Piper guineense is a medicinal plant used for the treatment of fungal infections in African traditional medicine [1]; [2]. Due to frequent and common occurrence of fungal diseases in Africa, this study was performed in Imo state, south-eastern Nigeria, where P. guineense is predominantly used for the treatment of tropical fungal diseases.
In our study, a house to house ethnobotanical survey was conducted on the traditional uses of P. guineense extracts for the treatment of fungal infections. The investigation focused on how traditional healers recognize and diagnose fungal infections, how P. guineense is collected, on the various parts used for treatment, methods of preparation, administration and treatments. From our ethnobotanical results, a total of 12 fractions of P. guineense, in addition to piperine and piperlongumine, were selected for the screening against four pathogenic strains of yeast and Cryptococcus neoformans, a yeast-like basidiomycete.
A total of twenty traditional medical practitioners (TMP) explained their methods of administration of P. guineense extracts. According to these TMPs, the leaves and fruits are the most often used plant parts. The oral intake of extracts in ethanol (Kai-kai) is the most common method of administration. For the dosage, the TMPs uses a small glass tumbler, which measures about 100mL, administered 3 to 4 times daily. The TMPs sometimes send their patients to the government hospitals if the symptoms persist as a result of their failed treatment. The TMPs claimed that their methods were more effective than conventional antibiotics for the treatment of fungal infections. In our antifungal screenings, the extracts were active against the tested fungal strains with MIC values ranging from 79 µg/mL-2500 µg/mL.
References:
Ngane, A. N., et al., (2003). Fitoterapia, 74(5), 464-468.
Besong, E. E., et al., (2016). Int. J. Pharm. Pharma. Res., 6(1), 368-384.