No abstract

This transversal descriptive study was carried out to collect plants and recipes used in Bagira to treat malaria. Direct interview with field enquiries allowed collecting ethnobotanical data. Eighty-four Informants (age 46.9 ± 12.0 years, sex ratio: 2.0, experience 12.1 ± 5.1 years) reported 53 species belonging to 24 families dominated by Fabaceae (22.6%) and Asteraceae (20.7%). Antiplasmodial activity was previously reported for 34 plants and 16 species are first cited as antimalarial plants among which Ekebergia benguelensis (18,8%), Dalbergia katangensis (14,1%) and Dialium angolense (14,1%), are the most cited. From these plants come 83 anti-malarial recipes of which 67 use a single plant and the other combine two to four plants. Leaf (≥52%) and decoction (≥58%) respectively constitute organ and preparation methods most used. Several plants are used in traditional medicine in Bagira against malaria, some of which deserve to be studied more to isolate new antimalarial compounds.

For a long time, vegetation has provided man with remedies to deal with his health problems such as erectile dysfunction. This study was conducted to inventory plants and recipes used in traditional medicine in Kampemba (Lubumbashi) in the treatment of sexual dysfunctions. This descriptive ethnobotanical survey was carried out between October 2017 and June 2018. It was conducted by direct interview using a guide questionnaire with 34 practitioners of traditional medicine (PMT). The 34 PMT consulted were mainly men (sex ratio Man / Women = 2.09) aged 49 ± 11 years. They provided information on 51 recipes and 33 plants among which only 21 species have been scientifically identified. Albizia adianthifolia (Schum.) W. Wight (Fabaceae) and Pericopsis angolensis (Baker) Meeuwen (Fabaceae) are the most cited species. These 21 plants are mostly trees (57%) belonging to 12 families dominated by Fabaceae (21.2%) and indicated in 22 pathologies dominated by sexual impotence with a fidelity level (FL) of 0.59. From these plants derive 37 recipes from which the root is the most used organ (75.7%). The decoction (45.9%) and the drink (78.4%) are respectively the methods of preparation and administration route most requested. This study reports for the first time the aphrodisiac use of 8 plants among which, Schrebera trichoclada Welw (Oleaceae), Strychnos stuhlmannii Gilg (Loganiaceae) and Terminalia mollis MA Lawson (Combretaceae) have the highest fidelity index (FL) (FL> 0.1). Kampemba PMTs know and use aphrodisiac plants whose investigations deserve to be continued to validate their traditional knowledge.

Self-medication for malaria is very common in Sub-Saharan Africa where this parasitosis is endemic. In order to determine the extent, characteristics and factors associated with this practice in medical area in the city of Lubumbashi, a cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out by direct interview from January 2018 to June 2018, in the internal medicine departments of 10 General Referral Hospital (GRH) . Five thousand one hundred and thirtyfour patients were consulted among them, 96.6% (average age 38.7 ± 8 years; average income: 100 ± 12 USD; gender male/ female ratio: 0.86) practice self-medication with antimalarials. They used it for the first time at an average age of 13-17 years. Quinine (36.4%) and Carica papaya (0.4%) are the most used remedies in conventional and non-conventional medicine, respectively. Several risks are incurred during this practice when the most cited are worsening side effects (53%), incomplete treatment (37%) and appearance to health sciences (37%). Age (17-35 and > 65 years old), low income (50-150 USD), membership in a health sector and the claim to know antimalarial drugs, predispose patients to self-medication. There is an urgent need to regulate this practice to avoid its harmful consequences.

Dialium angolense is used in traditional medicine in Bagira-Bukavu in the management of malaria. In this study, in vivo antiplasmodial and in vitro antioxidant activities, phytochemical screening of secondary metabolic and in vivo toxicological studies where carried out on aqueous and methanolic extracts of its leaves. The plant was selected following an ethnobotanical survey conducted in DR Congo and focusing on antimalarial plants. Extracts’ phytochemical secondary metabolites were determined using standard procedures and the antiplasmodial activity was evaluated using 4-day suppressive test, while antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH assay. In acute toxicity, eighteen animal (6/group) were given orally singular 2000 mg of extract/kg body weight (BW) then observed for 14 days. In sub-acute toxicity assay, 150 or 300 mg/kg BW/Day were given orally, and animals (6/group) were observed for 28 days. The total phenolic (0.89 - 0.98 mg GAEg-1), total flavonoid (0.42 - 0.44 mg QEg-1) and total tannin contents (0.080 – 0.098 mg GAEg-1) were in the same rate in the two extracts as well as the antioxidant activity with IC50 value 6.1 and 6.8 μg/mL. At the highest oral dose, 300 mg/kg body weight, all extracts produced 70.4–70.8% chemo-suppression against P. berghei ANKA and 28 survival days. No deaths were recorded during the acute toxicity assay suggesting the LD50 > 2000 mg/kg and no abnormal behavior or variation in toxicity biomarkers were observed during the subacute toxicity assessment. D. angolense leaves extracts showed a great antiplasmodial and a very good antioxidant activity. It can be used to prepare antimalarial recipe or isolate antimalarial compounds in the future.