Ethnobotanical Survey on Plants Used in the Treatment of Wounds by Traditional Health Practitioners in Burkina Faso

Author(s): Safiatou Traoré, Hermine Diawara/Zimé, Salfo Ouédraogo, Souleymane Compaoré, Geoffroy Wendpanga Gasbeogo, Hyacinthe Wendégoudi Bonkoungou, Rasmané Semdé

Chronic wounds constitute a real problem in the sphere of care and its management requires the mobilization of enormous financial resources from the patient in low- and middle-income countries. In Burkina Faso, traditional medicine has remained the most popular health care system. However, very little data exists on the plants used specifically in the management of wounds by THP. This study aimed to contribute to the knowledge of plants with healing activities used by traditional health practitioners in Burkina Faso. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study from March to December 2023 among traditional health practitioners specializing in wound care in Burkina Faso through a direct interview with a quiz. One hundred and twelve (112) traditional health practitioners (THP) were interviewed, aged between 24 and 87 years, with an average of 58.71 +/- 12.07 years. The number of years of practice in the profession varied between 02 and 67 years, with an average of 25.49 ± 14.12 years. A high concentration of THP wound specialists was recorded in the regions of Hauts Bassins (21.43%), Center West (20.54%), and Center South (14.29%). Men were the most represented (88.39%). Seventy (70) plant species were identified and Lannea microcarpa Engl. & K. Krause (11.41%), Khaya senegalensis (Desr) A. Juss. (7.61%), Tamarindus indica L. (5.43%), and Ximenia americana L. (5.43%) were the most used species for wound treatment. These results could be a database for research and will make it possible to make Improved Traditional Medicines available to populations at a lower cost.