Ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal values of Loranthaceae used to treat human diseases by local ethnic Agni Sanwi from Aboisso and Maferé in Côte d'Ivoire

Loranthaceae are hemiparasitic vascular plants that develop on other woody species. They are used in traditional medicine to treat various pathologies. The present study is a contribution to the knowledge of the medicinal potential of Loranthaceae used in care by Agni Sanwi of Aboisso and Maferé, in the South-East of Côte d'Ivoire. Ethnobotanical surveys were conducted with 50 herbalists and 17 traditional healers using semi-structured interviews. Three (3) species (Globimetula braunii, Phragmanthera capitata and Tapinanthus bangwensis) divided into 3 genera used to treat 35 diseases were identified. They have been cited in the formulation of several remedies. Malaria, typhoid fever, diarrhea and fontanelle were the most commonly reported conditions. Leaves and leafy twigs are the main organs used. The decoction has been predominant in the acquisition of remedies. The drink was the most cited as a method of administering treatments. The Frequency of Citations (FC) of the Loranthaceae employed in the care and medicinal Informant Agreement Ratio (med.IARs) of the respondents were determined. T. bangwensis had the highest FC (95.52%) and med.IARs (0.73). The therapeutic potentials of Loranthaceae have been highlighted and deserve to be popularized through complementary phytochemical investigations.