Phytochemical Analysis of Some Medicinal Plants Used for the Management of Reproductive Health Care Problems in the West Region in Cameroon

Abstract

Reproductive diseases are conditions that negatively affects human reproductive systems in many countries. Indeed this study was carried out to analyse chemical constituents of some medicinal plants used to treat reproductive organs, diseases in Bamboutos division, West of Cameroon. 45 plants samples were collected from their natural habitats in some villages of the above cited division. Study was conducted according to standard procedures in the laboratory of Organic Chemistry and Natural Substances of the University of Dschang. Polyphenols were revealed in all screening medicinal plant extracts, while, flavonoids were found in most of the studied plant extracts except for those obtained from Dioscorea dumetorum. Triterpens were present in 40 plants, saponins and sterols were respectively found in 33 and 32 plants ; whereas, alkaloids were only present in 15 plants.This work showed that the plants used to alleviate human reproductive ailments in some locality of the West Region in Cameroon are rich in bioactive compounds. These compounds are known to manage human reproductive diseases. Therefore, this finding supported the uses of these plant species for the treatment of human reproductive diseases. Furthermore, appropriate conservation of such valuable medicinal plant species is required.