Ethnopharmacological survey of six medicinal plants from Mali, West-Africa
2008

Medicinal Plants Survey in Mali

Sample size: 58 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Grønhaug Tom Erik, Glæserud Silje, Skogsrud Mona, Ballo Ngolo, Bah Sekou, Diallo Drissa, Paulsen Berit Smestad

Primary Institution: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo

Hypothesis

Are the six medicinal plants used in Mali effective for treating various ailments?

Conclusion

The study found that traditional healers have a high consensus on the medicinal uses of four plants, while the uses of two plants are less consistent.

Supporting Evidence

  • Over 60 medical indications were reported for the six plants.
  • The most frequently reported ailments included malaria, pain, and dermatitis.
  • Decoction was the most common method of preparation for the plants.
  • The healers' consensus was high for four of the plants, supporting their traditional use.

Takeaway

Healers in Mali use six different plants to treat many health problems, and they mostly agree on how to use four of them.

Methodology

An ethnopharmacological survey was conducted with 58 traditional healers in Mali to gather information on the medicinal use of six plants.

Limitations

The consensus on the medicinal uses of two plants was less consistent, making it difficult to draw conclusions about their traditional uses.

Participant Demographics

Participants were traditional healers from the regions around Siby and Dioila in Mali.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1746-4269-4-26

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