Ethnobotanical survey and in vitro antiplasmodial activity of plants used in traditional medicine in Burkina Faso

In Burkina Faso, most people in particular, in rural areas, use traditional medicine and medicinal plants to treat usual diseases. In the course of new antimalarial compounds, an ethnobotanical survey has been conducted in different regions. Seven plants, often cited by traditional practitioners and not chemically investigated, have been selected for an antiplasmodial screening: Pavetta crassipes (K. Schum), Acanthospermum hispidum (DC), Terminalia macroptera (Guill. et Perr), Cassia siamea (Lam), Ficus sycomorus (L), Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) and Crossopteryx fibrifuga (AFZ. Ex G. Don) Benth. Basic, chloroform, methanol, water-methanol and aqueous crude extracts have been prepared and tested on Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine-resistant W2 strain. A significant activity has been observed with alkaloid extract of P. crassipes (IC50 < 4 mug/ml), of A. hispidum, C. febrifaga, and F.agrestis (4 < IC50 < 10 mug/ml). The best result is obtained with aqueous extract of T macroptera with an IC50 = 1 mug/ml. These results confirm the traditional use of these plants. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.