Ethnopharmacological study of various plants used as female aphrodisiacs in the city of Korhogo (CÔTE d’ivoire)

A decline in libido among women whether due to hormonal fluctuations or the daily mental strain is a personal concern for many women. Faced with this issue, treatment failures, dissatisfaction with modern medicine, and the high cost of effective treatments have led the population of Korhogo to turn to herbal remedies to address their needs. The objective of this study is to conduct an ethnopharmacological analysis of traditional plants used as female aphrodisiacs in the city of Korhogo, located in the Poro region of Côte d'Ivoire. An ethnopharmacological survey was conducted in the form of an oral questionnaire among twenty (20) herbalists, twenty (20) traditional healers, twenty (20) midwives, and sixty (60) female users. An ethnopharmacological survey was conducted using an oral questionnaire among twenty (20) herbalists, twenty (20) traditional healers, twenty (20) midwives, and sixty (60) female users. These investigations identified 17 plant species, the most frequently cited of which were Alchornea cordifolia (16.41%) Sigesbeckia orientalis (15.48%), and Tetrapleura tetraptera (9.29%). The plant parts used are leaves (31.58%), fruits and roots (21.05%), flowers and seeds (10.53%), and bark (5.26%). For proper administration, preparation techniques such as infusion (61.90%), decoction (19.05%), as well as chewing and maceration (9.52%) are used. Regarding routes of administration, the most commonly used are oral (60%) and intimate washing (20%), while the least used are intimate fumigation, sublingual administration (8%), and topical application (4%). These results highlight the importance of female aphrodisiacs in local traditional medicine and contribute to the promotion of indigenous knowledge and the enhancement of user safety.