Medicinal plant recipes used in the management of peptic ulcers in Burkina Faso: Ethnobotanical study

Abstract

Introduction: Peptic ulcer is a real public health problem in both developed and developing countries. Objective: The present study is part of the establishment of a catalog of medicinal plant recipes with antiulcer activity in four cities of Burkina Faso. Methodology: The method of approach was an ethnobotanical survey carried out among traditional health practitioners. It consisted in the preliminary drafting of questionnaires allowing the collection of socio-demographic and ethno-pharmacological data. This was a semi-structured interview with each traditional practitioner. The snowball technique was also used. The collection of our data was carried out in a single pass. Results: At the end of the study, 290 traditional health practitioners were surveyed, with a predominance of men (69.66%) over women (30%). Likewise, 279 recipes of medicinal plants used in the treatment of peptic ulcers were identified. These recipes are made up of 113 species belonging to 48 botanical families. The most represented families were Caesalpiniaceae (9 species) and Combretaceae (8 species). Bark (31%), roots (25%) and leaves (24%) were the most used organs. The decoction (70%) was the predominant mode of preparation and was mainly administered orally (47%). Conclusion: This study constitutes a very valuable source of information for further research in the field of phytochemistry and pharmacology in order to develop improved traditional anti-ulcer drugs.