Medicinal Plants of Guinea-Bissauʼs Bissorã and Dabatear geographic regions

The use of medicinal plants in Guinea-Bissau is recognized and documented in different ethnobotanical surveys and published works. However, no data were available on some geographical regions. The present work intends to improve this knowledge by means of an ethnobotanical survey carried out in the Bissorã and Dabatear (Bula) regions of this country to identify the most used medicinal plants and to analyze and understand the different forms of preparation and use of each plant in these two regions.

An ethnobotanical mission was carried out in the communities of the Bissorã and Dabatear regions. For collecting the data, semi-structured interviewees, observation, and field walks were employed from January to February 2015. Corresponding plant material was collected by traditional medicine practitioners (TMPs) or by members of the team, to allow their subsequent botanical identification and laboratory studies. All collected data were digitally recorded (sound and image). The survey was conducted in Creole and Mancanha languages. A total of 30 medicinal plants belonging to 18 species and 13 families are used in 15 traditional herbal recipes (THR) used by 11 TPMs. These medicinal plants and THR were used to the relieve symptoms or treatment of 22 of the most local common diseases, namely headache, yellow fever, allergies, inflammation, pain, wounds, fevers, anemia, psoriasis, skin diseases, vomiting, bladder inflammation, malaria, conjunctivitis, sexually gonorrhea, diarrhea, ringworm, kidney pain, and disease groin.

A special knowledge to the participating TMPs. All collected data will be returned in an adequate manner to the participating community.

 

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Publication History

Article published online:
12 December 2022