Olugbenga Morebise
All Saints University School of Medicine, Dominica
Title: Dominican medicinal plants—uses, chemical constituents, bioactivity reports and prospects
Biography
Biography: Olugbenga Morebise
Abstract
The Commonwealth of Dominica is blessed with a lot of green plants, many of which are used for medicinal purposes, including treatments for coughs, asthma, bronchitis, tuberculosis, sore throat, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, fevers, erectile dysfunction, skin disorders, cancers, indigestion, dysentery, dysmenorrhea, worm infestation, obesity, vomiting and a host of other disorders. Bush tea is a common term in Dominica and it refers to the decoction, concoction or infusion made from the medicinal plants. This presentation shows how the popular medicinal plants are usually used by the locals in Dominica and their strong folkloric beliefs on the efficacies of the herbals. The chemical composition of the plants and bioactivity reports on them, based on research finding from different parts of the world, are also presented in this report. Some of the plants still have few or no phytochemical and bioactivity reports on them, indicating ideal areas for novel researches. Future prospects and recommendations in the areas of novel herbal formulations, drug discovery and medicinal plant research in Dominica are also highlighted.