Skip to main content
. 2012 Jun 18;2012:604363. doi: 10.1155/2012/604363

Table 1.

Medicinal plant remedies used by Senegalese migrants in Turin.

Botanical taxon, family, and voucher specimen code Local name(s) Part(s) used Preparation and administration Folk medical use (used against/to regulate) Qs
Adansonia digitata L. (Bombacaceae) Baobob Seed Eaten Diarrhoea +

Seed Grind the seeds and put the powder on the lips Burning lips
Grind the seeds and put the powder on the painful tooth Toothache
Acacia nilotica (L.)
Willd. ex Delile (Fabaceae) UNISGSEN15
Mbano (m)
Nep nep (w)
Root Make a decoction and drink just a little bit Indigestion +++
Externally applied Wounds
Bark Drink the beverage together with Tamarindus indica fruit pulp and Hibiscus sabdariffa flowers Fatigue

Grind it, add salt, and put it on the haematoma Haematoma +++
Acacia tortilis (Forssk.)
Hayne (Fabaceae) UNISGSEN05
Senjen (w) Root Drink the decoction Eye inflammations
Bellyache
Drink the decoction while eating some sugar, repeating the procedure three times a day Worms
Macerated in water for two days; the macerate drunk Sexual impotence
Stomachache
Kidney troubles

Adansonia digitata L. (Malvaceae) UNISGSEN20 Buy (w)
Baobab (f)
Fruit Drink the beverage made using the pulp around the seeds Diarrhoea +++
Same as above, adding Hibiscus sabdariffa flower Diarrhoea

Allium cepa L. (Amaryllidaceae) Cibolle Bulb Eaten Sexual impotence
Cold
+

Allium sativum L. (Amaryllidaceae) Ail (f)
Ladji (w)
Bulb Put a piece of garlic on the right wrist if the sore tooth is in the upper jaw and vice versa for the lower jaw (chanting Koran's verses helps the pain to disappear) Toothache
Sexual impotence
+++
Eaten Intestinal worms
Lowering the blood pressure
Cold and cold prevention

Anacardium occidentale L. (Anacardiaceae) Anacardo Seed Drunk Antibiotic +

Annona senegalensis Pers. (Annonaceae) Suncun Leaf Put (powdered) on the fire Magic remedy (supposed to counteract bad spirits) +

Arachis hypogaea L. (Fabaceae) UNISGSEN16 Arachide (f)
Gerte (w)
Seed Eat the seeds Stomachache +

Balanites aegyptiaca
(L.) Delile (Zygophyllaceae)
Dattier du désert (f)
Soumpu
Gurp
Petit cola
Leaf Grind the leaves and drink the infusion prepared with the powdered leaves Sore throat +++
Fruit Chew the fruit without ingesting it Stomachache
Digestive
Fatigue
Nausea

Calotropis procera (Aiton)
W.T. Aiton (Apocynaceae) UNISGSEN55
Kipampaan (p)
Poftan (m)
Pomme de Sodome (f)
Root Cut the roots into small pieces, put it into
a cotton handkerchief, squeeze, it and inhale the aroma
Sinusitis +
Stems
juice
Externally applied Wounds

Leaf Drink the infusion prepared with ground leaves Constipation +++
Cassia italica (Mill)
Sprengel (Fabaceae)
Layduur (w) Drink the infusion prepared with ground leaves Intoxication
Root Leave the root soaking all night and drink the water in the morning, before breakfast Intestinal worms

Cassia occidentalis L. (Fabaceae) UNISGSEN11 Adiana (w)
Bantaare (p)
Bentamarè (s)
Kassala (m)
Mbanta xobi (w)
Leaf Put leaves around the head Headache +
Baths Fatigue

Cassia tora L. (Fabaceae) UNISGSEN76 Cassepuante (f)
Ndur (w)
Leaf Use it as a mouthwash Mouth infections +
Ceratotheca sesamoides
Endl. (Pedaliaceae)
Jorokh lane (w) Leaf Put the leaf into water at room temperature and after it releases oil, apply the oil to the body High fever +
Dried leaf is soaked in water; the water is drunk Bellyache

Citrus limon (L.)
Osbeck. (Rutaceae)
Citron (f)
Limon (w)
Fruit Drink the juice To lose weight
Digestive
Strengthening
Malaria (drunk in the coffee)
++

Combretum aculeatum
Vent. (Combretaceae)
Sawat (w) Leaf Put ground leaves and sugar into water and instil the solution in the eyes White spot in the eye on the pupil +

Combretum glutinosum
Perr. ex DC. (Combretaceae)
Chigommier (f)
Rat (w)
Leaf Drink the decoction Bronchitis/cough
Sexual impotence
+

Leaf Drink the decoction (sometimes adding cloves) Cold
Flue
Lung infections
Sore throat
Antihypertensive
+++
Combretum micranthum
G. Don (Combretaceae) UNISGSEN10
Quinkeliba (f)
Sekhaw (w)
Flower Drink the decoction with milk every morning Enhancing the “well-being”
Make a decoction with Xylopia aethiopica seeds and cloves (Eugenia caryophillata flower buds) Vision problems

Dioscorea spp. (Dioscoreaceae) UNISGSEN83 Igname (f)
Yam (w)
Root Eat the root To gain weight +

Elaeis guineensis Jacq. (Arecaceae) Palmier à huile (f)
Tiir (w)
Fruit→ Oil Add oil and coffee to Vitellaria paradoxa butter and dab on the body To get rid of the “dead” blood when feeling weak +
Dab on the body Boils

