Is there any potential of the Guinean pharmacopoea and tm in the battle against Ebola virus disease?
Baldé A.M.1,3, Oularé K.1,2, Barry M.S.1,2, Diallo A.1 , Camara M1 , Traoré S. 1, Traoré M.S.1,3, Kouyaté M.1, Traoré S.1, Ouo-Ouo S.1, Myanthé A.L.1, Keita N.1,2, Haba N.L.1, 2, Goumou K.1, 2, BAH F.1, 2, Baldé M.A.1,3, Camara A.1,3, Diallo M.S.T1,3 and Sylla M.1,3
1 1Centre de Recherche et de Valorisation des Plantes Médicinales (CRVPM) de Dubréka, Guinée 2Université Julius Nyéréré de Kankan, Guinée 3Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry, Guinée
: J Immunol Tech Infect Dis
Abstract
Most infections of the current outbreak of Ebola virus remain confined to Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Liberia, three West African countries. In Guinea, 3159 positive patients have been recorded from December 30th, 2013 to April 28th, 2015. From these, 1966 death were registered . The true number of infections and deaths is undoubtedly greater since evidence suggests that many Ebola infections are asymptomatic [Heffernan et al, 2005] and these are unlikely to be infectious [Leroy et al. 2000] . However, due to intense national and international mobilizations, a significant reduction in Ebola virus transmission has been recorded. This success can woefully be compromised by the poverty, the mistrust towards the official authorities, the overcrowding in the urban cities, the dysfunctional healthcare system, the local custom and traditions, the next rain season etc. Regarding the treatment, many treatment solutions have been proposed. While international efforts to create new vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics are underway, no coherent national or international approach and/or funding have so far been implemented to integrate the potential and/or the implication of traditional healers (TH). Nevertheless, at the beginning of the outbreak in Guinea, the first contact of most of the patients has remained the TH which plays a significant social role within their communities. This was due to the deadly nature of the disease, the lack of any conventional treatment, the fear of going to hospitals which were considered as “a pure place to dieâ€Â, the pressure to find anything that might offer hope of a cure, the Ebola symptoms similar to those of malaria, typhoid, influenza etc. Upon these considerations, it is of importance to implicate the traditional healers in the sensitization campaign, and to investigate the potential of the local pharmacopeia and traditional medicine in the battle against the Ebola outbreak. Aiming that, an ethnomedical and an ethnobotanical survey related to Ebola virus infection was conducted in the 4 main Guinean regions from April 2014 to march 2015. A total of 93 TH were contacted: 27 in High – Guinea region, 10 in Middle - Guinea, 30 in Low - Guinea, 26 in Forest - Guinea. Before the current outbreak, the Ebola virus disease was unknown by all of these TH. After one year of the epidemic and a wide sensitization campaign, 56/93 [6/27 in HG; 30/30 in FG, 4/10 in MG, 16/30 in BG] of them do not believe on the existence of Ebola. Only 37/93 of them were able to cite the main symptoms of the disease and the preventive measures. A part of the symptomatic treatments, 92/93 TH admitted their incapacity to treat Ebola virus disease. Although all the TH assumed to treat one or more of the Ebola main symptoms viz fever, vomiting, diarrhea, tiredness etc., only 15/93 were willing to direct any patient with the Ebola signs to medical centers. In High – Guinea region, 8 Ebola similar diseases were cited. According to one TH from High - Guinea, the disease resulted from the eating of the venomous snake “Fonfoniâ€Â, the drinking of stagnant water where were macerated some died animals. In the Forest –Guinean region, the consumption of bushmeat are common, but due to an intense deforestation, the bats as well as a number of other wild animals (antelopes, monkeys etc.) are in fact extremely rare, nowadays. 32 plant remedies indicated for the treatment of the main symptoms including fever, severe headache, diarrhea (with blood), vomiting (with blood), weakness, abdominal pain, bleeding, and sore throat were inventoried. Among the identified plant species, the caesalpiniaceae and the euphorbiaceae families were the most represented. Previous antimicrobial activities have been described for most of these identified plant species. On the other hand, numerous Guinean plant species with antiviral, antibacterial, antimalarial, anthelmintic, anticancer activities may be highly relevant to the goal of preventing and/or curing Ebola virus disease, then should be evaluated for their anti-Ebola and/or immune boosting properties. Aiming that, a phytomedicine “NOQAI†dedicated to the treatment of HIV infections has been proposed earlier in Guinea (April 2014) for the treatment of infected Ebola patients. Definitively yes, there is a real place and potential of the African Pharmacopeia and Traditional Medicine in the battle of Ebola Virus Disease. Apart from the important and undeniable social base of Traditional healers in planning and with the implementation of any actions of health promotion, African medicinal plants could provide an important source of antiviral drug leads, including Ebola Virus. Such potential must be inventoried, studied and rationalized through multiple research projects which need a wide international support and partnership.
Biography
E mail: bmaliou2002@yahoo.fr
