Ethnobotanical and Ecological Studies of Plants Used in the Treatment of Diabetes in Kwango, Kongo Central and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Non-communicable diseases represent new challenges for the mankind in the fight for health improvement. Among these diseases, diabetes is a major contributor. Diabetes is a serious chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body is unable to use the insulin produced effectively. This survey was performed in Kwango, Kongo-Central and Kinshasa provinces respectively between October 2016 and September 2017. A questionnaire was administered to the target population in order to collect relevant data. Plant identification was carried out at the herbarium of University of Kinshasa. The findings revealed that the inventoried medicinal flora is made up of 68 species which are divided into 34 families of 58 genera; the leaf is the most commonly used part in the treatment of diabetes while maceration is the most commonly used method of preparation. The use of medicinal plants is reported in almost all age groups from 20-89 years of age but with a predominance among people aged 40-49 years. Trees and phanerophyte species predominate in the flora studied; the majority of users of these medicinal plants have a primary level of education. In-depth phytochemical and pharmacological studies need to be carried out on these plants with a view to their scientific validation in the diabetes management.