Abstract
Before Europeans’ arrival on the continent, Africans received their health care primarily from traditional medicine practitioners called herbalists, native doctors and healers, medicine men, and witch doctors. The process of modernization in Nigeria, some scholars argued, is intrinsically linked to Europeans’ influence, particularly in the areas of health care and education. Today, between 80% and 90% of Nigerians receive their health care from traditional medical practitioners. Although the scientific literature has witnessed a surge in the number of publications on traditional remedies in Nigeria, there is limited information on the country’s emerging developments and promising medicinal plants. This chapter chronicles the origin and evolutionary expansion and challenges facing traditional medicine in Nigeria. The chapter also examines the therapeutic values of common medicinal plants and wide animal species, and traditional medicine occupations including their treatment philosophies and treatment approaches. Finally, the chapter discusses the emerging practice trends and future of traditional medicine and the breakthroughs in pharmaceutical product developments in Nigeria, including traditional medicine’s efficacy and safety.
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Balogun, J.A. (2021). Emerging Developments in Traditional Medicine Practice in Nigeria. In: The Nigerian Healthcare System. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-88863-3_8
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