1. health and fitness
2. disease
3. cancer

Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge
Vol. 13(1), January 2014, pp. 36-46
A review of prostate diseases at yaounde: epidemiology, prophylaxy and
phytotherapy
E Noumi* & NLF Bouopda
Laboratory of Plant Biology, Higher Teachers’ Training College, University of Yaoundé I, PO Box 47, Yaoundé, Cameroon
E-mail: [email protected]
Received 27.05.13, revised 07.06.13
A survey carried out on 361 patients recorded from 2008 to 2010 in the Service of Urology and Andrology of the Yaoundé
Central hospital shows that 40.72% of cases are due to the prostatic ailments, in which 29.64% of cancer or adenocarcinoma
of prostate (ADK). The analysis of the information gathered from 50 patients permitted to raise 9 risk factors of prostatic
illnesses and the most elevated age is the major factor. Reports on plants used from 30 phytotherapists yielded
265 quotations, about 33 medicinal plant species belonging to 24 families, which are used to prepare 26 different remedies
to treat each prostatitis, prostate adenoma and prostate cancer.
Keywords: Prostate diseases, Biomedical data, Ethnobotanical survey, Phytomedicines, Yaoundé, Cameroon
IPC Int. Cl.8: A61K 36/00, A01D 10/01, A01D 20/00
The prostate is a small gland of the size of a palm
walnut, placed at the urinary and genital cross roads
and existing only at the man (Fig. 1)1. It is a
masculine genital gland appendage whose secretions
contribute to form the seminal fluid. It serves to
manufacture the secretions that are going to enter in
the composition of the semen. It is there its only role,
and yet, it is the seat of three illnesses:
- Prostatitis or prostate infection.
- Adenoma or hypertrophy (tumour) benign of the
prostate (HBP). The central prostate that
surrounds the urinary way compresses it when it
increases volume, dragging then a hindrance to
the emission of urines. It is from this central
prostate that the adenoma develops itself. It has
anything to see with cancer and never becomes
cancerous.
- Cancer of the prostate or shrewd tumour of the
prostate or adenocarcinoma (ADK). The
peripheral prostate surrounds the prostate central.
It is him that gives birth to cancer and it never
gives an adenoma.
All these illnesses have for common denominator
the troubles of the micturition. Knowledge of these
by the phytotherapists is vague to the point that
they don't give any appropriate scientific
——————
*Correspondence author
terminology. The traditional healers designate
prostate illnesses as:
- "Eyelfam" in Ewondo language or difficulty of
micturition by a person who stopped sexual
activity too early;
- "Okon be nyaboto" or "Menyolock be nyaboto" in
Bulu language meaning respectively: the illness or
gonorrhoea of aged man;
- "Sat" in Medûmba or Bangangté language meaning
difficult micturition, pertainingto urination
resistance for the man with or not haematuria;
- ''Keken schienke'' in Bamoun language, or
difficulty to the micturition or pollakiuria.
However, these terminologies translate the
symptoms of the three types of prostatic affections as
summarized by Le Garnier Delamare2. Some studies
have been approached on the epidemiological aspects
of cancers in Cameroon3-6 and other under the
curative aspect of the plants7,8. In the hospitals of
Cameroon, the treatment of ADK or HBP especially
is done by a surgical intervention, radiotherapy with
sterility or erection defect as side effects9 of these
undesirable side effects many under these
circumstances search for alternative medicines from
traditional healers.
Psychosis reigns among the masculine people
facing these almost uncontrollable complex prostatic
illnesses. The masculine physiology presents many
NOUMI & BOUOPDA: A REVIEW OF PROSTATE DISEASES AT YAOUNDE
Fig. 1—Position of the prostate in the male reproductive tract;
lateral view. Source: Keeton and Gould, (1993)
auspicious factors to the apparition of urinary unrest
bound to the dysfunction of the prostate. The
problem is to identify the environmental and
dietary factors that raise the risks or that protect the
sick persons. Are there remedies treating prostatic
illnesses in the therapeutic arsenal of the traditional
healers?
Face the poor knowledge about the topic in the
study area, the goal of the survey is to determine the
need of information of people aged above 40 yrs,
about prostate illnesses, to document the plants and
the therapeutic preparations used for their treatment as
practiced in the city of Yaoundé by traditional
healers.
The study area is Yaoundé (11°25'-1135 ' N and
3°40'-3°70 ' E), the capital of Cameroon, situated to a
middle altitude of 750 m. The city has an equatorial
climate of the Guinean domain with 4 seasons10. The
annual averages of rainfall and the temperature are
1700 ml and 23.5°C, respectively.
