August 13, 2026

Ethnobotanical Approaches to Malaria Vector Control | IJB 2025

Ethnobotanical study for malaria vector control in Couffo department in south-western Republic of Benin, West Africa

Eloi Honvoh, Laboratory of Pluridisciplinary Researches of Technical Teaching (LaRPET), Normal High School of Technical Teaching (ENSET) of Lokossa, National University of Sciences, Technologies, Engineering and Mathematics (UNSTIM) of Abomey, P. O. Box 133 Lokossa, Benin. Nazaire Aïzoun, Laboratory of Pluridisciplinary Researches of Technical Teaching (LaRPET), Normal High School of Technical Teaching (ENSET) of Lokossa, National University of Sciences, Technologies, Engineering and Mathematics (UNSTIM) of Abomey, P. O. Box 133 Lokossa, Benin. Arlette Adjatin, Laboratory of Genetics, Biotechnology and Applied Botany (GEBBA), National High School of Applied Biosciences and Biotechnology (ENSBBA) of Dassa-Zoumè, National University of Sciences, Technologies, Engineering and Mathematics (UNSTIM) of Abomey, Benin.Crispus Tossa, Laboratory of Genetics, Biotechnology and Applied Botany (GEBBA), National High School of Applied Biosciences and Biotechnology (ENSBBA) of Dassa-Zoumè, National University of Sciences, Technologies, Engineering and Mathematics (UNSTIM) of Abomey, Benin. Daniel Chougourou, Department of Environment Genius, Polytechnic School of Abomey-Calavi (EPAC), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Cotonou, Benin.Wrote a research paper about, Ethnobotanical Approaches to Malaria Vector Control entitled, Ethnobotanical study for malaria vector control in Couffo department in south-western Republic of Benin, West Africa. This research paper published by the International Journal of Biosciences | IJB. an open access scholarly research journal on Biosciences. under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Sciences| INNSpub. an open access multidisciplinary research journal publisher.

Abstract

The use of chemical insecticides causes important damages to environment and human health and there is a need to search for alternative solutions. Field surveys were organized from September to November 2023 during the small raining season in districts of Aplahoué, Djakotomey, Dogbo, Klouékanmè, lalo and Toviklin in Couffo department. Two villages were chosen in each of these districts by taking into account the sociodemographic data and the diversity of plants. The locations where these villages were chosen in each district were: Kissamey (Aplahoué), Kokohoué (Djakotomey), Totchangni (Dogbo), Tchikpé (klouekanmey), Doko (Toviklin) and Banigbé (Lalo). Then, investigations were done using ethnobotanical questions. These questions concerned: local names of plants used, the different organs of plants used, the using forms and using modes of these plants in malaria vector control in the villages surveyed. The results showed that more than thirty (30) plants were used by the people of Adja region in malaria vector control. These plants were used as powder applied on the skin of people in order to avoid that the mosquitoes took their meals on their body. The fumigation was the most using mode of cited plant species. Ethnobotanical study is very important in a context of resistance of malaria vector to the main classes of insecticide used in public health. 

 

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Introduction

Globally, in 2023, the number of malaria cases was estimated at 263 million, with an incidence of 60.4 cases per 1000 population at risk. This is an increase of 11 million cases from the previous year and a rise in incidence from 58.6 cases per 1000 population at risk in 2022. The WHO African Region continues to carry the heaviest burden of the disease, accounting for an estimated 94% of malaria cases worldwide in 2023. The WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region has experienced a 57% increase in incidence since 2021, risingto 17.9 cases per 1000 population at risk in 2023 (World Malaria Report, 2024).

Globally, in 2023, the number of deaths was estimated at 597 000, with a mortality rate of 13.7 per 100 000. The number of malaria deaths and the mortality rate steadily decreased from 622 000 and 14.9 deaths per 100 000, respectively, in 2020. The WHO African Region continues to carry the heaviest burden of mortality, with 95% of estimated malaria deaths worldwide (World Malaria Report, 2024).

Conventionally, synthetic insecticides organochlorines, carbamates, organophosphates, and pyrethroids temephos, fenthion, malathion, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) were expensive, leaving a residual effect, adapting resistance, non-biodegradable, toxicity to non-target organisms (Anyaele and Amusan, 2003). These problems urged the researchers for an expeditious search for new alternatives. Botanical-based insecticides were currently one of the most promising approaches, much research currently being devoted to plant extracts for the development of sustainable botanical insecticides (Liang et al., 2015). Plant extracts contain a mixture of several chemical active ingredients and thus may be able to effectively kill the mosquito through a different mechanism (Pavela, 2015). For the past two decades, numerous researches have been conducted on the biological activity of plant extracts against larvae of mosquitoes and insects, in that few plant extracts were commercialized. This shows that plant extracts were environmentally safe, non-toxicity against humans and other organisms (Govindarajan et al., 2016).

Extracts from plants may be alternative sources of mosquito control agents, since they constitute a rich source of bioactive compounds that are biodegradable into nontoxic products and potentially suitable for use to control mosquitoes. Plant extracts in general have been recognized as an important natural resource of insecticides. Phytochemicals derived from plant sources can act as larvicides, insect growth regulators, repellents, and oviposition attractants and can play an important role in the interruption of the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases at the individual as well as at the community level (Govindarajan et al., 2008a; 2008b).

Very few researches were published on the ethnobotanical study for the control of mosquitoborne diseases in Republic of Benin. Therefore, there is a need to carry out new researches for this purpose.

The goal of this research was to study the ethnobotany for malaria vector control in Couffo department in south-western Republic of Benin, West Africa.

Reference

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Aïzoun N, Adjatin A, Koukoui O, Chougourou D. 2022b. Larvicidal activities of ethanolic extracts of Hyptis suaveolens Linn (Lamiaceae) and Azadirachta indica (Meliaceae) leaves and their phytochemical properties in malaria vector control in Dogbo district in South-western Benin, West Africa. Global Journal of Engineering and Technological Advances 12(02), 113–120. https://doi.org/10.30574/gjeta.2022.12.2.0143.

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Article source : Ethnobotanical study for malaria vector control in Couffo department in south-western Republic ofBenin, West Africa 

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