Plant Resources of Tropical Africa

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It is only two years since PROTA published the handbook, PROTA: Medicinal plants 1. Within this short period, the handbook is creating its own niche as an encyclopedia on medicinal plants in many parts of Africa where traditional or herbal medicine is central in the provision of health care.

Jatropha gossypifolia: a revered medicinal plant for the herbalists

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Didier Lakouetene is a lecturer and PhD student at LASBAD working on Erythrophleum ivorense for combating Plasmodium parasites that cause malaria. “I was kind of stuck. I did not have proper information on the chemistry of the plant or the concentration of compounds in different parts of the plant. The handbook has really been helpful to me. I got accurate information on the chemical compounds that are responsible for killing Plasmodium parasites. It also helped me to identify the plant parts with the highest concentration of that compound - the stem bark.”

More importantly, the handbook helped him to review his original recipes and reorient the experiment protocol. “I was on the verge of abandoning this project due to lack of information. I did not understand why the mice suddenly died when I administered the concoction. I did not know that Erythrophleum ivorense had toxic compounds. The handbook helped me to modify the experimental design and to review the doses.”

Mr. Belle poses near a fruited Alchornea laxifolia in his backyard

Mr Ali Mahamat and Miss Priscilla Siondoya are master students supervised by Lakouetene. They work on various plants used by herbalists to treat malaria. They had previously relied on the internet as their main source of information. With the handbook, the students can now accurately identify species such as Costus afer and harmonize information on its uses. The students who work very closely with the traditional healers also use the book to identify species and to harmonize scientific and local names of plants. They also use the book to validate information from the traditional healers. The students also use information from the book to educate the herbalists on various aspects of medicinal plants from origin to therapeutic properties.

Jacques Boris Bellé is one of well known Central African botanists and resource person of CICIBA (Centre International de Civilisations Bantous). His mother was healer and traditional herbalist. So, Mr Bellé was early initiated in the plant therapy and chose a professional career in close relationship with plant world. He managed to collect numerous medicinal species in his garden and usually host sick persons under treatment. He was among the first people to be registered as expert.

Despite his long standing history in traditional medicine, Bellé has found a new source of knowledge in his expert area – the PROTA handbook on medicinal plants. “The book has helped me to identify gaps on chemistry and biochemistry of medicinal plants. I lacked relevant information on accurate compounds of each species and their chemical and physical properties. I have also updated my knowledge on names of some plants for example, Ricinodendron dewevrei, currently Ricinodendron heudelotii.