Yaoundé is the native land of the Ewondo’s, one of
the 3 Béti subtribes (with Boulou and Eton). The
traditional language is the Ewondo. The population,
cosmopolitan, reached 1.881.876 inhabitants in 2010,
either 9.7% of the total population of Cameroon11.
The vegetation of the region is deeply a mixed
secondary forest12.
37
Methodology
The fieldwork was done from October 2008 to
April 2010. The investigations are led following 3
questionnaires with semi-open questions:
- to patients registered in the service of Urology
and Andrology of the Yaoundé Central Hospital
of Yaoundé to appreciate the morbidity of
prostatic diseases in that health unit;
- to the phytotherapists to gather information on
herbal remedies and to collect plant species used;
- to the aged women for appreciation of the
rhythmic sexual intercourse and food habits of the
couples.
Information on diseases was obtained through
casual conversation (30 traditional healers, 50 patients
and 100 women). No direct questions were asked in
order to prevent biasing the answers and
compromising spontaneity. Every information that
came out during the conversation was transcribed
thereafter on the structured form, constituted by the
questionnaire. These forms were then used to prepare
a list of therapeutics Recipes used to treat prostatic
ailments. The results of the investigations were
computerized to better organize the final document.
The criteria outlined by many authors 13-16 were
followed in conducting the interviews.
The phytotherapists who cooperated in this work
indicated the Recipes used and showed the plants
used to treat prostatic illnesses. A digital camera
permitted to fix the pictures of the plants whose parts
have been harvested as samples types. Plant
classification and nomenclature follow those of Flora
of Cameroon17, Lebrun & Stork18, Vivien & Faure19
and Biholong20.
The herbarium specimens’ voucher of the present
study were prepared and deposited in the Department
of Biological Science of the University of Yaoundé I.
A complete record of the interviews is also on file at
the Department of Biological Science of the
University of Yaoundé I.
Results
The morbidity pattern of the prostatic ailments at
Yaoundé is given by a sample of 361 patients during
16 months (January 2008 to April 2009). These
patients are registered in the service of Urology and
Andrology of the central hospital of Yaoundé. Twenty
different infections of the urogenital apparatus are
listed. Among these patients, 147 cases (40.71%) are
due to prostatic illnesses in which 29.64% cases of
38
INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 13, NO. 1 JANUARY 2014
cancer or adenocarcinoma (ADK) and 10.80% cases
of benign hypertrophy of the prostate. Only one case
of prostatitis because those sick persons are
outpatients, not registered and treated with antibiotics.
The other ailments of urogenital apparatus are
varicocele (4.99), stenisis of urethra (4.44), tumour
(0.83), testicular ectopia (0.56), testicular atrophy
(0.27), nephropathy (0.27) and infectious syndrom
post urethroplasty (0.27).
From October 2008 to March 2009, 50 of the 147
patients of prostatic ailments participated to the
present survey (Table 1). They were all anxious of the
fate that waited them, following the already
undergone treatments: carrying of catheter to drain the
bladder (17 either 34%), prostatectomy (10%),
ablation of testes (8%), metastases (4%). one of them
(patient n° 39) died after the surgical intervention.
The prostatic illness manifestations are numerous.
The troubles of micturition constitute the common
base of prostatic illnesses, the reduction of the
strength of the urinary throw (72% of 50 patients), the
delay of apparition of the throw (70%) and pollakiuria
(70%), being the most frequent. However, other signs
have been identified, notably:
- for the benign hypertrophy of the prostate: sub
pubis pains (following a complete blockage of
urines), hemorrhoid and inguinal hernia in the T3T4 phase of the illness, prostatorrhoea;
- for the cancer of the prostate: lymphoedema of
scrotum or of the lower members, asthenia,
haemorrhoid and inguinal hernia in the T3-T4
phase of the illness, pelvic traumatism following
an accident, prostatorrhoea, bony pains, presence
of blood in the faeces, blackening of urines.
- Only one case of prostatitis with out-flow of a
viscous liquid even in the absence of sexual
intercourse, is diagnosed in the sample
The risks factors of prostatic illnesses reported the
possible origins of prostatic illnesses according to the
50 patients of the Yaoundé Central Hospital. Seven
major local factors are capable to encourage the
apparition of prostatic illness.
1. Age is the most elevated risk factor (94%). The
patients aged 50 - 75 yrs (90%) are those struck
by the benign and shrewd tumors of the prostate.
However, cancer of the prostate is the more
represented infection (64%) that touches the class
of age of 70 - 75 yrs old (24%). The prostatic
adenoma hits in mostly patients of 50 - 65 yrs.
These data go in the same sense with those of
Zeyons21 and Pfeifer22 that show that the HBP and
the cancer of the prostate are very frequent tumors
at the man after 50 years, due to the magnification
of the prostate. The average of age of the patients
in the beginning of the illness is of 60 yrs.
