Over 75–80% of the world’s population in developed and developing countries depends on. Herbal medicines derived from medicinal plants for their health care. Herbs have medicinal property due to presence of different active principles like alkaloids, volatile essential oils, glycosides, resins, oleoresins, steroids, tannins, terpenes and phenols found them.
It is against this background that the plants such as Uvaria afzelii Sc, Acacia nilotica Linn., Terminalia avicennioides Guill & Perr andFagara zanthoxyloides Lam which were extensively used as herbal preparation in some parts of Nigeria were investigated. The plants were selected base on their medicinal importance among traditional medicine practitioners in Nigeria. The diarrhoea causing organism commonly found in the affected sites of the patients such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter species, Clostridium difficile, Vibrio species, Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella typhi and Shigella dysentriae were used for this study. These plants were used for various ailments throughout Nigeria. For example, Uvaria afzelii is used in the treatments of liver problems, pulmonary troubles, naso-pharyngeal infections, food poisoning and venereal diseases. Acacia nilotica Linn, is used in the treatments of intestinal pains, diarrhea, nerve stimulant, cold, congestion, coughs, dysentery, fever, hemorrhages, leucorrhea, ophthalmia and sclerosis. And Terminalia avicennioides Guill & Perr is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, dropsy, swellings, oedema, gout, leprosy, mucosae, vermifuges, skin irritations and as pain killers.