Contribution to the ethnobotanical inventory of medicinal plants used for the treatment of typhoid fever in Adamaoua region, Cameroon

Since ancient Greek-Roman times, the use of plants to cure many human diseases is still common. The present ethnobotanical survey was conducted to contribute to the knowledge of medicinal plants used for the treatment of typhoid fever in three sub divisions of Vina division, Adamawa Cameroon. After having explained the importance of this study to interviewees, 41 traditional healers have agreed and delivered information regarding the medicinal plants they use as well as the different preparation and administration through a well- structured questionnaire that was given to them on this matter. Among 41 traditional healers whose attended this study, 32 were men and 09 were women. The ethnobotanical survey allowed the identification of 70 plants belonging to 38 families. With a frequency of 11/70, the Fabaceae family was the most represented followed by that of Rubiaceae and Asteraceae (04/70 each). The leaves are the most used parts (34.28%) followed by leaves + roots (14.28%) and the whole plant (12.86%). The majority of the recipes consisted of four to six plants (34.66), and were prepared by decoction (50%), with water as the main solvent (87.80%). 41.56% of typhoid preparations are administered twice daily for a duration of 14 days (46.77%). This is the first report on antityphoid herbal remedies in Vina division-Adamawa Cameroon. It would therefore be judicious for our government and research institution to investigate on their therapeutic properties in order to develop ameliorated and efficient phytomedicines

In vitro cytotoxicity studies of sixteen plants used for pregnant women’s health conditions in Menoua Division-West Cameroon

In Cameroon, many plants are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of pregnancy and childbirth complaints. However, toxicological potential of most of these plants have not been investigated. In order to evaluate the degree of safety of their users, in vitro cytotoxic potentials of sixteen of these medicinal plants were subjected to the assay using the brine shrimp lethality assay. From this study, the aqueous extract of plant Rauvolfia vomitoria bark was found to be cytotoxic and that of Ageratum conyzoides stem and leaves slightly cytotoxic, with LC50 values of 17.62 and 99.17µg/ml, respectively. The least toxic plant extracts were Aloe buttneri, Commelina benghalensis, Ipomoea tenuirostrisandNelsonia canescens, (LC50 value > 105 µg/ml). Overall fourteen extracts were found to be non-toxic. Most herbal remedies were non cytotoxic but it would be necessary to complete these cyto-toxicological information by mutagenicity, teratogenicity tests as welle as in vivo toxicological tests on animals

In vitro cytotoxicity studies of sixteen plants used for pregnant women’s health conditions in Menoua Division-West Cameroon

In Cameroon, many plants are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of pregnancy and childbirth complaints. However, toxicological potential of most of these plants have not been investigated. In order to evaluate the degree of safety of their users, in vitro cytotoxic potentials of sixteen of these medicinal plants were subjected to the assay using the brine shrimp lethality assay. From this study, the aqueous extract of plant Rauvolfia vomitoria bark was found to be cytotoxic and that of Ageratum conyzoides stem and leaves slightly cytotoxic, with LC50 values of 17.62 and 99.17µg/ml, respectively. The least toxic plant extracts were Aloe buttneri, Commelina benghalensis, Ipomoea tenuirostrisandNelsonia canescens, (LC50 value > 105 µg/ml). Overall fourteen extracts were found to be non-toxic. Most herbal remedies were non cytotoxic but it would be necessary to complete these cyto-toxicological information by mutagenicity, teratogenicity tests as welle as in vivo toxicological tests on animals