Nigerian Medicinal Plants with Anti-Diabetic and Anti-Hypertensive Properties

This review paper examined some of the Nigerian medicinal plants with anti-diabetic and anti-hypertensive properties. The study revealed Sixteen species of Nigerian medicinal plants with anti-diabetic properties and they are Dioscorea dumentorum, Anthocleista vogelii, Laranthus begwensis, Catharantus roseus, Ceiba pentandra, Musa paradisiaca, Emilia sonchifora, Solenostemon monostachys, Carica papaya, Ipomea batatas, Musa sapientum, Myrianthus arboreus, Allium cepa, Allium sativum and Zingiber officinale and twenty-one Nigerian medicinal plants with anti-hypertensive properties which include Hibiscus sabdariffa, Vitex domeina, Manihot esculent, Persea americana, Combretodendron macrocarpum, Tetrapleura tetraptera, Nuclear latifolia, Paretta crassipes,Vitex dodiana, Phyllanthus amarus, Lepidium latifolium, Rhaptopetalum coriaceum, Musanga cecropioides, Vernonia amygdalina, Parinari curatellifolia, Psidium guajava, Bryophyllum pinnatum, Persea americana, Loranthus micranthus, Acalypha wilkesiana hoffmannii, and Allium sativum. Further studies on these medicinal plants are necessary to elucidate the pharmacological activities of these medicinal plants which will stimulate future pharmaceutical development of therapeutically beneficial drugs in the management of diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Clinical trials of these medicinal plants in humans are recommended to prove their efficacy in humans and determine their mechanism of action, safety/toxicity profile and chemically characterize the bioactive principle as a prerequisite for drug development. The huge medicinal plants available in Nigeria should be fruitfully exploited for health care and economic development of Nigeria in other to free Nigerians from disease and poverty.