Medicinal Plants Used to Treat Neurological Disorders in West Africa: A Case Study with Guinea-Bissau Flora

Abstract

The sub-Saharan region holds a wide variety of indigenous plant species, still offering the possibility to discover very interesting new natural products with potential therapeutic value. Most of the African population depends on traditional medicine for primary health care, however, neurological disorders are often not considered as common diseases and many people with mental illnesses, like epilepsy, are severely affected by health-related stigma and discrimination. Epilepsy is the most common serious chronic brain disorder, estimated to affect at least 10 million people in Africa. Guinea-Bissau is located in West Africa, and its population is mainly rural with very few health services available. Since the earliest times, Guinea-Bissau flora has constituted the main source of materials used in folk medicine and the local population, who is well versed in the uses of these plants and their properties. The aim of this study was to document the existing knowledge and practices related to the treatment of neurological disorders, namely epilepsy and seizures, in Guinea-Bissau and in other West African countries. The results presented from this study provide information not only on the specific plants used to treat neurological disorders, but also on social knowledge brought in by various ethnic groups, each one having its own culture, beliefs and ways of nature appropriation. Taking into account the existing knowledge on the medicinal properties of plants for treatment of neurologic disorders, it is believed that research in the areas of ethnomedicine and ethnopharmacology in Guinea-Bissau can bring promising results capable of adding value to the very rich natural resources of this country of West Africa.

Share and Cite:

