Ethnopharmacological Survey of Medicinal Plants Used to Treat Human Diseases in the Tivaouane Department, Senegal

Background: In Africa, particularly in Senegal, 70% of the population resort to traditional medicine.

Aim/Objective: The aim of this study is to inventory the plants used to the the treatment of erectile dysfunction, hypertension, diabetes etc because the populations often resort to phytotherapy.

Methods: Fifty traditional practitioners, fifty herbalists and fifty resources persons were conducted to identify the plants used in the management of affections in the Tivaouane department.

Results: Ninety seven plants could be identified and divided into eighty nine genera and forty eight families. Thus, Fabaceae families with 18 species, Euphorbiaceae (8 species), Combretaceae (5 species), Malvaceae (4 species), Anacardiaceae, Annonaceae, Asteraceae, Meliaceae Myrtaceae and Poaceae each with 3 species and Asclepiadaceae, Liliaceae, Lythraceae, Loganaceae and Menispermaceae each with 2 species; Apocynaceae, Balanitaceae, Bignoniaceae, Capparidaceae, Caricaceae, Casuarinaceae, Celastraceae, Cochlospermaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Hypericaceae, Lamiaceae, Loraceae, Lauraceae, Loranthaceae, Moraceae , Moringaceae, Musaceae Olacaceae, Polygalaceae, Rhamnaceae, Rosaceae, Rutaceae, Sapindaceae, Sapotaceae, Sphenocleaceae, Sterculiaceae, Tiliaceae, Verbenaceae and Zingiberaceae are represented by a single species. The most used plant for antipyretic herbal medicine is Senna occidentalis with a citation percentage of 31.72%, followed by Khaya senegalensis (17.18%) and Citrus aurantifolia (11.01%). The most used plant for antalgic herbal medicine is Grewia bicolor with a citation percentage of 19.48%, followed by Acacia nilotica (12.21%) and Hibiscus sabdariffa (9.59%). The most used plant for antihypertensive is Zizyphus mauritiana with a citation percentage of 16.83%, followed by Combrethum micranthum (13.37%) and Oxythenantera abyssinica (11.88%). The most used plant for cicatrizing is Acacia nilotica with a citation percentage of 25.71%, followed by Vernonia colorata (12%) and Leptadenia hastata (10.29%). The most used plant for erectile dysfunction is Flueggea virosa with a citation percentage of 24.14%, followed by Zingiber officinale (18.96%) and Cassia sieberiana (12.07%). The leaves (51%) and barks (18%) are the organs used for the medicinal preparations. The decoction (44%) is the most use followed by maceration (29%) and powder (16%).

Conclusion: Further investigations are needed to explore the bioactive compounds of these herbal medicines. In this aspect, many plants are claimed to be effective in the treatment of many affections.