In order to obtain information on traditional use of plants for medicinal purposes from ten communities living around Yankari Game Reserve, Bauchi State, Nigeria, ten informants were interviewed. Information on parts of the plants used and the mode of administration in the treatment of the diseases was also obtained. A total of 32 species of plant, belonging to 20 families, used in treating 28 conditions in humans and seven in cattle, were recorded during the survey. The family Fabaceae, with 10 species, was the most represented. Only trees were encountered. The conditions treated included symptoms (e.g. colic), physiological diseases (e.g. erectile dysfunction) and infectious diseases (e.g. typhoid). 70% of the interviewees stated that the game reserve was the source of their herbal medicine. The voucher specimens of the plants were preserved at the herbarium of the Department of Biological Sciences of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria. This study reveals invaluable indigenous knowledge with the potential to improve the welfare of mankind; consequently, we suggest more scientific studies to test the claimed medicinal uses of the plants.
Key words: Ethnobotany, ethno-medicine, traditional medicine, herbs, veterinary medicine.
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