1 University of Juba, South Sudan.
2 John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology, South Sudan.
Review Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2020, 07(01), 018-031
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2020.7.1.0165
Received on 20 June 2020; revised on 05 July 2020; accepted on 07 July 2020
This review paper focuses on knowledge, skill, practices, benefits, and experiences pertaining to use of plants as medicinal aids to help, prevent or treat physical and mental illnesses in human in African continent especially South Sudan. Attitudes towards traditional medicine vary strongly with the tradition and cultures of the people and this has raised a serious confusion between herbal medicine and witchcraft. Millions of Africans and South Sudanese in particular prefer treatment and use of medicinal plant products made from indigenous plants, because it represents an important source of affordable medicine as well as sources of income for rural communities. 25% of the world medicinal plants are found in the African continent, but only 8% are used because information is transferred verbally from generation to generation and much is not unknown. The set back is due to lack of proof that medicinal plants are useful, safe and effective and can be used as alternative medicine. Many plants species are likely to become extinct as well as endangered as population increases demand also increases, giving greater pressure on medicinal plants. As a result, 50% of medicinal plants worldwide are threatened with extinction due to rampant exploration. Traditional herbal medicines are identified and produced by traditional medicinal practitioners in Africa. Many herbs grown in South Sudan and in African continent have valuable medical properties but traditional methods used have many disadvantages that can be corrected and developed to make them effective, stable and reproductive through the methods of scientific research.
Medicinal plants; Alternate Medicine; African Continent; South Sudan
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Joseph Daniel Wani Lako, Kenneth Lado Lino Sube, Clara Stephen Guya Lumori, Jada Pasquale Yengkopiong, James Augustino Majok Utong, Sampson Akoi Binyason, Yatta Samuel Lukou Ngerja, Massimo Kalisto Moilinga, Thomas Francis Lado and Awad Hussein Kheiralla. Diversity and distribution of medicinal plants in the republic of South Sudan. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2020, 7(1), 018-031. Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2020.7.1.0165