Medicinal Plants Used in the Treatment of High Blood Pressure by Teachers in the Town of Adzope, Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

Background: High blood pressure remains a major public health issue. The high cost of treatment for this condition has led to the use of medicinal plants.  Aims: This study aims to identify and document medicinal plants traditionally used for the treatment of hypertension. Materials and Methods: An ethnobotanical survey was carried out in the town of Adzopé, involving 80 secondary school teachers. The random sampling method was used to select the participants interviewed using the semi-structured interview method. A questionnaire was used to collect key information on the respondents' socio-professional status and the plants used, as well as their ethnobotanical characteristics and the effects and efficacy of these plants. Results: The investigations identified 13 plant species belonging to 12 botanical families. The most common family was Malvaceae, accounting for 15% of the total. The most frequently cited species was Hibiscus sabdariffa (26%). Leaves were the most commonly used plant part (29%), with decoction (51%) being the most frequently used preparation method. The preparations were administered orally only. More than half (61%) of the recipes involved a single daily dose. These plants were rated as moderately effective by 53% of participants, and 23% reported experiencing adverse side effects after using them. Half of the respondents (50%) preferred medicinal plants to conventional medicines. Conclusion: The survey highlights the medicinal plants used by school staff to treat hypertension in Adzopé. These findings could serve as a basis for phytochemical and pharmacological evaluations to validate the traditional use of these plants, which may represent a therapeutic alternative.