2. The frequency of coitus is cited by 56% of
patients. The cases of two patients (40 yrs,
bachelor and 57 yrs, monogamist) caught our
attention. Indeed, the first patient was a footballer
who consumed drugs before his matches. After
the game, it was necessary to sex with at least
three different women to attenuate the effect of
Table 1—Morbidity pattern of the prostatic ailments in the service of urology and andrology of the central hospital of
Yaoundé (January 2008 to April 2009)
Age groups
(x ₌ centre of
classes)
30 – 35
35 – 40
40 – 45
45 – 50
50 – 55
55 – 60
60 – 65
65 – 70
70 – 75
75 – 80
80 – 85
85 – 90
Total
Prostatitis
Number
1
1
Adenoma (benign hyperthophy
of prostate (HBP)
%
2
2
Number
%
1
4
3
5
2
1
2
8
6
10
4
2
1
2
17
34
Cancer (adenocarcinoma
ADK)
Number
%
1
1
1
2
2
2
4
4
5
12
3
8
8
10
24
6
1
32
2
64
%Prostatic
diseases
Number of
patients (f)
2
2
2
4
8
14
18
14
26
6
2
2
100
1
1
1
2
4
7
9
7
13
3
1
1
50
NOUMI & BOUOPDA: A REVIEW OF PROSTATE DISEASES AT YAOUNDE
3.
4.
5.
6.
the drug. Married and 2 times divorced, today he
is completely castrated and unmarried. The
second regularly sexed with 3 to 4 partners per
day. Today he has cancer of the prostate. These
induced super-activities of the prostate would
have driven to cancer.
Among the 50 interviewee patients at Yaoundé
Central Hospital, 24% practiced masturbation.
For example in the military, during training or
missions, the sick prisoner n°18 (58 yrs old,
10 yrs of illness, HBP) who masturbated during
the 20 yrs of his detention.
The quality of the non appropriate foods is cited
by 68% of 50 patients interviewed. . In this
survey, the case of a sick N°30 (45 yrs, married, 3
months of illness) is remarkable. His food was
essentially constituted of meat. At the period
when we met him, the consumption of meat had
as consequence urine retention. He had already
undergone 3 surgical interventions of the prostate.
The red cow meats, the animal greases and game
are the more consumed and those that ate more
greases of animal origin had a more elevated
cancer risk than the others22.
To size up the woman's influence in the health of
the husband's prostate, a questionnaire is
addressed to 100 women aged 42-75 yrs. It
permitted to appreciate what the husband eats at
home, and the impact of the menopause
climacteric on the frequency of their coituses.
During the period before climacteric 61% women
had at least 1 coitus per month, and 26% quit
coituses. After climacteric, 29% of women have
at least 1 coitus per month and about 48% of the
women stopped coituses. In brief, in January
2009, 48% of women interviewee stopped
coituses. Theoretically 56% of husbands of the
aged women interviewee nearly stopped making
love, whereas their subsequently choked prostate,
overflowed with secretions.
Heredity can also be considered like a factor of
risk, because 18% of the patients have at least a
sick parent. According to Pfeifer22, the risk to
develop a cancer of prostate is multiplied by
two if a father (3 patient n°10, 12, 43), an uncle
(1 patient n°32) or a brother (2 patient n°8, 50)
has been reached. This risk is multiplied by 11 if
three parents are reached. These family forms
generally express themselves toward 40 yrs and
justify a precocious tracking at the risk person.
39
The case of nephew's (n°26) deceased at 55 years
of cancer whereas the uncle's illness only occurs
at 90 yrs old is remarkable.
7. Some of patients (8%) think that their illnesses
are due to the mysticism: examples the sicks,
76 yrs (5 yrs of cancer of prostate) and 55 yrs, due
to the disputes with their brothers about heritage.
According to some traditional healers", prostate
ailment can attack a young man who had sex with
a married woman, as punishment.
The prophylaxis and phytotherapy were investigated
by interviews with 30 traditional healers and 15 male
patients. About 33 medicinal plant species generated a
total of 265 quotations. The cumulative number of
responses for individual plant species varied from
3 (e.g. Zea mays) to 15 (Cucurbita pepo). The range of
the number of plant species cited per Recipe was
1 to 4. Plant species with less than 3 citations by
informants were omitted from analysis.
The Plants treating prostatic illnesses are presented
in Table 2 according to the alphabetical order of
family. In this table the family of Cucurbitaceae is the
most represented (20.83% of the species), then the
Liliaceae (16.66%), the Asteraceae (8.33%) and the
Myrtaceae (8.28%). Cucurbita pepo is the most
quoted plant, followed in decreasing order by
Vernonia guineensis, Vernonia thomsoniana, Allium
cepa, Citrus aurantifolia and Baillonella toxisperma.
Plants retained are used to prepare 26 different
remedies to treat each prostatitis, prostate adenoma
and prostate cancer. Therapeutic preparations are
listed in Table 3). This, latter shows the
phytomedecines used. They are classified according
to the type of prostatic illnesses treated, the
alphabetical order of botanical names and the number
of species used in a preparation. Three no-botanical
ingredients are also presented. The number of species,
by preparation, goes from 1 to 4, the maximal
associations being for adenoma treatment.
Discussion
Thirty three plant species intervene in the
preparation of 26 Recipes described with the parts of
the plant used, the mode of administration, the
method of preparation. Mono-prescriptions are
frequent (50% of Recipes). The plant is often
prescribed along with others. The plant parts used are
more represented by leaves and seeds, 46.2% and
38.5%) of Recipes respectivelyand 84.6% of the
phytomedicines are administered orally.
40
INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 13, NO. 1 JANUARY 2014
Among the plants, only Punica granatum is new
in the Cameroonian medicinal plant literature23--26.
The use of these plant species is similar to those being
used in other regions to treat prostate, and this
indicates the authenticity of their potential uses in the
treatment of the gland: Prunus africana (Fig. 2) in
Bengwi7, in Cameroon; Euphorbia aterifolia27 in
Mali. The therapeutic uses of the Vernonia guineensis
(Fig. 3) and Prunus africana to treat the prostatic
illnesses are frequently reported in the study area.
The traditional medicine that previously reflected
the ethno-cultural roots of a population is focused
now a days on the conventional remedies. Prunus
africana or Africa plum tree grows in sub-mountain
and highlanders altitudes forests of Cameroon. The
stem bark is the active part. It contains some
compounds like beta-sitosterol that acts by inhibiting
the factors of growth in order to adjust the
proliferation of the cells28. One notes an increase of
the urinary flux of the patients of HBP and a
reduction of the post-pertaining to urination residue.
A medicine, the Tadenan that owes its efficiency to an
extract of Prunus africana is more known.
Among the prostatic illnesses, cancer of prostate or
adenocarcinoma (ADK) is the most frequent in men
of more than 50 yrs. It often evolves slowly and many
Table 2—Plants collected traditionally used by healers in the prevention and treatment of prostatic ailments Families, Botanical name,
Current name (and voucher specimen number) [number of quotations]
N°
Families
1
2
3
Apiaceae
Asteraceae
Asteraceae
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Brassicaceae
Burseraceae
Capparaceae
Caricaceae
Chenopodiacae
Costaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Cucurbitaceae
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
Cucurbitaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Mimosaceae
Fabaceae
Fabaceae
Lauraceae
Liliaceae
Liliaceae
Liliaceae
Liliaceae
Moraceae
Myrtaceae
Arecaceae
Pedaliaceae
Poaceae
Punicaceae
Rosaceae
Rutaceae
Sapotaceae
Solanaceae
Zingiberaceae
Botanical names
Petroselinum sativum Hoffm.
Vernonia guineensis Benth.
Vernonia thomsoniana Oliv.&
Hiern.
Brassica oleracea Oler.
Dacryodes edulis (G.Don) H.J.Lam.
Bulcholzia coriaceae Engl.
Carica papaya L.
Beta vulgaris L.
Costus afer Ker-Gawl.
Cucurbita maxima Duch
Cucumis melo L.
Lagenaria siceraria (Molima)
Standl.
Cucurbita pepo L.
Cococynthis citrulus (L.) O. Ktze.
Albizia zygia (DC.) J.F. Macbr.
Arachishypogaea L.
Glycine soja L
Persea americana Mill.
Allium cepa L.
Allium sativum L.
Allium porum L.
Aloes barteri Baker.
Musanga cecropioides R. Br.
Eucalyptus saligna Smith.
Elaeis guineensis Jacq.
Sesamum indicum L.
Zea mays L.
Punica granatum L.
Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkm.
Citrus aurantiifolia Swingle
Baillonella toxisperma Pierre
Lycopersicum esculentus L.
