Potentiality of Medicinal Plants in Treating Urinary Lithiasis in Littoral Region, Cameroon

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study was to reveal patterns in the treatment of urinary lithiasis in the Littoral Region, Cameroon, based on data on the use of plants, from traditional healers and patients under primary health care, and to demonstrate the efficiency of some of the recipes used. Methodology: An analysis of plants use data from semi-structured interviews with traditional healers was conducted and diagnostic data was collected from patients in the community. Health conditions were ranked according to the citation frequency of plant use reports to treat urinary calculus by healers. Results: Plant use reports from 15 healers yielded about 22 medicinal plant species, which are used in 16 therapeutic preparations to treat urinary lithiasis conditions. The sample of the survey consisted of 30 patients, out of which 83.33% got well after an average of 2 months of treatment. People aged 50 to 60 years and married are the most affected by this illness. The region is situated on a volcanic soil and the richness in mineral elements would be a favorable factor to the formation of lithiasis. Furthermore, traditional health care in that region appears to be competent to overcome urinary calculus. Conclusion: Traditional medicine in the study area is consistent with the local patterns of morbidity, health care needs in relation to the side effects of the soil richness in mineral elements.