Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used to manage hypertension in the Republic of Guinea

Abstract

Context: Like many other African countries, medicinal plants are widely used in Guinea to manage hypertension, which is a highly prevalent health problem. Aims: To identify the plants used in the traditional management of hypertension in Guinea. Methods: From May to November 2018, three hundred and forty-nine Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs) respondents, including 244 traditional healers and 105 herbalists, were contacted. Through semi-structured interviews, ethnobotanical information on medicinal plants were collected. Voucher specimens were authenticated by the department of Botany of the IRDPMAG and deposited in the Herbarium of this Institute. Results: Among the traditional anti-hypertensive recipes, a total of 97 plant species from 85 genera belonging to 43 families have been identified. Combretum micranthum, Hymenocardia acida, Anacardium occidentale, Spondias mombin and Alchornea cordifolia were the most frequently cited. The traditional recipes included one plant species (23 recipes), a combination of two species (18 recipes) or more (47 recipes). Conclusions: A large number of medicinal plants are used for the management of arterial hypertension in Guinea. Further biological and phytochemical investigations are needed to validate the traditional uses of these plants.