Ethnopharmacological insights into Uvaria chamae P.Beauv.: a potential remedy for combating antimicrobial resistance in Benin

Abstract

Background: Medicinal plants offer a promising avenue for the discovery of novel antimicrobial agents. This study aimed to document the traditional knowledge and applications of Uvaria chamae P.Beauv. in the treatment of infectious diseases in Benin. Methods: An ethnopharmacological survey on practical knowledge of traditional medicine practitioners of U. chamae in Benin was conducted between June and July 2024, involving 45 traditional medicine practitioners across eight departments of Benin. Key ethnobotanical indices such as Frequency of Citation, Fidelity Index, and Use Value were employed to analyze the data. Results: The findings reveal a strong consensus among traditional healers regarding the use of U. chamae for treating infectious diseases, evidenced by a high-Fidelity Index of 86.66%. The plant is utilized across multiple disease categories, with a Use Value of 1.27. In cases of multi-drug resistance, U. chamae is often combined with other plants such as Garcinia kola Heckel, Piper nigrum L., Carica papaya L. and Allium sativum L. Remedies based on U. chamae are pre-dominantly administered orally (82.61%), with therapeutic responses observed within 1 to 14 days (60.71%), and are generally regarded as non-toxic (63.34%) Conclusion: The therapeutic properties of U. chamae highlight the urgent need for further research to explore its potential as an innovative therapeutic agent in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. Keywords: Medicinal plants, Traditional practitioners, Infectious diseases, Uvaria chamae