Ethnobotanic and toxicological study of some medecinal plants used in treatment of diabetes

Abstract

Aim: These ethnobotanical investigations within drug sellers of medicinal plants in Côte d'Ivoire (CI) were performed in order to contribute to a better knowledge of plants with antidiabetic effect. They were carried in Adjamé "Quartier rouge" in the district of Abidjan. Methods and Results: The results obtained allowed to inventory 16 species of medicinal plants belonging to 13 families. All of these species are used in the treatment of various pathologies such as diabetes. In order to establish the safety of these plants in the diabetic treatment, acute toxicity tests were performed. To this end, the LD50 was determined in rats. It was determined haematological and biochemical parameters after repeated dosing of 2000 mg/kg of body weight (bw) of aqueous extract of Calotropis procera„leaf, Bauhinia thonningi‟fruit, Fagara zanthoxyloides‟barks and Cassia siberiana‟roots to those rats during 14 days. The aqueous extracts had no effect on most of blood parameters tests. These studies have shown that aqueous extracts of these plants were not toxic in the experimental dose. Conclusion: This study was conducted in the context to perform pharmacological and toxicological experiments for implementation of innovative initiatives in Côte d‟Ivoire. That may lead in the future, to the manufacture of improved traditional drugs (TID).