tailieunhanh - Báo cáo y học: "An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in Babungo, Northwest Region, Cameroo"

Tuyển tập các báo cáo nghiên cứu về y học được đăng trên tạp chí y học Wertheim cung cấp cho các bạn kiến thức về ngành y đề tài: An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in Babungo, Northwest Region, Cameroon. | Simbo Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2010 6 8 http content 6 1 8 JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE RESEARCH Open Access An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in Babungo Northwest Region Cameroon David J Simbo Abstract Background An ethnobotanical survey was undertaken to record information on medicinal plants from traditional medical practitioners in Babungo and to identify the medicinal plants used for treating diseases. Methods Traditional Medical Practitioners TMP s who were the main informants were interviewed using semistructured questionnaires and open-ended conversations. Field trips were made to the sites where TMP s harvest plants. Results The survey identified and recorded 107 plants species from 54 plant families 98 genera used for treating diseases in Babungo. The Asteraceae was the most represented plant family while herbs made up 57 of the total medicinal plants used. The leaf was the most commonly used plant part while concoction and decoction were the most common method of traditional drug preparation. Most medicinal plants 72 are harvested from the wild and 45 of these have other non medicinal uses. Knowledge of the use of plants as medicines remains mostly with the older generation with few youth showing an interest. Conclusions A divers number of plants species are used for treating different diseases in Babungo. In addition to their use as medicines a large number of plants have other non medicinal uses. The youth should be encouraged to learn the traditional medicinal knowledge to preserve it from being lost with the older generation. Background Ethnobotany is the study of how modern and indigenous societies view and use plants 1 . The use of natural products with healing properties is as old as human civilization and for a long time minerals animal and plant products were the main sources of drugs 2 . The World Health Organization WHO defines traditional medicine as practices knowledge and belief .