Zingiber officinale Roscoe
Current names (number of specimen)
[number of quotations]
Parsley (Bouopda 30) [7]
Guinean ginseng (Bouopda 17) [13]
Quinin (Bouopda 5) [5]
Cabbage (Bouopda 40) [4]
Plum (Bouopda 51) [5]
lion’s Cola (Bouopda 17)[3]
Papaya (Bouopda 7) [9]
Beetroot (Bouopda 30) [5]
cane of twin (Bouopda 9) [4]
Pumpkin (Bouopda 26) [13]
Melon (Bouopda,46) [15]
Calabash (Bouopda,31) [9]
courgette, gourd (Bouopda 16) [15]
Watermelon (Bouopda 28) [12]
Seng Essac (Ewondo)/ (Bouopda 5) [3]
Groundnut (Bouopda 14) [7]
soya beans (Bouopda 9) [3]
Pear (Bouopda 22) [7]
Onion (Bouopda 53) [17]
Garlic (Bouopda 3) [18]
leek(Bouopda 1) [8]
aloes vera (Bouopda 42) [10]
umbrella tree (Bouopda 53) [3]
Eucalyptus (Bouopda 33) [3]
Palmoil (Bouopda 15) [7]
Sesame (Bouopda 8) [3]
Mays (Bouopda 10) [3]
pomegranate tree (Bouopda 11) [3]
africa plum tree (Bouopda 52) [22]
memon tree (Bouopda 59) [5]
Karate (Bouopda 57) [14]
Tomato (Bouopda 18) [8]
Ginger (Bouopda 6) [4]
Prostatic illnesses treated
ADK
HBP Prostatitis
+ (T)
+ (T)
+ (T)
+ (T)
+ (P)
+ (T)
+ (T)
+(P,T)
+ (T)
+(P)
+(P,T)
+(P,T)
+(P,T)
+(P)
+(P,T)
+(T)
+(P)
+(P,T)
+(P)
+(P, T)
+(P,T)
+(P,)
+ (T)
+(P,T)
+ (T)
+ (T)
+ (T)
+ (T)
+ (T)
+ (T)
+(P,T)
+ (T)
+ (T)
+ (T)
+(P,T)
+ (T)
+ (T)
NOUMI & BOUOPDA: A REVIEW OF PROSTATE DISEASES AT YAOUNDE
41
Table 3—Plants used to treat prostatic diseases: Classification by 3 types of prostatic diseases treated (a), by number of plants used (b)
and the 33 phytotherapeutic preparations (c).
Recipes number (a)
Plant species/family/current name/voucher
Mode of uses (c)
specimen number : plant part used (b)
Total of medicinal preparations = 33
Total Recipes = 26
-Total plant species = 33
Total phytotherapists -Total quotations of plant ingredients in all Average of medicinal preparation per plant (AMP) = 1.3
Recipes = 46
= 30
Methods of preparations of the phytomedicines: decoctions
Total quotations = 265 -Percentage of plant parts in all ingredients 27%. mode of administration is largely (22)
Total
quotations/ used: leaves (26%), seeds (21.7%), fruits
phytotherapists
= (19.5%), bark (15.2%),tuber (13%).
-No plant ingredients: honey, local rum or
8.84
Odontol, rock salt
-qs (Latinquantum satis, French qsp
Recipes treating prostatitis
Recipe 1
-Allium cepa : 1 big bulb of onion,minced
Recipe 2
-Allium porum: 3 leafy plants
Recipe 3
-Sesamum indicum: seeds
Recipe 4
-Allium cepa: 2 bulbs of onion
- Brassica oleracea: 2 green leaves minced
-Zea mays : 4 handfuls of grain powder
-the onion is infused in 1 glassful of hot water for 24 hrs, and
the solution drunk: once a day for 2 months
-the onion is eaten as salads, preferably with olive oil.
The cut ingredients are boiled in 2 l of water for 15 min, and
the cooled solution drunk: 250 ml 2 times a day for2 months.
-the sesame oil is drunk : 1 spoonful twice a day for
2-3 months.
-the seeds are regularly added in the soup.
The ingredients are cooked in 1L of water for 5 to 10 min, and
the mixture spread on a gauze tissue in large compress rolled
up and applied on the sick parts Bandage the poultice for 2-3H
before removing, once a day for .2 months.
Recipes treating prostate adenoma
Recipe 5
-Cucurbita pepo : seed almond
Recipe 6
Recipe 7
Recipe 8
Recipe 9
One spoonful of ground seeds is regularly added to the meals,
every day during 3 weeks per month and for 3 months.
- Allium sativum: 1 teaspoonful of garlic juice The 2 solutions are mixed and drunk in the morning on an
-Petroselinum sativum: 1 teaspoonful of empty stomach, and in the evening before going to the bed.
The treatment is for 2-3 months.
essential oil
-Baillonella toxisperma: 2 handfuls of leaves The ingredients are boiled into 5 L of water for 45 min and the
decoction cooled drunk: 1 glassful per day for 1 months.
-Vernonia thomsoniana: 500 gof stem bark
-Carica papaya: 1 spoonful of fruit or root sap The 2 solutions are mixed and consumed in the daily meals for
2-3 months
-Elaeis guineensis: 3 spoonfuls of palm oïl
Contre indication. L’intéressé peut boire le vin de palme mais
pas la bière.
