Ethnobotanical and phytochemical studies on some species of Senna in Nigeria

An ethnobotanical search on five species of Senna within and around Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria showed their relevance in the local herbal medicine. These plants include Senna tora, S. occidentalis, S. alata, S. podocarpa and S. siamea. The phytochemical screening of their leaves revealed some major groups of pharmacological importance including alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, phlobatannins, saponins and anthraquinones. The study establishes some concordance between the local medicinal applications of the plants investigated and their constituent phytochemical groups which are relevant to the pharmaceutical industry. It presents the plants as potential sources of raw materials in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Lastly it confirms ethnobotany as a viable tool in search for plant genetic resources for use in the industries.