Ethnobotanical Study of Plants Used in Traditional Treatment of Diarrhoea in Humans and Cattle in Two Regions of Ivory Coast

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in three regions of the country (two rural and one urban), using a questionnaire focussing on anti-diarrheal therapeutic habits.

Methodology: Information about the plants has been recorded (local name, organs or part(s) of the plant used, therapeutic indications, harvesting methods, methods of administration, side effects, etc.). Collection of the plants was done in collaboration with traditional practitioners and identification of the specimens was conducted at the National Floristic Center (Ivory coast).

During the ethnobotanical survey, twelve traditional healers and nine breeders were interviewed which all declared to treat diarrhoea with plants. During this survey, twenty-seven species belonging to eighteen different families of plants were reported for anti-diarrhoeal use in humans or animals. They were all harvested on the field and a herbarium of each species was prepared in duplicate, one stored at the National Floristic Centre of the Felix Houphouët-Boigny University and the other at the Pasteur Institute of Ivory coast.

Results: Decoction was the most common mode of preparation used by practionioners and the oral route remained also the main way of administration of plants by healers. These plants are also used in other countries for the same or other purpose.

Conclusion: This study shows that traditional medicinal plants play an important role in the treatment of diarrhoea in Ivory coast. It provides basis for future studies to assess, biological and chemical potential of these plants.