Anti-malarial Plants Anti-malarial Plants Products of Mali: Products of Mali:

Chiaka Diakité

Department of Traditional Medicine (DMT)

Bamako

Nairobi, 20-22 March 2006

Plan of presentation

• Introduction

• Traditional treatment

• Medicinal plants used for Malaria

• Reseach,objectives,strategies,results

• Economic importance of medicinal plants

• Conclusion

Introduction

• In Africa 80% of the population uses Traditional Medicine for sociocultural & economic reasons

• In Mali, poverty exacerbates the difficulties of access to primary health care

• The majority of the population resorts to Traditional Medicine for treatment of malaria

Introduction

Malaria is a public health problem• 300 – 500 million clinical cases annually

worldwide• 1.1-2.7 million deaths each year• 28% absenteeism from school• 3.5 days of temporary disability per person

per year• > 2 million USD in direct & indirect costs

for malaria in Africa

Introduction

In Mali:

• 1993 – National program to fight against malaria

• 42% of deaths amongst infants & juveniles

• Leading cause of mortality (13%)

• Leading cause of morbidity (15.6%)

Introduction

• For the treatment of malaria poeple self medicate

- With modern medicines

- With traditonal medicines

- A combination of both medicines

• Treatment at the health center

• Treatment at the traditional healer clinic

Traditional Treatment of Malaria

In Traditional Medicine the treatment of malaria is based on the use of prescriptions of plant-based medicines with some animal products

Preparation is by steeping or infusing decoctions of plants & parts of plants in water

The prescription is administered as a drink, as a bath, as a steam bath or as a fumigation

Some medicinal plants used for malaria in Mali

• Scientific Names Bamana Names• Glinus oppositifolius L. Balassa• Vernonia colorata Will. Kô safunè• Cassia sieberiana D. C. Sindjan • Cochlospermum tinctorium A. N´tiribara • Anogeissus leiocarpus D. C. N´galama• Combretum glutinosum Perrex Tchangara

blé • Guiera senegalensis J. F. N´kundjè

Some medicinal plants used for malaria in Mali

Scientific Names Bamana Names• Alchornea cordifolia Schumach Dunféké • Chrosophora senegalensis Lam. Dabada• Psorospermum guineense Hochr. Karidjakouma• Khaya senegalensis Desr. Djala• Trichilia roka Forst. Soulafinzan• Acacia senegal L. Willd Donkari • Entada africana Guill. Perr. Samanèrè • Parkia biglobosa Jacq. Nèrè

Some medicinal plants used for malaria in Mali

• Scientific Names Bamana Names• Ficus thonnigii Blume Doubalé• Oxytenanthera abyssinica Munro Bô• Gardenia ternifolia Schum. Bouré tchè• Mitragyna inermis Willd. Jun• Nauclea latifolia Sm. Baro• Fagara zanthoxyloïdes Lam. Wô• Lippia chevalieri Moldenke N´ganiba

Research by DMT

• Research into anti-malarial activities of plants

• The fight against carriers (vectors)

• The implications for workers in Traditional Medicine in the fight against malaria

Research Objectives

• To place at the disposal of the population effective anti-malarial medicines at reduced cost which are based on local products

• To arrange effective anti-larval medicines that cause little harm to the environment

Research Strategies

• Collaboration with traditional therapists

• Collection of ethnobotanical information of medicinal plants

• Compilation of medicinal plant bibliographies

• Laboratory testing & clinical studies

Research Results

• ´´ Malarial ´´ is a mixture of 3 plants wich is used against Malaria of Plasmodium falciparum

- Cassia occidentalis

- Lippia chevalieri

- Spilanthes oleracea

• ´´Argemone.Mexicana ´´is a single plant used against Malaria

A. mexicana

Production of Malarial

• Table of malarial production at the DMT• Period Quantity• 2000 -• 2001 -• 2002 7.913• 2003 6.645• 2004 4.386• 2005 4.715

Traditional Healer collecting medicinal plants

Traditional healer and malaria treatment Bandiagara’s Experience• 45 healers was formed to the signs and

symptoms of uncomplicated and complicated Malaria

• In ten months 3797 patients were diagnosed

• 114 were refered to the health center

• 34 died

Urban Use of Medicinal Plants

• Today, despite urbanisation, the population continues to treat itself with medicinal plants

• However personal use is based upon market supply & demand:– Little or no respect for the plants– Excessive exploitation– Over harvesting– Wastage & conservation problems

The Market for Medicinal Plants

• Across Malian towns one encounters many sales points for medicinal plants:– In the markets– Along the main roads– Travelling salespersons

• More & more the sale of medicinal plants is improving & better organised

The Market for Medicinal Plants

• Today medicinal plants are sold by:

1) Herbalists

• Improved traditional herbalists in the markets of Medine & Hamdallaye

• Authorised herbalists

2) Pharmacies

Market of medicinal plants in Bamako

Plant-based Medicines

• Medicinal plants are used by:

- The population for self-medication

- Traditional health practitioners in the treatment of their patients

- DMT for the production of enhanced Traditional Medicines

- Exporters for supply of international markets of herbal medicines

Economic Importance of Medicinal Plants

• A study conducted in Burkina Faso estimated the annual consumption per person per annum is about 500g at an approximate cost of 2,200F CFA (Banque mondiale – PROMETRA – Burkina Faso, 2003)

• This correlates with a city like Bamako, with an annual consumption of about 600 tonnes of medicinal plants at a value of 2,640, 000,000F CFA

• The world market for traditional plant-based medicines is estimated at 60 million USD

• (Strategie de l’OMS pour La Medicine Traditionelle 2002-2005)

Industrial Production of Plant-based Medicines

• In Mali, the population makes up the principal source of medicinal plants

• Today, large scale production of plant-based medicines is a compelling obligation to enable fulfilment of the health care needs of the population of Mali & of elsewhere

• This production ultimately has the ability to lead to significant problems in relation to natural space & the depletion of plant-based medicines

Culture of Spilanthes oleracea

Regeneration of medicinal plants

Plant-based Medicines & Biodiversity

• The results of a study conducted by DMT on ‘Medicinal plants sold in the Bamako markets – conservation & biodiversity’ showed that the scarcity of medicinal plants in nature & the disappearance of certain of these, are among the main causes of the lack of stock of some medicinal plants at Bamako herbalists

• 30% of rare plants are those frequently used against pathologies associated with ‘Sumaya’ & malaria

Conclusion

• For the production & commercialisation of plant-based medicines in Mali it is necessary for:

- Participative action involving traditional health practitioners, herbalists, researchers, non-government organisations, the private sector & decision-makers

- Appropriate organisation & regulation - The consideration of self & other interests- The capture of ideas & experiences of traditional

medicine practitioners

Conclusion

• The strengthening of experiences such as ‘The International Week of Traditional African Medicine’ (SIMTA) organised by the Malian Federation of traditional therapists & herbalists (FEMBATH) to promote expansion, production & marketing of plant-based medicines in Mali and in Africa

Thank you