Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common deadly disease that affects mankind in both the poor and developed countries of the world. It is rather unfortunate that the number of people suffering from this disease particularly in Nigeria is on the increase. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted to document medicinal plants commonly used for the treatment of DM by the inhabitants of Ekiti South Senatorial Districts of Ekiti State, Nigeria. The study revealed that 30 plant species belonging to 12 families were cited by the respondents as being used in the area for the treatment of DM. Mangifera indica and Alstonia boonei of the families Anacadiaceae and Apocynaceae respectively, were repeatedly mentioned as the two mostly used plants for the treatment of DM in the study area. About 53.33% of the plants cited were reported as being rare, thus further studies on their conservation strategies were suggested.
Keywords: Diabetes Mellitus, Ekiti South Senatorial District., Indigenous knowledge, medicinal plants
