Ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal plants used in the treatment of male infertility in southern Benin

Abstract

Infertility is a concern for couples, families and society. In almost half of the cases, it is due to male infertility. This infertility, in developing countries like Benin, often cured by the use of medicinal plants. This study aimed to enlist knowledge about medicinal plants used in the treatment of male infertility in southern Benin. An ethnomedicinal investigation has been conducted in southern Benin by questioning traditional healers and market herbalists using the method of semi-structured interview. Ethnopharmacological data has been analyzed by ethnobotanical indices such as informant consensus factor (ICF), frequency of citation for each plant species and contribution of each plant to drug recipes. 90 respondents including 36 market herbalists and 54 traditional healers participated in this study. Data collected allowed us to list 60 plant species belonging to 56 genera and 38 botanical families. Informants had a high degree of consensus (ICF = 0.58) on plants used for treatment of male infertility. The most plants cited by market herbalists were Garcinia kola (10.09%), Cissus populnea (10.09%), Carpolobia lutea (07.40%) and the parts of plants most used were roots and fruits. For traditional healers, Garcinia kola (10.15%), Cyperus esculentus (06.09%), Citrus aurantiifiola (06.09%) were the most plants cited and parts of plants the most used were leaves and roots. This study provided a list of medicinal plants used for the treatment of male infertility in southern Benin. Further pharmacological and toxicological studies will assess the therapeutic efficacy of these medicinal plants.

Role of Antioxidant Natural Products in Management of Infertility: A Review of Their Medicinal Potential

“…In this present study, we aimed to investigate the effects and mechanisms of various plants extracts and natural products on the reproductive system. A large number of plants have been used to treat infertility for thousands years worldwide, including Korea [ 38 , 39 ]. Additionally, numerous natural products, including plant extracts were discovered to possess potential effects in reversing reproductive activity in both males and females.…”

An ethnobotanical survey of seventeen plants species used against diarrhoea and other diseases in southern Benin (West Africa)

“…Similar data have been reported by other authors in the same study area. 20,22,23 These results indicate that older people hold a large share of the traditional medicinal knowledge that is part of the oral tradition. Dougnon et al 35 reported that in Africa the medicinal knowledge of plants has an ancestral character and that it is the sages (older people) who hold the traditional knowledge…”

“…16,17 In Benin, the total Beninese flora is rich, with 2807 plant species, and according to Akoègninou et al 18 offers the possibility of using several plants in traditional medicine. For this purpose several ethnobotanical surveys have been conducted on the traditional treatment of various diseases in Benin [19][20][21][22][23] . However, in spite of this plurality of ethnomedical data available in the Beninese scientific literature, rare are the data that have mentioned the specific use of the 17 before mentioned plants in the traditional treatment of diarrhoea.…”

“…An ethnobotanical survey targeting traditional healers and market herbalists was conducted in Benin using the semi-structured interview method described by several authors. 2,20 Market herbalists were surveyed in 13 markets located in the Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Porto novo and Ouidah towns. These were Calavi kpota, Cococodji, Cocotomey, Glo, Ouèdo and Godomey markets for the Abomey-Calavi town; Ouando and Agbokou markets for the Porto Novo town; Ouidah and Kpahou markets for the Ouidah town and Vedoko, Menontin, Fifadji markets for the Cotonou town.…”

Larval Cytotoxic and Subacute Toxicity of Gardenia ternifolia, Rourea coccinea, and Cassytha filiformis Used in Traditional Medicine of Benin (West Africa)

“…Akoègninou et al [ 8 ] estimated the Beninese flora at more than 2807 plant species. Gardenia ternifolia ( G. ternifolia ), Cassytha filiformis ( C. filiformis ), and Rourea coccinea ( R. coccinea ) are three plants of Beninese flora used in the traditional treatment of male infertility [ 9 ]. Recent studies reported the antioxidant potential and the richness of these three plants in polyphenols and flavonoids, which often are responsible for their medicinal properties [ 10 ].…”