Survey and Phytochemical Analysis of Plants Used in Wound Healing by Rural Communities in Owerri North, Imo State

Wound healing using medicinal plants remains a common practice in rural communities of South East Nigeria, and systematic documentation of these practices in Owerri North Local Government Area, Imo State, can guide pharmaceutical research and primary healthcare. This study surveyed plants used for wound healing by traditional healers and elderly community members in three communities in Owerri North, and selected five high-fidelity species for preliminary phytochemical analysis. Data were collected from 35 informants using semi-structured questionnaires and guided field collection. Voucher specimens were identified at the Imo State University Herbarium. Informant consensus factor and fidelity level were calculated. The five highest-ranked species were then subjected to qualitative phytochemical screening of their most-used plant part. Thirty-one plant species from 23 families were documented as wound healing plants. Informant consensus factor for wound healing was 0.74. Carica papaya, Chromolaena odorata, Jatropha curcas, Bryophyllum pinnatum, and Nauclea latifolia had the highest fidelity levels (above 75%). Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, and alkaloids in all five species, with tannins particularly prominent in C. odorata and J. curcas. Saponins were present in four of five species. The study concludes that the wound healing plants of Owerri North show promising phytochemical profiles that justify further in vitro antimicrobial and wound healing activity assays, particularly for tannin-rich species with high community consensus.

Keywords: wound healing plants, ethnobotany, phytochemical screening, Owerri North, Imo State