Abstract

Traditional medicine is used by people as an alternative to orthodox drugs to treat respiratory infections. The aim of this research was to document traditional recipes used in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections such as pharyngitis, cold, and sinusitis in peri-urban and rural areas of the Littoral Region of Cameroon. Ethnobotanical surveys were carried out using semi-structured interview model in French or Cameroonian local languages. They were distributed to 115 people. The respondents were both male and female, 20 years old and above, and belonged to seven ethnic groups. Data on plant species and the recipes used against upper respiratory tract infections were collected from the respondents. Plant parts used and methods of preparation were also provided by the respondents. The most abundant ethnic group (56 individuals) was Sawa, followed by Bassa (27) and Bamileke (23). The Lamiaceae family had the highest number of species (06), and Ocimum gratissimum was the most valuable species with 49 citations. Leaf was the main part used (69.94%), and decoction (39.16%) and trituration (38.11%) were the most popular preparation methods. This study has shown the essential role of traditional pharmacopoeia in the treatment of respiratory infections.

Key words: Pharyngitis, cold, ethnobotanical survey, pharmacopoeia, recipes, sinusitis.