title: Ethnopharmacological survey of six medicinal plants from Mali, West-Africa.
abstract: An ethnopharmacological survey was carried out to collect information about the use of six medicinal plants in the regions around Siby and Dioila, Mali. The plants investigated were Biopyhtum petersianum, Cola cordifolia, Combretum molle, Opilia celtidifolia, Parkia biglobosa and Ximenia americana. More than 60 medical indications were reported for the use of these plants in traditional medicine. The most frequently reported ailments were malaria (25.6%), different types of pain (14.0%) and dermatitis (7.4%). The main forms for preparation were decoction (58.1%) and powdered plant material (28.4%). The most frequent used plant parts were leaves (37.7%) and stem bark (18.6%). The healers' consensus for the main indications is fairly high for the four plants B. petersianum, C. cordifolia, C. molle and O. celtidifolia, and this supports the traditional use of these plants. However for P. biglobosa and X. americana the healers' consensus is less consistent and it is more difficult to draw conclusions about the most important traditional use of these two plants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, PO Box 1068 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway. t.e.gronhaug@farmasi.uio.no
authors.forename: Tom Erik
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Grønhaug
authors.forename: Silje
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Glaeserud
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Skogsrud
authors.forename: Ngolo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ballo
authors.forename: Sekou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bah
authors.forename: Drissa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Diallo
authors.forename: Berit Smestad
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Paulsen
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D019448:Ethnobotany; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D029001:Herbal Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008302:Mali; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D009390:Nepal; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal