Availability Evaluation of Twelve Antimalarial Medicinal Plants from Western Regions of Burkina Faso

Major research contributions in ethnopharmacology have generated vast amount of data associated with medicinal plants in Burkina Faso. Despite the relatively abundant literature on local medicinal plants supported by an institutional environment in favor of promoting traditional medicine, any national pharmacopoeia document or monographs on antimalarial medicinal plants aren't currently available. The aim of this study is to evaluate the knowledge and perception of traditional healers on the effectiveness and availability of 12 antimalarial plants from Burkina Faso. The survey was carried out on 12 antimalarial plants from western region during January-March 2013. The informants were 100 traditional healers and herbalist from the Western region, which gathered in association affiliated to General Directorate of Pharmacy, Medicines and Laboratories. A semi-structured and open questionnaire and herbarium were used for plant identification. The data showed that Securidaca longepedunculata (66%) and Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides (64%) was the lowest available followed by Pavetta crassipes (57%), Argemone mexicana (48%) and Cochlospermum planchonii (44%). The root uses of C. planchonii (51%), S. longepedunculata (24%) and Z. zanthoxyloides (11%) were probably their threat. S. longepedunculata, Z. zanthoxyloides and P. crassipes are really in endangered due to their large medicinal uses particularly in malaria treatment. It need a new policy management and integrated breeding for these plants