-Citrus aurantiifolia : juice of a fruit
The 2 solutions are mixed and drunk in the morning with an
empty stomach, for 2-3 months.
-Cucurbita pepo : 1 teaspoonful of seed oil
Recipe 10
-Citrus aurantiifolia : 5 fruits minced
-Vernonia guineensis: 1 handful of tuber
•
Rock salt : 1 spoonful
Recipe 11
-Aloes barteri: 1 leaf
-Cucurbita pepo : 1 handful of almonds
-Prunus africana : 1 handful of stem bark
* Odontol : qs 2 l
-The pounded ingredients are boiled in 4L of water for 30 min
-Albizia zygia : 500 gm of stem bark
-Baillonella toxisperma : 500 gm of stem bark and the cool decoction used as an enema for 3 months:
-1st month : 250 mL 2 per week at about 8 p.m.;
-Costus afer : 1 l of stem juice
-2d month : 205 mL once per week;
-3rd month: 250 mL 2 times per month.
(Contd.)
Recipe 12
The plant parts are minced and macerated in 2L of water for 5
days. Then the rock salt is added to the solution boiled during
15 min. The cooled solution is drunk: 1 glassful a day for 1
month. Vernonia guineensis dried tuber are ground and the
powder used as tea : 1 teaspoonful in a cupful of hot water
every morning and every evening for 1 month.
The pounded ingredients are introduced in 2 L of Odontol in a
bocal and the mixture macerated for 2 to 3 weeks. The
alcoholature is drunk : 10 mL in an half a glassful of water 3
times a day for 2 months.
42
INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 13, NO. 1 JANUARY 2014
Table 3—Plants used to treat prostatic diseases: Classification by 3 types of prostatic diseases treated (a), by number of plants used (b)
and the 33 phytotherapeutic preparations (c). (Contd.)
Recipes number (a)
Recipe 13
Recipe 14
Recipe 15
Plant species/family/current name/voucher
specimen number : plant part used (b)
Mode of uses (c)
-Citrus aurantiifolia: juice of 2 fruits
-Vernonia thomsoniana: 500 gm of stem bark
-Zingiber officinale: 250 gm of rhizomes
Steam bark and rhizomes are pounded and turned in 1 glassful
of water.The mixture is squeezed in a clean stuff. The solution
added to lemon juice and honey is drunk: 125 ml perday
for 2-3 months.
•
honey : 1 glassful
-Carica papaya : 1 dried leaf and 30 seeds
-Costus afer : 7 stem of 1 m long
-Eucalyptus saligna : 500 g of leaves
-Vernonia guineensis : 1000 g of stem bark
-Baillonella toxisperma : 1 handful of leaves
-Musanga cecropioides: 1 handful of leaves
-Vernonia guineensis : 500g of stem bark
-Vernonia thomsoniana : 250 g of leaves
the pounded Costus afer and Vernonia guineensis and the
other ingredients are boiled in 22L of water during 3 h and the
solution concentrated to12L. The cool decoction is drunk :
1 glassful three times a day for 2 months.
The pounded ingredients are boiled in 3.5L of water for 30 min
and the mixture infused for 24 h and drunk : 1 glassful three
times a day for 1 month..
Recipes treating Cancer of prostate
Recipe 16
-Arachis hypogaea: seeds
Recipe 17
-Beta vulgaris: tuber
Recipe 18
-Cococynthis citrulus: fruit
Recipe 19
-Dacryodes edulis: fruits
Recipe 20
-Glycine soja : seeds
Recipe 21
-Lagenariasiceraria : seeds
* 1 handful of leaves and handful of roots
* Odontol
Recipe 22
-Persea americana: fruits
Recipe 23
-Punica granatum: 4 fruits
Recipe 24
-Solanum lycopersicum: fruits
-The ripe fruits are squeezed in juice, drunk: 1glassful per day
for 2-3 months.
Recipe 25
-Allium sativum : 1 handful of cleaned garlics
-Bulcholzia coriaceae: 2 almonds (or seed)
-Local rum or Odontol or Hä
-Cucurbita maxima : seeds
-Cucumis melo: seeds
-The pounded ingredients are macerated in 2L of Odontol
during 2 weeks. The alcoholature is drunk : 60 mL in half a
glassful of water 3 times a day for 2-3 months.
Recipe 26
-the raw oil from the seeds is recommended: 1 spoonful
2 times a day per day for 2-3 months.
-Regularly eat the raw groundnuts:3 à 4 glassfuls per week.
-The tuber of Beta Vulgaris, cooked for 1 h is clean and
crushed in juice drunk:
300-500 mL per day for 2-3 months.
-250 g of Beta vulgaris are grated and eaten raw.
the fruit of Colocynthis citrulus and its seeds are regularly
eaten. The Recipe is more preventive.
