Etude Des Plantes Médicinales Utilisées Par Les Femmes Autochtones Pygmées (Batwa) Enceintes Dans L’hinterland Du Parc National De Kahuzi-Biega (Rift albertin, RD. Congo)

Abstract

Introduction: Women become vulnerable to certain pathologies during pregnancy in rural areas and the use of traditional pharmacopoeia using medicinal plants is the solution often adopted. This article focuses on the use of medicinal plants among pregnant indigenous Batwa women living around the Kahuzi Biega National Park (KBNP). The knowledge and practices of these women have enabled us to inventory and determine the different uses of these plants.Methodology: The data used in this study was collected by means of an ethnobotanical survey conducted using a questionnaire following the semistructured interview method. The data collected, which included ethnobotanical characteristics, were processed and analyzed with appropriate ethnobotanical and statistical software in order to select a few plants for future laboratory testing.Result: Most of the traditional practitioners interviewed were women (83.88%) and a large proportion of them (35%) were over 65 years of age. The plants used were classified according to the different stages of pregnancy development. Thus, Dichrocephala integrifolia, Kalanchoe pinnata, Pennicetum purpureum, Plantago palmata, Commelina difusa , Physalis angulata , Aloe barbadensis, Rumex bequaertii, Cannabis sativa, Carapa grandiflora Myrianthus arborea and Acmella caulirhiza have a 100% fidelity. The most commonly used organs are leafy stems (3714 %) and pressing (66, 6 %) is the most cited preparation technique. Conclusion: These results illustrate the richness of these peoples and these plant resources deserve scientific interest in order to be properly valorized.

Use of Medicinal Plants during Pregnancy, Childbirth and Postpartum in Southern Morocco

“…Other studies have reported various other reasons for using MPs during pregnancy, such as improving the beauty and health of the fetus, and even the intelligence of the future child [ 16 , 20 , 49 , 58 , 59 , 62 , 71 , 72 ], enhancing fetal growth [ 17 , 68 , 73 ], as nutritional supplements, to treat skin problems and urinary tract infections [ 74 ] and to increase milk production during lactation [ 63 ]. It has also been show that MPs can ease pregnancy, improve the course of pregnancy [ 63 ], prevent/treat malaria and prevent miscarriages [ 17 , 40 , 73 , 75 ]. Medicinal plants are also used to fight against sleep disorders, anxiety and fatigue, to control blood sugar and cholesterol levels [ 76 , 77 ], maintain pregnancy, induce labor and facilitate childbirth and delivery, and for postpartum hemostasis [ 67 ].…”

Ethnomedical knowledge of plants used in alternative medicine for the treatment of hemorrhoids in Lubumbashi, Haut-Katanga Province, Southern DR Congo

“…Of the 14 taxa initially reported by this study as plants with anti-hemorrhoidal uses in Katanga, a literature search revealed that only eight taxa, namely Acmella caulirhiza [135], Aidia micrantha [78], Amaranthus hypochondriacus [136], Anonidium mannii [137], Crossopteryx febrifuga [40,41], Diplorhynchus condylocarpon [37,42,138], Droogmansia munamensis [40], Garcinia punctata [139,140] have previously been documented as medicinal plants in Congolese traditions.…”

Ethnomedical knowledge of plants used in alternative medicine for the treatment of hemorrhoids in Lubumbashi, Haut-Katanga Province, Southern Democratic Republic of Congo

“…Of the 14 taxa initially reported by this study as plants with anti-hemorrhoidal uses in Katanga, a literature search revealed that only eight taxa, namely Acmella caulirhiza [136], Aidia micrantha [79], Amaranthus hypochondriacus [137], Anonidium mannii [138], Crossopteryx febrifuga [40,41], Diplorhynchus condylocarpon [37,42,139], Droogmansia munamensis [40],…”