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This chapter focuses on reviewing publications on medicinal plants used in the treatment of common diseases such as malaria, cholera, pneumonia, tuberculosis and asthma. Traditional medicine is still recognized as the preferred primary health care system in many rural communities, due to a number of reasons including affordability and effectiveness. The review concentrated on current literature on medicinal plants, highlighting on information about ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacology. The search for publications on medicinal plants with scientifically proven efficacy was carried out using electronic databases such as Science Direct, Google Scholar, SciFinder and PubMed. In all, about 46 species of different families with potent biological and pharmacological activities were reviewed. All the plants reviewed exhibited potent activity confirming their various traditional uses and their ability to treat prevalent diseases.

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The use of medicinal plants for the treatment of diseases including malaria is a common practice in Ghanaian traditional medicine. The objective of this study is to document indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants used for the treatment of malaria through ethno-botanical studies to facilitate the discovery of new sources of drugs. The study was carried out in 2018 at the Centre for Plant Medicine Research (CPMR) among 36 registered herbalists of the Ghana Federation of Traditional and Alternative Medicine (GHAFTRAM). Data was collected based on oral interview with each of the 36 registered herbalists with the aid of a well-structured questionnaire. Only data from willing respondents were documented after obtaining their consent to participate in the study. 42 different plant species belonging to 27 families were identified as being used by GHAFTRAM herbalists in treating malaria. Among the various plant parts used, the leaves were the most reported (41%), and all of the medicinal preparations were decoctions prepared by boiling the plant parts. About 93% of the herbalists collected plants from the wild, whereas the 7% were collected from their immediate surroundings (within 100 m of their homes). Major threats to the continues availability of medicinal species of plants as indicated by the respondents included: farming activities (40%), bushfires (33%), over-harvesting (14%), and drought (13%). Majority (56%) of the herbalists reported uprooting whole plants as their method of collecting medicinal plant parts. The results of the study suggest a need for conservation and sustainable harvesting strategies to conserve plant wealth in Ghana.

Millingtonia hortensis Linn. (Bignoniaceae) is a medicinal plant used for the treatment of various diseases such as fever, asthma, and microbial infections. This study aimed to investigate the quality control parameters of the leaf and stem bark of Millingtonia hortensis for proper authentication and to prevent adulteration. The macroscopic and microscopic characteristics, phytochemical, physicochemical, fluorescence properties, and heavy metal content of the leaf and stem bark of M. hortensis were determined using WHO-approved standard protocols and other published methods. The macroscopic and microscopic results showed imparipinnate compound leaves and oppositely arranged leaflets which are deltoid in shape with serrated margins. The outer stem bark is rough and brittle with fissures and ridges. The microscopic characteristics of the leaf show anomocytic stomata and wavy-walled epidermal cells. Saponins, flavonoids, and alkaloids were detected in both leaf and stem bark. The physicochemical results were within published acceptable limits. Heavy metals such as chromium and arsenic were not detected in both leaves and stem bark. The results of this study establish the identity, purity, and safety of M. hortensis.