Contribution of phytotherapy to the management of typhoid fever in Cameroon: between traditional knowledge and public health challenges

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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Typhoid fever remains a major public health concern in developing countries, where the high cost of conventional treatments and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance limit effective disease management. In Cameroon, medicinal plants are widely used as alternative therapeutic resources. Aim of the Study: This study aimed to document medicinal plants used in the traditional management of typhoid fever in Douala (Cameroon) and to evaluate the therapeutic outcomes of the most frequently cited herbal remedies. Materials and Methods: An ethnobotanical survey was conducted among 505 respondents recruited from three non-timber forest product markets and four neighborhoods in Douala. Data on medicinal plant use, herbal formulations, and treatment practices were collected using semi-structured questionnaires. Ethnobotanical indices were calculated to assess species importance. In addition, an ethnopharmacological follow-up was performed on 45 patients treated with three frequently cited herbal recipes. Results: A total of 968 recipes involving 91 plant species belonging to 43 botanical families were recorded. Asteraceae and Fabaceae were the most represented families. The species with the highest ethnomedicinal importance were Combretum micranthum, Carica papaya, and Mangifera indica. Most remedies were polyherbal formulations (92.35%), prepared mainly from leaves (51.88%) as aqueous decoctions (62%) and administered orally (85.94%). Ethnopharmacological monitoring revealed marked clinical improvement and a low recurrence rate within three months after treatment. Mild adverse effects, including pollakiuria, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and excessive sweating, were occasionally reported. Conclusions: The findings highlight the richness of Cameroonian traditional medicine and identify promising plant species with potential anti-typhoidal properties. Further phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological investigations are needed to support the deve lopment of evidence-based phytomedicines.

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