Eucalyptus globulus Labill. (Myrtaceae) UNISGSEN88 Eucaliptus (f)
Khotta bu tel (w)
Leaf Put it around the head while listening to the reading of the Koran Headache +

Eugenia caryophyllata Thunb (Myrtaceae) UNISGSEN38 Girofle (f)
Xorompole (w)
Flower bud Use the infusion prepared with Xylopia
aethiopica seeds and Combretum micranthum flower
Vision problems +

Euphorbia balsamifera
Ait. (Euphorbiaceae)
Salan
Salan mbechi
Branch Cut the branch and put the latex on the wound Wounds ++

Root Drink the decoction Bellyache
Ficus iteophylla Miq. (Moraceae) Xassum loro (w) Leaf Drink the decoction Digestive asthma +++
Leaf Dab on the affected part Backache skin allergies

Grewia bicolor Juss. (Malvaceae) Kel (w) Leaf Drink the decoction Fatigue
Bronchitis/cough
Digestive
++

Guiera senegalensis
J.F. Gmel. (Combretaceae) UNISGSEN18
Ngueer (w) Mamakumkoyo (m) Mamankuiò (s) Root Drink the decoction Cold +++
Leaf Drink the decoction Bronchitis/cough kidney troubles
Fatigue stomachache

Put the infusion into the eyes Itchy eyes +++
Flower (red) Drink the decoction Bellyaches Menstrual pains Preventing ageing Fatigue Fever Improving the blood circulation
Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Malvaceae) UNISGSEN12 Bissap (w)
Karkadè (f)
Put the infusion into the eyes Eye problems
Drink the beverage together with Tamarindus indica fruit pulp and Acacia nilotica bark Fatigue
Flower (white) As a food medicine—as a main ingredient of a dish prepared with boiled meat of fish, cooked with tamarind and chilies (lakk bissap) Fatigue

Maerua crassifolia Forssk (Capparaceae) Sothiou (w)
Sothiou suukar
Branch Chew the branch Halitosis +

Mangifera indica L. (Anacardiaceae) UNISGSEN37 Manguier (f)
Màngo joolaa (w)
Leaf Drink the decoction Tetanus ++

Manihot esculenta
Crantz (Euphorbiaceae) UNISGSEN07
Gnambi (w)
Manioc (f)
Mañok (m)
Root Eat the root To gain weight +

Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae) Nebedai Leaf Eaten in sauces, generally accompanied
with meat and couscous
Diabetes +

Musa paradisiaca L. (Musaceae) Bananier (f) Leaf Topical application of the leaf infusion Burns +

Panicum miliaceum L. (Poaceae) Mil (f) Fruit Eat millet (couscous) To gain weight
Fatigue
+

Parinari macrophylla Sabine (Chrysobalanaceae) New (w)
Tamba
Leaf Drink the infusion made from 7 leaves High blood pressure +
Leaf Drink the infusion Stomachache

Piper nigrum
L. (Piperaceae)
Mex pobare (w)
Poivre noir (f)
Fruit Eat the dried berry Runny nose +

Tamarindus indica
L. (Fabaceae)
Tamarin (f)
Daqaar (w)
Fruit
pulp
Eaten, or drunk, in a beverage made adding the bark of Acacia nilotica and the flower of Hibiscus sabdariffa Fatigue +

Terminalia catappa
L. (Combretaceae)
Badamier (f)
Toubab (w)
Xopp kerte
Not specified Not specified Antibiotic, antifungal +

Add salt to the butter and dab on the back Backache +++
Vitellaria paradoxa
C.F. Gaertn. (Sapotaceae)
Karitè (f) Seed→butter Add coffee, Elaeis guineensis' oil and dab on the body To get rid of the “dead” blood when feeling weak
Dab the butter on the body Massage on the child's body, to make the child stronger.
Bone strengthening
Dab the butter on hair Hair loss

Drink the decoction, also a spice in the coffee Sexual impotence ++
Xylopia aethiopica
A. Rich. (Annonaceae)
UNISGSEN70
Diar (w)
Jar
Seed Instill the infusion of seeds into the eyes Eye problems,
conjunctivitis
Instill the infusion of seeds into the ear Otitis
Pour the infusion made from the seeds, Eugenia caryophyllata flower buds and Combretum micranthum flower Vision problems

Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Zingiberaceae) UNISGSEN09 Djindjer (w)
Djinjeroo (m)
Gingembre (f)
Fresh rhizome Eaten, or juice drunk, or decoction Sexual impotence
Blood circulation
+++

Leaf Drink the decoction Worms
Not identified Berbef (w) Use the rough leaf like a sponge under the shower Pruritus +
Fruit Make a pasta and dab on the skin Itchiness
Not identified Bonye Antibiotic +

Not identified Khambata (w) Leaf Drink the infusion Headache +

Not identified Ndiadame Fruit Cook it slowly and eat it; it is really bitter Intestinal worms +

Not identified Sangol (w) Root Put it in water for up to two minutes and drink it (very bitter) Intestinal worms +
Leaf Soak in water and externally apply on the skin Itchiness

Not identified Watenobout (w) Branch Put the latex that comes out of the broken branch on the wound Wounds +

(f): French; (m): Mandingo; (p): Pulaar; (w): Wolof; Qs: quotations: + quoted by 1 or 2 informants only; ++ quoted by 3, 4, or 5 informants; +++ quoted by 5 informants or more.