Identification and chemical study of plants used in the traditional treatment of Buruli Ulcer in Benin

Abstract

Buruli ulcer (BU) is a skin disease caused by infection with Mycobacterium ulcerans. Currently, surgery associated or not with specific antibiotic therapy is the only proven effective treatment. However, it is presently only being carried out in a few medical centers with proper and adequate equipment for the management of BU [1]. Due to cultural and economic reasons in Benin, traditional treatment remains the first option for patients with generally low income resources [2]. In Benin, plants make up the main component of traditional treatment for BU. We recently carried out an ethnobotanical survey involving 17 traditional practitioners within the Ouinhi community in Zou department. We noted that 49 different plants are being used for the traditional treatment of BU and different parts of these plants are employed in various pharmaceutical forms for internal or external uses. The chemical study of these plants revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, quinone derivatives, essential oils, steroids and terpenoids. Many compounds of these characterized groups of chemicals known for their antibacterial properties. Extracts of 20 plants taken from the 49 identified were screened against Mycobacterium ulcerans using Resazurin Microtiter Assay (REMA) [3]. Holarrhena floribunda (G. Don) T. Durand and Schinz and Jatropha curcas Linn inhibited in vitro the growth of Mycobacterium ulcerans at concentrations of 125µg/ml and 250µg/ml respectively.