research as discussions were made concerning the premise of translation of some of these plant names from their common names to their native names. We find out how important trado-medical practitioners still are in ensuring wellness of the Aguluezechukwu people and the extent of illnesses which their knowledge of these practices enable them to manage. Also, this study recommends a possible incorporation of traditional with conventional health care systems so as to augment the well-being of the people in this area and possibly wider.