A Review of Medicinal Plants Used in the Management of Microbial Infections in Angola

Abstract

The use of medicinal plants in the management of microbial infections is significant to the health of the indigenous people in many Angolan communities. The present study provides a comprehensive overview of medicinal plants used for the management of microbial infections in Angola. Relevant information was extracted from research articles published and associated with the use of medicinal plants in the management of microbial infections in Angola (from January 1976 to November 2023). Data or information were gathered from the literature sourced from Wiley Online, SciFinder, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, BMC, Elsevier, SpringerLink, PubMed, books, journals and published M.Sc. and Ph.D. thesis. A total of 27 plant species, representing 19 families, were recorded in this study. Hypericaceae (11%), Lamiaceae (11%), Malvaceae (11%), Phyllanthaceae (11%), Fabaceae (16%) and Rubiaceae (16%) were the most predominant families. The leaves are the most used parts (96%), followed by bark (74%) and root (70%). The data revealed that medicinal plants continue to play significant roles in the management of microbial infections in Angola. In order to explore the benefits of the therapeutic potential of indigenous medicinal plants for diseases related to infections; further scientific research studies are important to produce data on their effectiveness using appropriate test models. This approach might assist with the continuing drive regarding the integration of Angolan traditional medicine within mainstream healthcare systems.