Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Background: Vaginal infections exhibit high endemicity with severe consequences for women's health in Africa and around the world. In Benin, many medicinal plants are used by therapists in the treatment of female genital infections, however no study has been conducted to list them. Aim: The aim of the study is to document these medicinal species used and the level of knowledge about vaginal diseases. Methodology: A semi-structured ethnobotanical survey related to endogenous knowledge was conducted using pre-established questionnaires on KoboCollect with 81 traditherapists in three municipalities of Atacora and Donga. Results: The results show that 100% of traditherapists from various ethnic groups in northwest Benin have a good knowledge of vaginal infection symptoms and the wide range of medicinal species used to treat them. 93.8% of respondents reported clinical signs such as unusual vaginal discharge, itching, odorous leucorrhoea, lower abdomen pain in women of reproductive age. Euphorbia hirta (20.66%), Allium sativum (11.57%) and Ocimum gratissimum L. (10.74%) are the most cited species for which they testify to their efficacy and accessibility to the population. They are used in the form of decoction (79%), infusion (10%), trituration (6%) and powder (5%) in a variety of ways, including orally (74.07%) and in vaginal baths (25.93%). Conclusion and perspectives: The results provide evidence of the rich knowledge regarding the traditional treatment of vaginal infections in Benin. This preliminary study is crucial before exploring research perspectives on the pharmacological potentials of the specific medicinal species documented.