Knowledge and practices of traditional management of child malnutrition and associated pathologies in Benin.

BACKGROUND: Child malnutrition is a major public health challenge, affecting millions of children worldwide, with alarming proportions of children under five in Benin. The complexity of managing this condition is increased by its potential association with opportunistic pathologies. An interesting approach arises from the use of medicinal plants, to address child malnutrition and its associated pathologies. This study aimed to document the knowledge and practices of Beninese mothers and traditional practitioners with regard to the use of medicinal plants to treat child malnutrition and associated diseases. METHODS: A total of 844 Beninese mothers and 201 traditional healers were surveyed between March 2022 and August 2023 in the communes of Karimama, Bopa and Za-Kpota in Benin. The respondents' knowledge of child malnutrition and associated pathologies was explored. The ethnobotanical data collected from the subjects concerned the medicinal recipes used to treat child malnutrition, the medicinal plants that make them up and the methods of use. These data were analyzed using ethnobotanical indices such as the Informant Consensus Factor, the frequency of citation of medicinal recipes types and medicinal plants, and the contribution of plants to medicinal recipes. RESULTS: All respondents cited a total of 82 plant species used to treat child malnutrition and associated diseases. These plants were grouped into 37 botanical families, the most common of which were Fabaceae, Malvaceae and Annonaceae. The leaves were the most commonly used part of the plant species identified. The mothers shared 122 medicinal recipes, ranging from recipes based on a single plant to more complex compositions involving five plants. The most notable plants were Moringa oleifera Lam, Phyllanthus amarus Schumach & Thonn, Senna siamea (Lam.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby, Carica papaya L. and Ocimum gratissimum L. Traditional healers provided 52 plants in 71 recipes, with Moringa oleifera featuring prominently in both single-plant and multiplant formulations. CONCLUSION: This study made it possible to constitute a rich base of medicinal recipes used against malnutrition and associated pathologies, with the preponderant involvement of certain plant species. It is therefore necessary to deepen research on these different identified species in order to scientifically assess their potential.

Local knowledge, practices, challenges of ethnopharmacologically used medicinal plants in Benin and implications for brain illnesses.

Traditional medicine (TM) is a significant resource for primary healthcare management all over the world, and principally in Africa. Quality improvement activities that promote evidence-based practices and the integration of traditional medicine into primary healthcare systems can help improve the quality of patient care. In the Republic of Benin (West Africa), traditional medicine practitioners (TMPs) provide different treatments and ways of use, depending on the ailments and the medicinal plants used. The present study aimed at documenting the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Beninese TMPs regarding the use of medicinal plants and the challenges associated with their activities. A focus group survey was conducted using semi-structured interviews with a sample of 91 TMPs in 8 departments of the Republic of Benin. The respondents had an average age of 50 years old and belonged to various categories of TMPs. Medicinal plants are harvested depending on the season and time of the day, and are dried in the shade before being used as decoctions or infusions. Nevertheless, the majority of TMPs do not conduct the necessary tests for quality control, efficacy or toxicity of the proposed remedies, which raises several scientific interrogations, particularly for the treatment of mental and brain-related disorders. Among ~ 110 plants used in the treatment of several pathologies, 66 were revealed as threatened species. The challenges faced by TMPs are mainly material, financial and technical difficulties. The present study reports the importance of intervention to modernize TM practices in Benin. Quality improvement could enhance healthcare delivery and provide support for evidence-based interventions aimed at addressing behavioral, social, and environmental determinants of health.

Unleashing the Potential of Medicinal Plants in Benin: Assessing the Status of Research and the Need for Enhanced Practices.

Medicinal plants play a crucial role in the primary health care of the population in developing countries such as Benin. The national universities of Benin conduct research on the pharmacological, toxicological, and phytochemical properties of these plants, but the resulting knowledge often does not lead to the development of phytomedicines for the improvement of public health. This study aims to assess the current status of research on medicinal plants in Benin. A literature review was conducted using various search engines, and the collected data was analyzed. The results indicate that research on the biological properties of medicinal plants is still in its early stages, with limited and inadequate methodological approaches. These limitations highlight the urgent need to enhance research practices and facilitate the development of effective and safe phytomedicines.

Percentage Destabilization Effect of Some West African Medicinal Plants on the Outer Membrane of Various Bacteria Involved in Infectious Diarrhea.

