Ethnobotanical and antiplasmodial investigation on Guinean Terminalia species

Species of the Terminalia (Combretaceae) are used worldwide in traditional medicine to treat different kinds of diseases. Among the 30 Terminalia species described in Africa, 11 have been reported in the flora of Guinea by Lisowski. In the present work, a summary of the traditional uses and antiplasmodial activity of 6 Terminalia species is presented. Six voucher specimens of Terminalia species (T. albida, T. catappa, T. glaucescens, T. ivorensis, T. macroptera and T. superba) collected across the country were used during a semi-structured interview with traditional healers. Knowledge of these plants and their medicinal uses was collected. Methanolic extracts of the roots and stem bark of the 6 Terminalia species were prepared and tested for their antiplasmodial activity. among the hundred traditional healers interviewed, (91) knowed T. albida, (48) T. catappa, (24) T. glaucescens, (8) T. ivorensis, (7) T. macroptera and (1) T. superba. Terminalia species were used against several diseases among this malaria, hemorrhoids, skin diseases, jaundice. The roots and stem bark of T. glaucescens, T. ivorensis, T.macroptera and T. superba showed strong antiplasmodial activity in vitro (IC50 ≤ 5 μg/mL). The roots and stem bark of T. albida and T. catappa, showed good antiplasmodial activity (5 μg/mL≤ IC50 ≤ 10 μg/mL). Traditional healers in Guinea, like Traditional healers in the worldwide used Terminalia species, for many applications including treating malaria, hemorrhoids, skin diseases, jaundice. The data from antiplasmodial activity of theses Terminalia species could explain the traditional use against malaria. More investigations have engaged to further investigation of T. albida mainly against malaria.