The rapid appraisal method was used to identify the botanicals used ethnomedicinally from a total of 300 randomly selected respondents drawn from the existing three geo-political zones of Ekiti State, Nigeria. The results obtained revealed that about 40% of the 71 botanicals identified presently rare. Most of the presently abundant botanicals are species primarily cultivated for other purpose other than medicine. Most of the identified species are valued for their curative effects on malaria and fever, the predominant diseases in the study area. The need for the conservation of the rare species cannot be over emphasised as most rural dwellers in the study area depend mostly on herbs from these species. Strategies towards the attainment of this goal are proposed.

Fifteen honey samples obtained from different locations in Ekiti State, Southwest Nigeria were analyzed for some physico-chemical attributes including pH, moisture contents, ash contents, total acidity, total solid, proline contents. The results showed a range of honey colours from amber to dark brown. The pH of the samples ranged from 3.73 to 4.60 while the total solid ranged between 76.60% to 90.73%, moisture content varied from 9.72% to 23.40%, ash 0.004 to 0.440% and total acidity 21.5 to 33.6 meqkg-1. Twelve samples passed proline tests while three failed proline test. Generally, the findings showed that the attributes of twelve of the commercial honeys agreed with the international standards which make them good for human consumption while others have higher values than normal level in certain parameters, thus suggesting some level of adulteration by farmers.

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The need to boost livestock production in Nigeria calls for a provision of feed that is adequate in both quality and quantity as well as accessible to animals all year round. The quest to assess and exploit plants for their potentials in feeding livestock animals all year round necessitated this study. The phytochemical and nutritional composition of the leaves of Bambusa vulgaris and Artocarpus altilis were assayed. Phytochemical screening of the two plant leaves revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids and tannins. Terpenoids and steroids were absent in the two plants. Further phytochemical quantifications revealed B. vulgaris and A. altilis leaves contained alkaloids (10.64% and 14.80%), saponins (2.33 and 3.90%), flavonoids (4.60 and 3.70%), tannins (0.67 and 1.89 mg/100g) and phenol (0.23 and 1.89 mg/100 g) respectively. The proximate analyses revealed low moisture content (12.27% and 14.88%), crude protein (2.84 and 2.15%), moderate crude fat (6.00 and 6.91%) and high crude fiber (16.96 and 9.96%), ash (11.82 and 15.92%) and carbohydrate (50.12 and 50.19%) respectively. The leaves were equally rich in Ca, K, P, Mg with low Na. Similarly, the results show that leaves of the two plants investigated could provide dietary and medicinal needs of livestock.

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A combination of field surveys and direct observation was used to identify botanicals whose stems and/or roots were extracted for healthcare purposes in the rural communities of Ekiti State, Nigeria. Diverse number of species was identified as being used for health care by respondents in the study area. The respondents' consensus factor which specifies the agreement degree of the respondents revealed that their preference for healthcare maintenance was skewed towards the use of botanicals rather than the orthodox drugs. Respondents' fidelity level was determined and the results obtained revealed that the botanicals were perceived as safe, cheap, readily available with little or no side effects. Considerable proportions of these botanicals were not cultivated and their collection pattern was mostly annihilative and unsustainable. Thus they were mostly rare on the abundance scale used in this study. Most of the uncultivated species were indigenous tree species that has forest as their primary source. With increasing and unprecedented deforestation rate in the study area, there is the need for conservation of these species.

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