Abstract

Ethnobotanical investigation revealed the use of Alafia barteri Oliv., Allium ascalonicum L., Alstonia congensis Engl., Anthocleista djalonensis A. Chev., Calliandra portoricensis (Jacq.) Benth., Capsicum frutescens L., Clausena anisata (Willd.) Hook f. ex Benth., Erythophleum suaveolens (Guill. & Perr.) Brenan, Grewia flavescens Juss., Khaya ivorensis A. Chev., Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth., Lophira alata Banks ex C.F. Gaertn., Macaranga barteri Mull. Arg., Olax subscorpoioidea Oliv., Plumbago zeylanica L., Tephrosia vogelli L., Tetracera alnifolia Willd., Tetrapleura tetraptera (Schum. & Thonn.) Taub., Triclisia subcordata Oliv., and Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal.) A. Rich. in the management of breast cancer in Ogun State, Nigeria. The prevalence of breast cancer in Nigeria was 15.3 per 100,000 in 1976 and 33.6 per 100,000 in 1992. Breast cancer is the leading malignancy in the South Western Nigeria; it is second to cancer of the cervix in the north-west. In north-central, 22.41% of new cancer was registered for breast cancer in five years and accounted for 35.41% of all cancers in women. The limitations of orthodox drugs such as cost, accessibility, effectiveness, and side effects necessitate the search for cheap, safe and effective phytomedicine in cancer management. Thus, this paper reviewed twenty plants used traditionally for the management of breast cancer; this was with a view to presenting them for future research activities and scientific validation of their potency in cancer regimen.

Key words: Ethnobotanicals, breast cancer, traditional recipes, Ogun State, Nigeria.