Ethnobotanical Survey on Plants Used in the Management of Sickle Cell Disease in the Poro Region (Northern Ivory Coast)

Abstract

In Ivory Coast, the population turns to traditional healers for care using recipes or medicinal plants. Following an ethnobotanical survey on medicinal plants used in the treatment of sickle cell disease in traditional settings in the Poro region. After an ethnobotanical survey using direct questioning, we were able to record Rhynchospora corymbosa, Olax subscorpioidea, Citrus limon, Carapa procera, Ficus sur, Ceiba pentandra, Kigelia africana, Viscum album, Vitellaria paradoxa, Guiera senegalensis, Pericopsis laxiflora, Securidaca longipedunculata, Xylopia eathiopica and Monodora mystica as plants used by traditional medicine practitioners to combat sickle cell disease. These species are mainly trees. In the study of plant parts used in decoctions, it was found that bark is the most frequently used component. In addition, it was observed that the decoction is ingested orally. The relative importance of each plant species is determined by the part of the plant used. An in-depth analysis of the taxonomy of plant species reveals that the majority of the specimens studied are local plants, with the notable exception of Citrus limon, an exotic and cultivated species native to Asia. In the treatment of sickle cell disease, Rhynchospora corymbosa is the most widely used plant, while Olax subscorpioidea is mainly used to treat other conditions. This study aims to contribute to the preservation of ancestral knowledge and to provide scientific value to traditional recipes used in the treatment of sickle cell disease.