Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used in the treatment of male erectile dysfunction in the Prefectures of N'Zérékoré, Macenta and Beyla, Republic of Guinea

In the Prefectures of N'Zérékoré, Macenta and Beyla in southern Guinea, people make extensive use of medicinal plants to treat a number of diseases, including erectile dysfunction. The aim of the study was to identify the medicinal plants used to treat erectile dysfunction. Ethnobotanical surveys were carried out using questionnaires and individual interviews from 15 April to 20 May 2024 in the weekly markets of the urban districts of N'Zérékoré, Macenta and Beyla. The study identified a total of 31 plants species divided into 23 families used in the recipes used by traditional healers and herbalists to eradicate the disease. 28 recipes are prepared using these species. Species from the Leguminoseae, Zingiberaceae and Liliaceae families are the most widely represented. Tubers, roots, leaves and bark are the most commonly used parts. Bark, roots, leaves and tubers are the most commonly used parts. Ces résultats constitute a database for further studies aimed at assessing the biological and chemical potential of these plants.