Nzoussa Yepndo Sirine; Nguimatsia François; Ngoupayo Joseph; Wouessidjewe Denis;
- Dr
- Dr
- Pr
- Pr
Plants have been used for a long time ago by people to treat themselves. However, a few ethnic groups know their medicinal plants used, due to lack of ethnobotanical studies.
Our study was conducted during 28 June and 03 August 2014 in Noun Division located in western Cameroon. This study aimed to list the medicinal plants used in this division of our country.
For this purpose, we used three methods to collect data: results of development in the field, the comparative study and interview of group, all that with the contribution of 18 traditional healers who were recommended.
At the end of our collection, 107 medicinal plants have been identified in 7 villages in the Noun Division 42 in Nkougoum-Samka, 5 in Njipit, 5 in Ndoumkain, 8 in Njidare, 12 in Njitoubain2, 17 in Njibah Moun, and 18 in Njitout. The taxonomic of each plant obtained from macromorphological characters of the plants was compare with herbarium specimen in the Country’s National Herbarium, before confirmation. These medicinal plants belong to 48 families; the most represented are Asteraceae (15%) and Euphorbiaceae (9.3%). In term of diseases infection, 21.7% of the plants is used for treatment, followed by digestives and infants diseases 18.3%, obstetrical diseases 16.7%, parasitic diseases 13.3% and 12.5% for respiratory diseases. Leaves are the mains organs requested and the decoction is predominated to procurate drugs.
At the end of the study, we identified 07 plants mostly used by traditional healers: Sida alba, Ageratum conyzoides, Bidens pilosa, Dichrocephala integrifolia, Euphorbia hirta, Ancathus montanus and Portulaca oleraceae; these plants are used in other regions to treat similar diseases. Applying the convergence theory, they are effective in the treatment of various ailments attributed. They can contribute to the production of the traditional pharmacopoeia; with form the basis for development of improved traditional medicines.
KEY WORDS: Survey, Ethnopharmacology, Noun, traditional healer.
