MEDICINAL PLANTS IN NIGERIA EMPLOYED AS TRADITIONAL OXYTOCICS. AN UPDATED REVIEW

This review examines research activities into oxytocic plants in Nigeria in the past 44 years (1982 2026) which focused on pregnant and non-pregnant female rats (73.07%), human (15.38%) and guinea pig (7.69%). According to publications, research activity was minimal (3.70%) during 1982-1991 period, but rose sharply to peak at 48.15% in 2012-2021. From various oxytocic research reports, 52 scientifically-proven medicinal plants in 36 families predominated by Apocynaceae (8.33%) and Fabaceae (6.25%) were identified. Leaf (47.06%) and stem (21.56%) top the list of frequently researched morphological parts, followed by fruit (11.76%), root (9.80%), whole herb (5.88%) and seed (3.92%). Apart from uterotonic activity (83.05%) of plant extracts which formed the focus of this review, tocolytic action has also been documented for eleven plant extracts (16.95%). Studies involving potentiation of effect of agonists were few (7.02%) and were exemplified by Vitex doniana stem bark, Spondias mombin leaf, Piper guineense leaf and seed, Opuntia ficus-indica stem and Musanga cecropioides stem bark. In this review, Spondias mombin, Xylopia aethiopica, Ocimum gratissimum and Vernonia amygdalina were the most investigated oxytocic plants. Inhibition of contractile effect of extracts on rat uterus by atropine or salbutamol was documented in few researched cases (11.36%), for example Phoenix dactylifera fruit, Hunteria umbellata fruit and Globimetula braunii leaf. Full characterization of bioactive compounds was limited to five (9.80%) of the documented plants for example Ficus exasperata leaf, Sida acuta leaf and Monechma ciliatum leaf. This review has documented efficacious oxytocic plants growing in Nigeria and emphasized the need for isolation of their bioactive compounds for future clinical trials.