An Overview of Metabolic Syndrome and Cameroonian Natural Agents Use in the Management of Associated Factors

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a group of metabolic disorders that include central obesity, hyperglycaemia, dyslipidemia, hypertension and having an increasing risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Cameroon, is encounting a significant increase in the prevalence and associated factors in recent decades. In fact, the existing literature showed the prevalence of MetS in Cameroon from 7.0 to 41.1% according to the area and period of study and to the concerned specific groups. It is the same for the associated factors with a prevalence of 8.0 to 69.1% for obesity and overweight; 3.4 to 75.4% for dyslipidaemia; 4.8 to 20.5% for diabetes; and 4.1 to 46.5% for hypertension. For the management of MetS and associated factors, natural substances are complementary or alternative choices regarding the limited side effects of common chemical therapeutics. Cameroonian biodiversity offers a wide variety of natural substances. The present review briefly overviews the MetS and identifies from literature, natural agents useful in the management of MetS and associated factors in Cameroon. Ethnomedicine and ethnobotany studies revealed plant resources of which 18 species are used for at least three associated factors, 195 for one or two factors. Studies done on biological properties revealed five resources, plants being the most represented of which 63 active on at least three factors and 66 on one or two factors. The other resources represented by mushrooms (11 species), marine products (08 species of fishes and 01 species of algae), insects (02 species) and probiotics (02 species) were active on at least two factors. A total of 312 species of which 288 plants are identified useful for management of MetS and associated factors in Cameroon.