Ethnobotanic Survey of Aids Opportunistic Infections in the Fatick and Kaolack District (Senegal)

HIV / AIDS infection is characterized by the reduction of the body's defenses favoring the occurrence "opportunistic" infections, as furuncle, encephalitis and tuberculosis etc. Thus, to fight against this virus, antiretrovirals are used.

The Kaolack and Fatick District have a prevalence rate (2.1%) above the national average of 0.7%. The aim of this study is to inventory the plants used against the treatment of opportunistic HIV / AIDS diseases because the populations often resort to phytotherapy. It is in this sense that a survey of twenty seven herbalists, Seventeen tradipraticians and eleven resource persons was conducted to identify the plants used in the management of opportunistic AIDS diseases. One hundred fifteen plants could be identified and divided into ninety seven genera and forty seven families. Some species have been mentioned very frequently and in many diseases. These are: Pterocarpus erinaceus (60%), Acacia nilotica (58.1%), Ficus thonningii (54.5%), Detarium microcarpum (52.7%), Guiera senegalensis (45.4%), Lepisanthes senegalensis (36,4%), Adansonia digitata L. (31%) etc. Leaves and barks constituted the greatest use in the form of decocted, macerated, for drinking, inhalating, or fumigation, etc. The result of this study was shown that medicinal plants are promising in managing HIV/AIDS related diseases. Further investigations are needed to explore the bioactive compounds of these herbal medicines, aimed at exploring the bioactive compounds that can be developed into anti-HIV drugs.