Ethnopharmacological Survey of Medicinal Plants Used against Malaria in Butembo City (D. R. Congo).

Malaria is a major global public health problem in the world especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo. An Ethnopharmacological survey was conducted in Butembo city (Democratic Republic of Congo) in order to identify the plant species used in traditional medicine for the treatment of malaria. Fifty-four healers belonging to different ethnic groups were interviewed about the plant species used in traditional medicine for the management of malaria in the city of Butembo. The name of the plants, the plant parts, the modes of preparation and the modes of administration of recipes were recorded. Cited plants were collected and identified at herbarium of the Laboratory of Ecology and Plants Resource Management, Faculty of Sciences, “Université Officielle de Bukavu”. The plants ecological status was also determined. Forty six species of plants belonging to twenty seven botanical families were identified. The main habitat preference of species is cultivated (56%), trees constituted 37% of morphological type while 42% of biological type are Microphanerophytes and Nanophanerophytes (each one 21%). The decoction was the main mode of preparation (80 %). Leaves constituted 67 % of plant organs used for drug preparation. Some plant species cited (54%) are known in the literature to possess antimalarial activity. Further studies should be undertaken to investigate effectiveness of other plants that have not yet been studied and to determine their chemical composition