-Extract and consume the plum oil: 1 spoonful 2 times a day
for 2-3 months.
-Eat regularly Dacryodes edulis fruits.
Regularly consume soya beans in various forms: soya beans
pap, yogurt of soya beans, meal of soya beans, soup of soya
beans, milk of soya beans and roast soya beans. The curative
care needs at least 2 meals of soya bean per day for 3 months.
-Extract and consume the calabash seeds oil: 1 spoonful
2 times a day for 2-3 months.
-1 glassful of leaves and roots juice is mixed with 1 glassful of
Odontol and the mixture drunk: 50 mL in half a glassful of
water 3 times a day for 2-3 months.
-Extract and consume the pear oil: 1 spoonful 2 times a day for
2-3 months.
-regularly eat Persea americana fruits, simple or as salad.
-Fruits are squeezed in 2 glassfuls of water, the mixture sieved
and the solution drunk : 1 glassful 2 times a day for 3 months.
- Extract and consume the pumpkin or courgette seeds oil:
1 spoonful 2 times a day for 2-3 months.
- regularly eat, after cooking ,pumkin or courgette fruits,
NOUMI & BOUOPDA: A REVIEW OF PROSTATE DISEASES AT YAOUNDE
43
Fig. 2—Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkm. (Rosaceae)
Fig. 3—Vernonia guineensis Benth. (Asteraceae)
men live thus with it for years without suffering29.
One diagnoses 40.000 new cases every year of
prostatic cancer in France (543.000 in the world) and
it is responsible for 10.000 deaths per year (200.000
in the world)22. It represents to the second rank of
cancers in Cameroon with a percentage of 22.09%4.
The benign hypertrophy of prostate develops itself at
10% of the men from 30 yrs, then key 50% among
them from 50 yrs and reaches the totality of the men
of 80 yrs and more practically. The operation of the
HBP in France is the second most frequent operation
after the cataract. The prostatic gland itself carries
factors that bring about its dysfunctions.
- The PSA rate increases spontaneously with age
and don't indicate any particular illness. Its rate in
blood is an essential parameter for the tracking
and the surveillance of the prostatic illnesses22.
- The prostate increases in size with age without
creating some problems to urinate. It starts
enlarging after 50 yrs: the cells increase and form
a benign tumor called adenoma (HBP) or shrewd
tumor called adenocarcinoma (AKP). The
masculine hormone (androgens) role is
indisputable since the HBP does not exist in men
castrated before the age of the puberty and it can
regress after castration22.
- One finds inside the cells of the HBP of the high
concentrations of dihydrotestosterone (DHT)
coming from the transformation of the testosterone
under the influence of an enzyme: the 5 alphareductase that would encourage the HBP22.
- The growth factors bound to the androgenic
hormones are secreted by some cells of the
prostate and act notably on the multiplication,
differentiation and the survival of the cells, but
itself unsettled in man from a certain age.
The prostatitis is an infection of the prostate caused
by urinary germs (bacterial prostatitis) by
Staphylococci usually, Escherichia coli, Gonococci,
Enterobacter and Pseudomonas. The treatment of
44
INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 13, NO. 1 JANUARY 2014
declared prostatitis infectionsis made either by
antibiotics, or by antiviral. The regular ingestion of
Allium cepa juice is bacteriostatic30, and the Allium
sativum active principle, allicine, is active in vitro in
1/100000 against different bacteria positive and
negative Gram (Staphylococci, Streptococci and
intestinal Bacteria) by its bacteriostatic properties31.
The roots and leaves of Carica papaya are prescribed
in the chronic gonococci with urethral shrinkage and
painful micturitions. The seeds have an activity
against Eschericia coli and Staphylococcus aureus32.
A particular attention must be paid vis-à-vis the
prostatic illnesses because of their increasing
prevalence due in principle to the new life styles; the
matrimonial regime and the food habits.
In the palm oil, the ergosterol (or provitamine A)
and the estrogens (oestrone or folliculine)31 are its
determining elements to make regress the volume of
the prostate. The sterols are present in the oil of the
pulp of Persea americana33.
The meal or soup of Arachis hypogaea yields an
oestrogen factor s soluble in oil34. Among some
female hormones, oestrogens have an extraordinary
activity on the cancer of the prostate. The results of
the estrogens therapy are really stupendous. They
actually make the metastases regress considerably22.
Cucurbita pepo, C. maxima and Lagenaria
siceriria (like all other Cucurbitaceae) are boiled and
eaten as foods. They are characterized by the presence
of the bitter principles of cucurbitacines35, at the
experimental level, these cucurbitacines reveal some
anti-tumorous properties on the cancerous tumors.
