Abstract

Mental illness refers to all diagnosable mental disorders which are characterised by abnormalities in thinking, feelings or behaviours. Ethnobotanical study surveyed the different types of medicinal plants used for the treatment of mental illness in Bassa, Pankshin, and Kanke Local Government Areas of Plateau State, Nigeria. Information was obtained from traditional medicine practitioners, herbalist and herb sellers, with the aid of semi structured questionnaire. Plant samples were collected and identified by taxonomists in the herbarium section of Federal College of Forestry Jos and Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria. The information was obtained from a total of 35 respondents. Forty two plants were identified from the study, from 31 families. The source, uses, plant parts, and methods of preparation were some of the information derived. The family with the highest number of represented species was Lamiaceae accounting for 10% with a user value of 0.035. The dominant route of administration employed for drug delivery was oral accounting for up to 80% (56% as strictly oral). The plant parts mostly collected by the respondents for management of the conditions reported are leaves amounting to 51%. Some of the plants have recorded scientific values for neuropharmacological activities, whereas others are yet to be tested. It is important to validate these plants scientifically for possible neuropharmacological properties that may be harnessed for future use.

Key words: Neuropharmacological, ethnobotanical, survey, mental illness, herbalists, traditional medicine.