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Ahoyo CC, Houéhanou TD, Yaoïtcha AS, Prinz K, Glèlè Kakaï R, Sinsin BA, Houinato MRB. Traditional medicinal knowledge of woody species across climatic zones in Benin (West Africa). JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 265:113417. [PMID: 32980483 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.113417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Plant parts are often used by local people to treat their affections. This study addressed the Traditional Medicinal Knowledge of woody species in Benin and the dependence of medicinal use of woody species on climatic zones. AIM OF THE STUDY It reports (i) the main diseases categories treated with medicinal use of woody species in Benin and changes across climatic zones by inferring their epidemiological status, and (ii) the woody species involved and their distribution according to climate conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ethnobotanical interviews were undertaken using a semi-structured questionnaire. Five hundred and ninety medicinal plant professionals (healers, traders …) were interviewed in the whole country. Frequency of citation and informant consensus factor were calculated to highlight the main human diseases categories and woody species used for their treatment. A principal component analysis was performed to determine the occurrence of diseases categories in different climatic zones. RESULTS About 94% of international diseases categories were treated using medicinal woody species in Benin. Nighty-seven ailments in 16 diseases categories were identified. Among them, 5 diseases categories (General and unspecified, Digestive, Skin, Neurological, and Musculoskeletal) were highlighted as important. The Sudano-Guinean zone showed the highest diseases frequencies, whereas the Sudanian zone showed the lowest. The epidemiological status of some phytodistricts was worrisome. In our study, 123 woody species belonging to 93 genera and 35 families were reported, and among them, 16 were the most used as treatments. CONCLUSIONS There is a lack of consensus among traditional healers about which woody species to use. Many different species were used to treat a given diseases category. Also, information concerning their organ composition was not available in the literature, for the majority of species. Biological and chemical investigations are thus needed for a better valorization of the most frequently used plants in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos C Ahoyo
- Laboratory of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Agronomic sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, 01 PO Box 526, Cotonou, Benin; Center of Partnership and Expertise for Sustainable Development, State Ministry of Plan and Development, 01 PO Box 3144, Cotonou, Benin.
| | - Thierry D Houéhanou
- Laboratory of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Agronomic sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, 01 PO Box 526, Cotonou, Benin; Laboratory of Ecology, Botany and Plant Biology, Faculty of Agronomy, University of Parakou, PO Box 123, Parakou, Benin; Laboratoire de Biomathématiques et d'Estimations Forestières, Faculté des sciences Agronomiques, Université d'Abomey-Calavi, 04 BP 1525, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Alain S Yaoïtcha
- Laboratory of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Agronomic sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, 01 PO Box 526, Cotonou, Benin; Institut National des Recherches Agricoles du Bénin, 01 BP 884 Cotonou, Benin
| | - Kathleen Prinz
- Institute for Ecology and Evolution, Hausknecht Herbarium and Botanical Garden, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Philosophenweg 16, 07743, Jena, Germany; Landschaftspflegeverband Suedharz/Kyffhaeuser e.V, Uthleber Straße 24, 99734 Nordhausen, Germany
| | - Romain Glèlè Kakaï
- Laboratoire de Biomathématiques et d'Estimations Forestières, Faculté des sciences Agronomiques, Université d'Abomey-Calavi, 04 BP 1525, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Brice A Sinsin
- Laboratory of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Agronomic sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, 01 PO Box 526, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Marcel R B Houinato
- Laboratory of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Agronomic sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, 01 PO Box 526, Cotonou, Benin
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