The cucurbitacines, D, E and I of Cucurbita pepo,
Lagenaria siceraria provoke a curbed inhibition of
the sarcoma 180, the black sarcoma and the
carcinomas of the ascites of Erlich, the sarcoma 180
being the most sensitive36,37.
The seed of Cucurbita spp. form the choice dishes
of the chiefs, notables, twins and also of the workshop
the divinities. They contain anti cancerous
substances.The cucurbitacines of the Cucurbitaceae
signaled, in parts according to Watt & BreyerBrandwijk35 are the following (Table 3).
Phythosterols are présent in many plant substances.
The oil of Cucurbita pepo contains the sterols
that inhibits the 5 alpha-testosterone reductase and
decreases the capacity of link of the
dihydrotestosterone intraprostatic, which makes it
worth its excellent properties to fight against the
hypertrophy of the prostate22.
The linoleic acidic of plant oil permits to improve
the urinary flux of the prostate: 42.6% of linoleic acid
in the oil of Cucurbita pepo, 63.8% in that of
Cococynthis citrulus38 13% in that of the pulp of
Persea americana.
The lycopene, pigment of the mature tomato, is
antioxydant. It acts by decreasing the PSA and by
making regress the tumors39,40. The big consumption
of tomato (even in sauce) decreases the risks of cancer
of the prostate of 35%22. Other carotenoids as
zeanthine and luteine of the oil of pulp of
Persea americana are very antioxydant. They inhibit
the apparition of the cells of the cancer of the prostate.
It contains folic acid (Vit B6) that acts against the
development of some types of cancers26.
Traditional significance of study to the
contributors
The sex is not a main risk factor, the sexual
hospitality being the rule of conviviality at the
Ewondo's. The food made of red oil of palm oil in the
daily meals (Kwem without salt made of cassava
leaves, sanga made of fresh maize), is rich in sterol:
ergosterol (or provitamine A) and in oestrogen
(oestrogen or folliculine) (Kerarho and Adam,
1974)31. The records species are also used as food for
their fruits: Carica papaya, Citrus spp., Lycopercicum
esculentus, Persea americana, Dacryodes edulis,
Cucurbita spp: leaves:_Brassica oleracea,. Others are
consumed as spices as Zingiber officinale, Allium
spp.Thus they are commonly grown by Yaoundé’s
people in their homestead plots. They are largely
similar to the uses recorded in other Cameroonian
localities like Foumban6 and Maroua 41, possibly
indicating authenticity of their usefulness in prostatic
diseases.
Some of the reported Recipes, liable to produce
untoward side effects, should be made and used under
the direction of the traditional healers who can control
their level of toxicity. In particular: v the use of
Persea gratissima or Citrus grandis juice, used by
women to induce abortion, should not be administered
to pregnant women. Some of the reported Recipes,
liable to produce untoward side effects should be
made and used under the direction of the traditional
healers who can control their level of toxicity.
In particular, Aloe barteri, commonly used for its
oxytocic effect, in the Sangmelima region, should not
be taken by pregnant women42.
Some few plants are collected from the wild,
specially the stem bark of Albizia zygia, Baillonella
NOUMI & BOUOPDA: A REVIEW OF PROSTATE DISEASES AT YAOUNDE
toxisperma and Prunus africana. The continue
depletion of the last species, not only poses a
challenge for its conservation, but also represents a
serious threat to the health status of Yaoundé
population. The stem bark of Prunus africana was
marketed 1.500CFA (3 USA$) during study period, to
manufacture the “Tadenan”. That wild resource is
reported to be declining in population and spread very
severely on the submontane floor of hills and
Cameroonians montanes, on which it grows.
Traditional healthcare should be integrated by the
government in a manner that ensures effective
conservation of the species used in ethnomedicines
Conclusion
Life is defined as the result of the interactions of
organs contributing to the development and the
conservation of the individual. The prostate is located
at the crossroads of the two processes: development
and procreation; activity of the soma and those of the
germ cells. Its illnesses ruin the physical health while
blocking the poisonous substance evacuation; ruin the
reproductive health while preventing the transfer of
the semen by the sexual impotence or the absence of
ejaculation, or the development of the semen by
castration. They appear like a male human calamity
The risk factors are the information needed by people
above 40 yrs of age, and their wives also. Traditional
medicine in the study area is adaptive because it
corresponds well with local patterns of morbidity,
healthcare needs. It is important to take into account
the socio-economic aspects of healthcare. The
quantitative analysis of plant use reports and the longstanding uses of these medicinal plants testify to their
medicinal efficacy and safety. In more the chemistry
and the biochemistry of some plant elements confirm
their actions on the prostatic illnesses. All these
contributions permitted the local mastery of the
prostatic problems that should not constitute a fatality
anymore.
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