Medicinal Plants Used for Treating Reproductive Health Care Problems in Cameroon, Central Africa1.

Medicinal Plants Used for Treating Reproductive Health Care Problems in Cameroon, Central Africa. Approximately 80% of the African population uses traditional plants to deal with health problems, basically because of their easy accessibility and affordability. This study was carried out to document indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants used by traditional healers and elders in the treatment of reproductive health care in the Bamboutos Division of the West Region in Cameroon, Central Africa. The research methods used included semi-structured interviews and participative field observations. For the interviews, 70 knowledgeable respondents (40 traditional healers and 30 elders) were selected via purposive sampling. Voucher specimens were collected with the help of respondents, processed into the Cameroon National Herbarium in Yaoundé following standard methods, identified with the help of pertinent floras and taxonomic experts, and submitted to Department of Botany at the University of Dschang. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze and summarize ethnobotanical information obtained. Informant consensus factors (ICF) were used to elucidate the agreement among informants on the species to be used in the treatment within a category of illness. The results showed that a total of 70 plant species from 37 families (mostly of the Asteraceae [8 species], Euphorbiaceae [7], and Acanthaceae and Bignoniaceae [4 each]) are used in the treatment of 27 reproductive ailments, with the highest number of species (37) being used against venereal diseases, followed by female (29) and male infertility (21), respectively. Leaves (47.3%) were the most commonly harvested plant parts and the most common growth forms harvested were the herbs (45.7%), followed by shrubs (30%). Sixty percent of plant material was obtained from the wild ecosystems. Herbal remedies were mostly prepared in the form of decoction (66.2%) and were taken mainly orally. Informant consensus about usages of medicinal plants ranged from 0.5 to 1.0 with an average value of 0.91. It can be concluded that medicinal plants have played and will continue to play major roles in the management of reproductive healthcare in the study area.

Plantes médicinales utilisées dans le traitement des affections des organes reproducteurs au Cameroun, Afrique Centrale. Approximativement, 80% de la population africaine utilisent les plantes pour résoudre leurs problèmes de santé. Cette large utilisation des plantes est attribuée à l'accessibilité et à leurs faibles coûts. Afin de contribuer à la documentation de ce riche héritage, une enquête ethnopharmacologique a été réalisée dans diverses localités du Département des Bamboutos, Ouest Cameroun, au sujet des plantes utilisées contre les affections des organes reproducteurs.Un total de 70 informateurs (40 guérisseurs et 30 personnes âgées)ont été consultés. A l'issu de l'enquête, 70 espèces de plantes appartenant à 64 genres et 37 familles botaniques avec une prédominance des familles des Asteraceae (8 espèces), des Euphorbiaceae (7), et des Acanthaceae et Bignoniaceae (4 espèces chacune) ont été répertoriées. Ces plantes sont employées pour traiter 27 affections des organes reproducteurs, avec en premier rang les maladies vénériennes qui utilisent 37 espèces, suivi de l'infertilité chez les femmes et les hommes, 29 et 21 espèces respectivement.La majorité (60%) de ces plantes est récoltée dans des jachères ou îlots forestières. Les types morphologiques les plus utilisés sont des herbes (45,7%), suivi des arbustes (30%). Les feuilles (47,3%) constituent la partie la plus utilisée, suivi des écorces (22,3%), plantes entières (19,7%), des tiges (5,2%), des tubercules (2,6%) et des inflorescences et fruits (1,3% chacun). La majorité de remèdes est préparée sous forme de décoction (66,2%) et sont majoritairement employées par voie orale, particulièrement en boisson. Les valeurs de consensus vis­à­vis des usages des différentes plantes sont comprises entre 0,5­1 avec une valeur moyenne de 0,91.Les plantes demeurent la seule source de médicament bio­disponible dans la zone d'étude et se verifie d'une part par l'usage accrue des herbes. Toutefois, elles peuvent servir de matière première pour la fabrication des médicaments modernes.

Socioeconomic importance of the banana tree (Musa spp.) in the Guinean Highland Savannah agroforests.

Home gardens are defined as less complex agroforests which look like and function as natural forest ecosystems but are integrated into agricultural management systems located around houses. Investigations were carried out in 187 households. The aim of the study was to identify the different types of banana home gardens existing in the periurban zone of Ngaoundere town. The results showed that the majority of home gardens in the area were very young (less than 15 years old) and very small in size (less than 1 ha). Eleven types of home gardens were found in the periurban area of Ngaoundere town. The different home garden types showed important variations in all their structural characteristics. Two local species of banana are cultivated in the systems, Musa sinensis and Musa paradisiaca. The total banana production is 3.57 tons per year. The total quantity of banana consumed in the periurban zone was 3.54 tons (93.5%) whereas 1.01 tons were sold in local or urban markets. The main banana producers belonged to home gardens 2, 4, 7, and 9. The quantity of banana offered to relatives was more than what the farmers received from others. Farmers, rely on agroforests because the flow of their products helps them consolidate friendship and conserve biodiversity at the same time.