Antibacterial Activities of some Medicinal Plants Used for Treatment of Infectious Diseases in the Vina and Mayo-Louti Divisions of Cameroon
Benjamin Tangue Talom
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ngaoundéré, Cameroon and Laboratory of Microbiology and Antimicrobial Substances, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Cameroon
Siméon Pierre Chegaing Fodouop
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ngaoundéré, Cameroon
Michel Tagne Fokam
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ngaoundéré, Cameroon
Gring Zigla
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ngaoundéré, Cameroon
Jules-Roger Kuiate
Laboratory of Microbiology and Antimicrobial Substances, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Cameroon
Léopold Ngoune Tatsadjieu *
Laboratory of Microbiology, University Institute of Technology, University of Ngaoundere, P.O.Box 455 Ngaoundere, Cameroon
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: In Cameroon, most peoples use traditional medicine treating infectious diseases. To verify the scientific bases of these locally used medicinal plants, an ethnobotanical survey was carried out in some villages of Vina and Mayo-Louti Divisions.
Materials and Methods: Interviews were conducted through structured questionnaires among 31 traditional healers living in these divisions. With the medicinal plants revealed, a literature investigation on their therapeutic effects, as well as in vitro antimicrobial activity of these plants were conducted. The agar diffusion method was used to determine the antibacterial activities of the methanol extracts against the pathogens while the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was determined using the Broth dilution method.
Result: A total of 15 medicinal plants species belonging to 12 families are being used in the treatment of numerous infectious diseases in the Vina and Mayo-Louti Divisions. Khaya senegalensis (Meliaceae), Terminalia glaucescens (Combretaceae), Flacourtia flavescens wild (Salicaceae), Pterocarpus erinaceus (Fabaceae) and Boswellia dalzielii (Burseraceae) were the mostly used plants for the treatment of infectious diseases in the study areas. Maceration (43.75%) was the common mode of preparation, followed by infusion (31.25%) and decoction (25.00%). Bioassay showed that crude methanol extract of Pterocarpus erinaceus and Flacourtia flavescens were the most active plant extract with a MIC of 0.8 mg/ml on many tested bacteria. The antibacterial activity of Boswellia dalzeilii from Cameroon are reported here for the first time.
Conclusion: Many herbals remedies are used in these divisions for the treatment infectious diseases. The plants can be used as source of antibacterial drugs to treat infections caused by susceptible bacteria
Keywords: Antibacterial activities, medicinal plants, infectious diseases, Cameroon