An ethnobotanical survey is a major source of scientific research aimed at finding medicinal and therapeutic plants within a region or locality. It is a major approach for selecting plants for pharmacological screening and identification of indigenous medicinal herbs (Ogbole et al. 2010). It is useful in establishing the correlation between the ethnomedical usage of medicinal plants and drug discovery in modern medicines (Ogbole et al. 2010). Ethnobotanical survey as an important tool in the documentation of indigenous traditional knowledge on medicinal plants results in (i) preservation of cultural heritage, (ii) ethnopharmacological bases of drug research, and (ii) preservation of biological diversity (Boadu and Asase, 2017). The use of natural products with healing properties is as old as human civilization and for a long time, minerals, animals, and plant products were the main sources of drugs (Ballick and Cox, 1996). Plants have traditionally been and are still an abundant source of hope for potential and novel drug compounds (Atanasov et al. 2015). Plants are used as a source of medicine because they contain a broad spectrum of chemical compounds responsible for their pharmacological activity (Mtewa et al., 2021, Bhat, 2022).

The World Health Organization (WHO) global report on Traditional and Complementary Medicine revealed that as of 2018, 88% of all Member States acknowledged the use of T&CM (WHO, 2019), and in Nigeria, about 75% -80% of both rural and urban populations use traditional medicine (Osunderu, 2009, Ohemu et al., 2017). This corroborate the fact that traditional medicine remains the first line of treatment especially in communities where modern medicine is not accessible (Güler et al, 2021). In view of this, the WHO encourages every nation to strive to provide healthcare for all its citizens, and much global attention is now focused on finding ways of exploiting natural and indigenous resources as the ultimate sources of pharmaceutical raw materials.

“Infertility is the inability of a sexually active, non-contracepting couple to achieve pregnancy in one year. The male partner can be evaluated for infertility or subfertility using a variety of clinical interventions, and also from a laboratory evaluation of semen” (WHO, 2020). Infertility is a global problem affecting an average of 8 to 12 % of human couples. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 in 6 people globally are affected by infertility (Ombelet, 2020, World Health Organisation, 2023). Infertility is one of the main problems of modern life, as a psychological crisis, it imposes a lot of stress on infertile couples and in different ways threatens their mental health. Eventually resulting in martial conflicts, divorce and in some cases domestic violence (Rahebi et al., 2019, Shayesteh-Parto et al., 2023). In some parts of Nigeria, studies have shown that the rate of infertility could be as high as 20% - 45 % (Okonofua, 2003). Male reproductive health problems are grossly underestimated, but the reality is that male factors contribute to almost 40% of infertility outcomes (Kumar and Singh, 2015, Leslie et al., 2023). More than three out of every 10 Nigerian men have reported erectile dysfunction or another sexual problem (Amoo et al, 2017).

The ability to reproduce in males involves the production of semen containing normal spermatozoa (quality) in an adequate number (quantity), together with the desire and ability to mate (Cooper et al, 2009). The low concentration of spermatozoa, poor sperm motility, or abnormal morphology are the major causes of male infertility (Kumar & Singh, 2015) other causes include genetic disorders, genital duct obstruction, varicocele, decreased sperm production, decreased semen quality parameters, erectile dysfunction, sexually transmitted diseases, infections and male impotence ( Idu et al, 2016). Studies have shown that 2% of all men will exhibit suboptimal semen parameters (Kumar & Singh, 2015). Treatment such as surgery, chemicals and herbal drugs, and laboratory methods are available to help fertility. However, these treatments impose a relatively high cost on infertile couples, have serious side effects, and are often difficult to access (Njagi et al., 2020, Sharma and Shrivastava, 2022). These limitations of the existing treatment have made the investigation of medicinal plants for male infertility crucial, especially in developing countries where the majority of the population has access to medicinal plants, which is often less expensive, easily accessible, and often safe. Jos North Plateau State has a rich history of herbal medicine use, as several ethnobotanical studies in the treatment of different diseases have been conducted in the locality. Unfortunately, no ethnobotanical data exist at the present stage on plants used in the treatment of male infertility in Jos, Plateau state.

This study aimed to document medicinal plants used traditionally in treating male infertility with a focus on erectile dysfunction, low libido, and low sperm count within Jos North, Plateau State, Nigeria.