Ethnopharmacological Study of Plants Used against Malaria by Traditional Healers in the Department of Bouna, North-Eastern Côte d'Ivoire

Abstract

Mosquitoes have developed resistance, hence the need for anti-malarial medicines. This resistance calls for therapeutic an interest to therapeutic alternatives, including the medicinal plants. An ethnopharmacological survey was conducted amongst 15 Traditional Healers, recommended by the National Program for the Promotion of Traditional Medicine using semi-structured interviews in the city of Bouna. The ethnobotanical survey conducted in 2019 has enabled the identification of 32 plant species belonging to 30 genera and grouped into 19 families. The most represented families were Fabaceae (5 species) Anacardiaceae (4 species), Annonaceae (3 species), Rubiaceae, Zingiberaceae, Asteraceae, and Combretaceae with 2 species each. The species were mostly trees (63.63%). Leaves were the most frequently used parts of the plants (44.4%). The results of our investigations show that the most used mode is the decoction (42.22%). The oral route (60%) is the most used mode of administration. These species complete the non-exhaustive list of medicinal plants that the populations of Cote d'Ivoire use. It was found out that, people in this area commonly use medicinal plants with trust they have built on the curative outcome witnessed. However, this creates a further work to test for the antiplasmodial activity and to develop of Traditional Improved Medicines (MTAs).