Ethnobotany of Pentadesma butyracea in Benin: A quantitative approach

Abstract

Research AbstractIntegrating ethnobotanical knowledge in the development of management and conservation strategies of indigenous plant resources is critical to their effectiveness. In this paper, we used four plant use indices to assess how the plant use knowledge of a multipurpose tree (Pentadesma butyracea Sabine) varies across different sociolinguistic groups from two geographical areas of Benin, and how these variations may influence the species' conservation and utilisation strategies. Seven sociolinguistic groups namely the Anii, Nagot, Kotocoli, and Fulani in the central part, and the Waama, Ditamari and Natimba in the northwestern part of the country were considered. We determined the reported use value of the plant parts, the plant part value, the specific use and the intraspecific use value for each sociolinguistic group. The various communities showed different interests in the plant organs they used. Nagot people showed the best plant use knowledge (highest use value) for P. butyracea bark and roots, two organs critical to the plant survival. Sociolinguistic groups living in the same geographical area shared similar plant part values, likely because of knowledge exchanges through social interactions. The observed intercultural convergences of uses may be a starting point of the selection of parts of the species for phytochemical, biological and pharmacological studies.

Ethnic and generational differences in traditional knowledge and cultural importance of <i>Lannea microcarpa<i/> Engl. & K. Krause in Benin’s Sudanian savannah

“…This was because medicinal uses are often specific, rare and mostly devoted to adults and old people. This may explain why old people are more knowledgeable than young people, which is consistent with the findings of Avocèvou-Ayisso et al (2011) on Pentadesma butyracea. In fact, adults seemed to report more uses of P. butyracea than young people even though a difference in use-value according to age was not significant.…”

Phytochemical composition, acute toxicity and phytohormonal activity of hydroalcoholic extract of Pentadesma butyracea (Clusiaceae Sabine (1824)) seeds

“…It can be found in Western African countries such as Burkina Faso, Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire (Sinsin et al, 2003;Ouedraogo et al, 2013;Noudogbessi et al, 2013a). It is used by traditional healers to improve lactogenic activity of mammal, to manage breast pain and to treat pregnancy disorders such as abortion (Sinsin et al, 2003;Avocevou-Ayisso et al, 2011). Previous investigations (Batista et al, 2009;Tala et al, 2013;Noudogbessi et al, 2013b) showed that P. butyracea has anti-tumor and antiplasmodial activities.…”

Current outlook and future promise of ethnobotany in Nigeria: A review and personal observation

“…basic (documentation of traditional botanical knowledge) (Liengme, 1983;Bhat et al, 1990;Cheikhyoussef and Embashu, 2013); quantitative (evaluation of use-values, relative use-values, proportion of agreement, and preference ranking) (Phillips and Gentry, 1993a, b;Assogbadjo et al, 2011;Avocevou-Ayisso et al, 2011); experimental (assessment of benefits, hypothesis testing and prediction) (Soleri and Smith, 1995;Albuquerque, 2006;Alencar et al, 2009); and applied (practical application of ethnobotanical information in areas such as pharmaceutical prospecting and conservation biology) (Gustafson et al, 1992;Cox, 1994). However, six fields of study (botany, anthropology, ecology, ethnopharmacology, linguistics and economics) are recognized (Martin, 1995;Cotton, 1996).…”