Ethnobotanical survey of plants used against erectile dysfunction in the commune of Ngaba in Kinshasa / DR Congo

Abstract

Erectile dysfunction is the persistent inability of a man to achieve or maintain an erection of the penis sufficient for satisfactory intercourse. Its socio-cultural involvement is important, since one of the purposes of marriage is procreation. In the past, the woman was indexed as the cause of the couple's infertility or lack of procreation. Nowadays, this disorder is quite common among men. The objective of this work is to contribute to the study of medicinal plants used by traditional herbalists for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in the Municipality of Ngaba in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Surveys conducted with herbalists have identified 22 plant species belonging to 19 families. The most used organs are the root and the stem. The seeds are the least used. Chewing is the predominant mode of preparation. It is followed by the decoction and the grounded material. Maceration is the least prescribed. These results have made it possible to inventory the medicinal plants involved in the treatment of erectile dysfunction.