Previous work stated that Khaya senegalensis, Anacardium ouest L., Pterocarpus erinaceus, Diospyros mespiliformis, Ocimum gratissimum, Manihot esculenta, Vernonia amygdalina Delile, and Daniellia oliveri have a great potential for the fight against infectious diarrhea. However, data on their antibacterial activity on strains of bacteria responsible for infectious diarrhea are not available. This study is aimed at elucidating the mechanism of action of the antibacterial effect of these plants on some bacterial strains responsible for diarrheal infections. The design of the study included first evaluating the degree of sensitivity of Salmonella typhimurium 14028, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Shigella spp., and Salmonella spp. strains to aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts of each plant, followed by the determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and antibiotic power (Pa). This screening was completed with the evaluation of the possible mode of action of the extracts by testing the membrane permeability of these bacterial strains. The data collected indicate that the bacterial strains tested were sensitive to the extracts to varying degrees, except Cassia sieberiana DC and Pseudocedrela kotschyi extracts. For the active extracts, inhibition diameters ranged from 18.33 mm to 7 mm. With the exception of Escherichia coli, all strains were sensitive to the aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts of Anacardium occidentale. MICs vary between 3.37 and 25 mg/ml. Membrane permeability test data show that all active extracts affect the bacterial strains tested by attacking the stability of their outer membrane. For all active extracts, the high percentage of membrane destabilization of the bacteria is significantly (p < 0.05) better than that of cefixime used as a reference. Thus, it appears that these extracts can destroy Gram-negative bacteria and increase the fluidity and permeability of their cytoplasmic membrane. The knowledge of the mechanism of action of these extracts is an interesting contribution to the fundamental knowledge on the alternative that medicinal plants represent to antibiotics. These extracts can be used in the management of infectious diarrhea.

Toxicological Characterization of Ten Medicinal Plants of the Beninese Flora Used in the Traditional Treatment of Diarrheal Diseases.

The use of medicinal plants in traditional medicine is a common practice in developing countries. However, this unregulated or poorly rational use may present a dose-dependent risk of toxicity to humans. This study aimed to explore the phytochemical and toxicological characteristics of ten (10) plant species used in the traditional treatment of infectious diarrhea in Benin. The acute toxicity of aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts of Khaya senegalensis, Daniellia oliveri, Rauvolfia vomitoria, Vernonia amygdalina, Manihot esculenta, Ocimum gratissimum, Senna italica, Diospyros mespiliformis, Pterocarpus erinaceus, and Anacardium occidentale was evaluated following the OECD 423 protocol at a single dose of 2000 mg/kg. This safety test was complemented by a larval cytotoxicity test. Hematological and biochemical examinations, as well as a histological study of the liver and kidneys, were performed. Larval cytotoxicity was assessed by the sensitivity of Artemia salina larvae to different concentrations of the plant extracts studied. Testing for chemical compounds was performed on the basis of differential staining and precipitation reactions. The mean lethal concentration (LC50) was determined by the probit method. The qualitative phytochemical screening of the plants studied revealed the presence of catechic tannins, gallic tannins, flavonoids, anthocyanins and sterol-terpenes, alkaloids, saponosides, and reducing compounds. This composition varied according to the plants studied. Acute toxicity data indicated that there was no mortality and no structural and functional alterations of the liver and kidneys of treated animals. Larval cytotoxicity data suggest that the plants studied are not cytotoxic (LC50 ≥ 0.1 mg/mL). These observations reflect the safety of these plants and justify their use in traditional medicine in the treatment of many diseases including diarrheal diseases.

Effect of Rourea coccinea on ethanol-induced male infertility in Wistar albino rats.

Ethanol consumption is a risk factor of male infertility. The use of medicinal plants offers an alternative for the treatment of male infertility in developing countries. This study aimed to evaluate the Rourea coccinea effect on ethanol-induced male infertility in Wistar rats. Twenty-five (25) male Wistar rats were randomised into five groups of five rats and treated by oesophageal gavage over a 28-day period. Group 1 (negative control) received distilled water; Group 2 (positive control) received 30% ethanol at 7 mg/kg body weight; Group 3 (reference control) received 30% ethanol co-treated with the reference drug, clomiphene citrate; Groups 4 and 5 (test groups) received 30% ethanol co-treated with Rourea coccinea hydro-ethanolic extract at 200 and 400 mg/kg respectively. Testosterone hormone, sperm parameters and testicular histopathology were evaluated. Ethanol treatment induced a significant reduction (p < .05) in sperm count, motility, viability and a significant increase in sperm abnormalities because of the significant decrease (p < .05) in testosterone levels. These data correlate with the alterations observed in the seminiferous tubule on histopathological examination of the testes. However, co-treatment of ethanol with Rourea coccinea extract or the reference drug restored the ethanol-induced toxic effects on the reproductive organs, sperm profile and testosterone level.