a.Spirtual protection

Africans believe that some unknown illness are may be due to an attack by the evil spirits. In this case the spirtual healer prescribes talisman, charm, amulets, specially designed body marks, and a spiritual bath to drive evil spirits away. These rituals are helpul in driving off evil and dangerous dark spirtual forces or elements to ward off the evils or dangers that may have befallen a individual or family or community [16].

### b.Sacrifices

Sacrifices are also part of spirtual healing process, sometimes offered at the request of spirits, gods, and ancestors which includes the sacrifice and burrial of various animals like dogs, cats, buffaloes etc. which are burried alive at midnight to save the individual from the evil attacks. Even these sacrifices includes some secret herbs, in which the healers believe that without these herbs, the process of sacrifices is incomplete. In some parts of Africa like Southafrica, this sacrifices also includes human sacrifices which is known as muti or ritual murder, which includes in identification of young child and sacrifices by spirtual healers for various beleifs [17].

#### c.Spirtual cleanising

This is also a part of spirtual healing also known as spirtual bath. This remedy is prescribed to the disease person with procedure and how many times per day. This includes secret herbal bath, holy water bath, and animal blood poured from head to toe and these practices are common in the african countries like Ghana.

After this bath, the diseased individual is required to offer certain items for sacrifice or libation like dove, dog, cat, got, fowl etc., along with local gin, cola nut, eggs, and plain white, red, or black cloth. It is belief that these items after sacrifice will be taken by the Gods.

The Gods guide the traditional healer for specific bath and specific item for sacrificing. All the specified things will be tied in cloth and thrown into flowing river after sacrifice and left to degrade. Sometimes, these things will left at the cross roads at the outskirts of community depending on the nature and severity of the case.

In somecases these spirtual cleansing techniques also known as a Ritual sacrifice baths. The Hausa-Fulani women of Zaria, Nigeria during cold or respiratory illness, they practices these type of ritual bath with hot water splashes along with the twigs of tamarind or neem tree [18, 19].

#### d.Exorcism

This is also a part of spirtual healing practising in several parts of the Africa. This includes expelling demons or evil spirits from the person with illness. Africans believes that certain diseases are may be due to possession of evil spirits. The diseases like mental illness is considered due to these evil possessions. The skill of exorcism is only be performed by the traditional leader or preist in that community. This includes various rituals like rosary chanting, dances, drums, music, songs, bibilical verses, touches the ill person with animal tails, and other objects [20].

The other healing techniques in the spirtualism includes libation, which is defined as the pouring of some liquids like gin, aromas on to the ground as an offering to get release from the illness due to karmic events. This can be practised through various techniques like invocation, supplication, and conclusion. The process of libation is to win over the evil wishes and curses by enemies. This includes pouring or offering various liquids to the ground along with prayers and chants [21]. It is always better to watch a documented video (Video 2; available from (can be viewd at) https://youtu.be/lKZeDWpcoEw) to understand more about the spirtualism practices.

#### *1.2.3 Herbalism*

Even use of herbal remedies is a part of Traditional African Medicine since ancient times. However, In Africa, the herbalism is in transition towards

#### *Traditional African Medicine DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96576*

modernisation. It is the study, standardization, quality control and use of different herbs with evidences or non evidences. The herbalism existed since ancient times. The modern medicine is also evolved from herbalism for eg: Aspirin (from willow bark), Quinine (From cinchona bark).

The herbal practitioners will take an extensive questionarrie consists of case histories and examines the patient physically. The patient medical history and symptoms will also be given an attention by the traditional healers. This includes the examination of every day physiological process like appetite, digestion, urination, defacation, and sleep.

The prescription includes individualized herbs or combinational herbs, usually in form of tinctures, extracts, fractions, decoctions, distillates, snuffs, gruels, teas, syrups, pills, ointments, polutices, etc. [22].

Various parts will be used in herbalism like roots, bulbs, and rhizomes from various healing herbs like *Acacia senegal* Linn (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae), *Aloe ferox* Mill. (Xanthorrhoeaceae), *Artemisia herba-alba* Asso (Med)(Asteraceae), *Aspalathus linearis* (Brum.f.) R. Dahlg. (Fabaceae), *Centella asiatica* (L.) Urb. (Apiaceae), *Catharanthus roseus* (L.) G. Don (Apocynaceae), *Cyclopia genistoides* (L.) Vent. (Fabaceae), *Harpagophytum procumbens* (Burch.) DC. (Pedaliaceae), *Momordica charantia* Linn. (Cucurbitaceae), *Pelargonium sidoides* DC. (Geraniaceae) are some of the important herbs in the traditional African herbalism [23]. To understand the modern and traditional herbalism in africa it is always best from video material (video 3, video 4) (Video 3 available from (can be viewed at) https://youtu.be/7IvP3SSU2nM and Video 4 available from (can be viewed at) https://youtu.be/DV69JKi29Mk).