M. Romeiras, M. Duarte, B. Indjai and L. Catarino, "Medicinal Plants Used to Treat Neurological Disorders in West Africa: A Case Study with Guinea-Bissau Flora," American Journal of Plant Sciences, Vol. 3 No. 7A, 2012, pp. 1028-1036. doi: 10.4236/ajps.2012.327122.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1] B. D. McIntyre, H. R. Herren, J. Wakhungu and R. T. Watson, “Agriculture at a Crossroads-International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development: Sub-Saharan Africa Report,” Island Press, Washington DC, 2009.
[2] K. Hostettmann, A. Marston, K. Ndjoko and J.-L. Wolfender, “The Potential of African Plants as a Source of Drugs,” Current Organic Chemistry, Vol. 4, 2000, pp. 973-1010.
[3] World Health Organization, “Health Situation Analysis in the African Region, Atlas of Health Statistics, 2011,” WHO Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, 2011.
[4] M. M. Tabi, M. Powel and D. Hodnicki, “Use of Traditional Healers and Modern Medicine in Ghana,” International Nursing Review, Vol. 53, 2006, pp. 52-58.
[5] S. Baldé and C. Sterck, “Traditional Healers in Casamance, Senegal,” World Health Forum, Vol. 15, 1994, pp. 390-392.
[6] P. P. Mhame, K. Busia and. O. M. J. Kasilo, “Clinical Practices of African Traditional Medicine,” The African Health Monitor, Special Issue 14, 2010, pp. 32-39.
[7] World Health Organization, “WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2002-2005”, WHO, Geneva, 2002.
[8] K. Inngjerdingen, C. S. Nergard, D. Diallo, P. P. Mounkoro and B. S. Paulsen, “An Ethnopharmacological Survey of Plants Used for Wound Healing in Dogonland, Mali, West Africa,” Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Vol. 92, 2004, pp. 233-244.
[9] M. Bjerregaard-Andersen, Z. J. da Silva, P. Ravn, M. Ruh-wald, P. L. Andersen, M. Sodemann, P. Gustafson, P. Aaby and C. Wejse, “Tuberculosis Burden in an Urban Population: a Cross Sectional Tuberculosis Survey from Guinea Bissau,” BMC Infectious Diseases, Vol. 10, 2010, pp. 96.
[10] R. Colombatti, C. S. Vieira, F. Bassani, R. Cristofoli, A. Coin, L. Bertinato and F. Riccardi, “Contamination of Drinking Water Sources During the Rainy Season in an Urban Post-conflict Community in Guinea Bissau: Implications for Sanitation Priority,” African Journal of Medicine & Medical Sciences, Vol. 38, 2009, pp. 155-161.
[11] O. Larsen, Z. da Silva, A. Sandstrom, P. K. Andersen, S. Andersson, A.-G. Poulsen, M. Melbye, F. Dias, A. Nauclér and P. Aaby, “Declining HIV-2 Pre-valence and Incidence among Men in a Community Study from Guinea-Bissau,” AIDS, Vol. 12, 1998, pp. 1707-1714.
[12] E. Rukangira, “Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine in Africa: Constraints and Challenges,” Sustainable Development International, Vol. 4, 2001, pp. 179-184.
[13] A. Okasha, “Mental Health in Africa: the Role of the WPA,” World Psychiatry, Vol. 1, 2002, pp. 32-36.
[14] R. A. Scott, S.D. Lhatoo and J.W. Sander “The Treatment of Epilepsy in Developing Countries: Where do we go from Here?,” Bulletin of the World Health Organization, Vol. 79, No. 4, 2001, pp. 344-351.
[15] World Health Organization, “Epilepsy in the WHO African Region: Bridging the Gap,” WHO Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, 2004.
[16] Instituto Nacional de Estatística, “Guine Bissau-Recenseamento Geral da Populacao e Habitacao 2009”, INE, Bissau, 2009.
[17] J. De Jong, G. Klein and S. Horn, “Estudo Básico sobre Perturbacoes Mentais no País,” Soronda-Revista de Estudos Guineenses, Vol. 4, 1987, pp. 113-132.
[18] A. B. Cunningham, “African Medicinal Plants: Setting Priorities at the Interface Between Conservation and Primary Health Care,” People and Plants Working Paper 1, UNESCO, Paris, 1993.
[19] T. Etonde and E. Malobe, “Nos Plantes qui nos Soignent,” Centre Spirituel de Rencontre, Douala, 2003.
[20] E. T. Gomes, O. Silva, M. A. Diniz and E. S. Martins, “Plantas Medicinais da Guiné-Bissau-Manual Prático,” ACEP/AD, Lisboa/Bissau, 2003.
[21] A. V. M Campos and B. Indjai, “Projecto Inventario das Plantas Medicinais da Ilha de Bubaque, Reserva da Biosfera do Arquipélago Bolama Bijagós, Guiné-Bissau, Relatório de Actividades,” INEP, Bissau, 1996.
[22] L. Catarino, E.S. Martins, M.F. Pinto-Basto and M.A. Diniz, “Plantas Vasculares e Briófitos da Guiné-Bissau,” IICT/IPAD, Lisboa, 2006.
[23] B. Indjai, “Plantas Medicinais Comercializadas nos Mercados de Bissau. Subsidio para o Sistema Nacional de Saúde Pública e Contribuicao para o Conhecimento da Flora Medicinal Guineense e sua Conservacao,” INEP/CEATA /SWISSAID, Bissau, 2003.
[24] B. Injai, L. Catarino and D. Mourao, “Mezinhos de Orango – Plantas Medicinais e Pessoas da Ilha da Rainha Pampa,” IBAP, Bissau, 2010.
[25] E. S. Ayensu, “Medicinal Plants of West Africa,” Reference Publications Inc., Algonac Michigan, 1978.
[26] E. Ngo Bum, G. S. Taiwe, F. C. O. Moto, G. T. Ngoupaye, R. R. N. Vougat, V. D. Sakoue, C. Gwa, E. R. Ayissi, C. Dong, A. Rakotonirina and S. V. Rakotonirina, “Antiepileptic Medicinal Plants Used in Traditional Medicine to Treat Epilepsy,” In: ZaidAfawi, Ed., Clinical and Genetic Aspects of Epilepsy, Intech, Rijeka, 2011, pp. 175-192.
[27] B. Oliver-Bever, “Medicinal Plants in Tropical West Africa,” Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1986.
[28] PROTA “Plant Resources of Tropical Africa,” http://www.prota4u.info/, assessed in May, 2012.
[29] M. Kabir, Z. Iliyasu, I. S. Abubakar, Z. S. Kabir and A. U. Farinyaro, “Knowledge, Attitude and Beliefs about Epilepsy among Adults in a Northern Nigerian Urban Community,” Annals of African Medicine, Vol. 4, No. 3, 2005, pp. 107-112.
[30] R. Coleman, L. Loppy and G. Walraven, “The Treatment Gap and Primary Health Care for People with Epilepsy in Rural Gambia,” Bulletin of the World Health Organization, Vol. 80, No. 5, 2002, pp. 378-383.
[31] N. F. Ndoye, A. D. Sow, A. G. Diop, B. Sessouma, F. Séne-Diouf, L. Boissy, I. Wone, K. Touré, M. Ndiaye, P. Ndiaye, H. de Boer, J. Engel, C. Mandlhate, H. Meinardi, L. Prilipko and J. W. Sander, “Prevalence of Epilepsy its Treatment Gap and Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of its Population in Suburban Senegal an ILAE/IBE/WHO study,” Seizure, Vol. 14, 2005, pp. 106-111.
[32] E. Noumi and F.L. Fozi, “Ethnomedical Botany of Epilepsy treatment in Fongo-Tongo Village, Western Province, Cameroon,” Pharmaceutical Biology, Vol. 41, No. 5, 2003, pp. 330-339.
[33] E. Crowleyand R. Ribeiro, “Sobre a Medicina Tradicional e Forma da sua Colaboracao com a Medicina Moderna,” Soronda-Revista de Estudos Guineenses, Vol. 4, 1987, pp. 95-112.
[34] K. A. Mencagli “Medicina Tradicional,” Boletim da Diocese de Bissau, No. 4, 1992, pp. 1-404.
[35] S. Campbell, “Traditional Medicine in the Gambia,” Complementary Therapies in Nursing and Midwifery, Vol. 3, No. 4, 1997, pp. 103-105.
[36] J. De Jong, G. Klein and S. Horn, “Estudo sobre Perturbacoes Mentais na Guiné-Bissau,” Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria, Vol. 40, No. 2, 1991, pp. 79-88.
[37] P. M. Abreu, E. S. Martins, O. Kayser, K.-U.Bindseil, K. Siems, A. Seeman and J. Frevert, “An-timicrobial, Antitumor and Antileishmania Screening of Medicinal Plants from Guinea-Bissau,” Phytomedicine, Vol. 6, 1999, pp. 187-195.
[38] O. Silva, A. Duarte, J. Cabrita, M. Pimentel, A. Diniz and E. T. Gomes, “Anti-microbial Activity of Guinea-Bissau Traditional Remedies,” Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Vol. 50, 1996, pp. 55-59.
[39] O. Silva, E. Ferreira, M. V. VazPato and E. Gomes, “Guinea-Bissau’s Plants In Vitro Susceptibility Studies on Neisseria gonorrhoeae,” International Journal of Pharmacognosy, Vol. 53, 1997, pp. 323-328.

Copyright © 2024 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.

Creative Commons License

This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.