An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in Babungo, Northwest Region, Cameroon

Springer Science and Business Media LLC - Tập 6 Số 1 - 2010
D.J. Simbo1
1Department of Bioscience Engineering, Faculty of Science, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

Tóm tắt

Abstract Background An ethnobotanical survey was undertaken to record information on medicinal plants from traditional medical practitioners in Babungo and to identify the medicinal plants used for treating diseases. Methods Traditional Medical Practitioners (TMP's) who were the main informants were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires and open-ended conversations. Field trips were made to the sites where TMP's harvest plants. Results The survey identified and recorded 107 plants species from 54 plant families, 98 genera used for treating diseases in Babungo. The Asteraceae was the most represented plant family while herbs made up 57% of the total medicinal plants used. The leaf was the most commonly used plant part while concoction and decoction were the most common method of traditional drug preparation. Most medicinal plants (72%) are harvested from the wild and 45% of these have other non medicinal uses. Knowledge of the use of plants as medicines remains mostly with the older generation with few youth showing an interest. Conclusions A divers number of plants species are used for treating different diseases in Babungo. In addition to their use as medicines, a large number of plants have other non medicinal uses. The youth should be encouraged to learn the traditional medicinal knowledge to preserve it from being lost with the older generation.

Từ khóa


Tài liệu tham khảo

Balick MJ, Cox PA: Plants, People, and Culture: The Science of Ethnobotany. 1996, Scientific American Library: New York

Rates SMK: Plants as a source of drugs. Toxicon. 2001, 39: 603-613. 10.1016/S0041-0101(00)00154-9.

WHO: Traditional medicine. Fact sheet No 134. 2003

Muthu C, Ayyanar M, Raja N, Ignacimuthu S: Medicinal plants used be traditional healers in Kancheepuram District of Tamil Nadu, India. J Ethnobio Ethnomed. 2006, 2: 43-10.1186/1746-4269-2-43.

Hostettmann K, Marston A, Ndjoko K, Wolfender J-L: The Potential of African Medicinal Plants as a Source of Drugs. Current Organic Chemistry. 2000, 4: 973-1010. 10.2174/1385272003375923.

Sofowora A: Medicinal plants and traditional medicine in Africa. 1993, Spectrum books limited: Ibadan

Vulto AG, Smet PAGM: Drugs used in non-orthodox medicine. Meyler's side effects of drugs. Edited by: Dukes MMG. 1988, Elsevier: Amsterdam, 999-1005. 11

Thomas DW, Thomas JM, Bromley WA, Mbenkum FT: Korup Ethnobotany survey. Final report to the World Wide Fund for Nature. 1989, Surrey: UK

Ndenecho EN: Herbalism and resources for the development of ethnopharmacology in Mount Cameroon region. Afr J Pharm Pharmacol. 2009, 3 (3): 078-086.

Focho DA, Ndam WT, Fonge BA: Medicinal plants of Aguambu-Bamumbu in the Lebialem highlands, southwest province of Cameroon. Afr J Phrm Pharmacol. 2009, 3 (1): 1-13.

Focho DA, Newuh MC, Anjah MG, Nwana FA, Ambo FB: Ethnobotanical survey of trees in Fundong, Northwest Region, Cameroon. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2009, 5: 17-10.1186/1746-4269-5-17.

MINEF: Annual report of activities carried out by the Divisional Section for Forestry, Ngokentunjia. 1999, Ministry of Environment and Forest

Ndenecho EN: Cropping Systems and Post-Cultivation Vegetation Successions: Agro-Ecosystems in Ndop, Cameroon. J Hum Ecol. 2009, 27 (1): 27-33.

Olorode O: Taxonomy of West African Flowering Plants. 1984, Longman: London

Heinrich M, Robles M, West JE, Ortiz de Montellano BR, Rodriguez E: Ethnopharmacology of Mexican Asteraceae (Compositae). Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology. 1998, 38: 539-565. 10.1146/annurev.pharmtox.38.1.539.

Thomas E, Vandebroek I, Sanca S, Van Damme P: Cultural significance of medicinal plant families and species among the Quechua farmers in apillampampa, Bolivia. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2009, 122: 60-67. 10.1016/j.jep.2008.11.021.

Dovie BK, Witkowski ET, Shackleton CM: Knowledge of Plant Resource use Based on Location, Gender and Generation. Applied Geography. 2008, 28: 311-322. 10.1016/j.apgeog.2008.07.002.

Okoegwale EE, Omefezi JU: Some herbal preparations among the people of Isoko Clan of Delta State, Nigeria. J Appl Sc. 2001, 4: 2350-2371.

Signorini MA, Piredda M, Bruschi P: Plants and traditional knowledge: An ethnobotanical investigation on Monte Ortobene (Nuoro, Sardinia). J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2009, 5: 6-10.1186/1746-4269-5-6.

Flatie T, Gedif T, Asres K, Gebre-Mariam T: Ethnomedical survey of Berta ethnic group Assosa Zone, Benishangul-Gumuz regional state, mid-west Ethiopia. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2009, 5: 14-10.1186/1746-4269-5-14.

Chow KU, Nowak D, Boehrer S, Ruthardt M, Knau A, Hoelzer D, Mitrou PS, Weidmann E: Synergistic effects of chemotherapeutic drugs in lymphoma cells are associated with down-regulation of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs), prostate-apoptosis-response-gene 4 (Par-4), death-associated protein (Daxx) and with enforced caspase activation. Biochemical Pharmacology. 2003, 66: 711-724. 10.1016/S0006-2952(03)00410-6.

Okoli CO, Akah PA, Okoli AS: Potentials of leaves of Aspilia africana (Compositae) in wound care: an experimental evaluation. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2007, 7: 24-10.1186/1472-6882-7-24.

Olaniyi AA, Sofowora EA, Oguntimehin BO: Phytochemical investigation of some Nigerian plants used against fevers. II. Cymbopogon citratus. Planta Med. 1975, 28 (2): 186-189. 10.1055/s-0028-1097851.

Akinyemi KO, Oladapo O, Okwara CE, Ibe CC, Fasure KA: Screening of crude extracts of six medicinal plants used in South-West Nigerian unorthodox medicine for anti-methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus activity. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2005, 5: 6-10.1186/1472-6882-5-6.

Cunningham AB, Mbenkum FT: Sustainability of harvesting of Prunus Africana bark: A Medicinal Plant in International Trade. People and Plants working paper 2. 1993, Paris: Unesco

IUCN 2009: IUCN Red list of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2 Downloaded on 05 December. 2009, [http://www.iucnredlist.org]

Bussmann R: Ethnobotany of the Samburu of Mt. Nyiru, South Turkana, Kenya. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2006, 2: 35-10.1186/1746-4269-2-35.

Lelukal E, Kelbessa E, Bekele T, Yineger H: An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in Mana Angetu District, southeastern Ethiopia. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2008, 4: 10-10.1186/1746-4269-4-10.

Fonjong LN, Mbah FA: The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Women rice Producers in Ndop, Cameroon and the Implications for Gender Roles. Journal of International Women Studies. 2007, 8 (4): 133-147.

Thông tin
Thông tin xuất bản

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Tập 6 Số 1

Thông tin tác giả