An ethnopharmacological assessment of medicinal plants in Malanje Municipality, Angola

Malanje Municipality in north-central Angola harbors exceptional botanical and cultural diversity, yet remains poorly documented for traditional medicinal plant knowledge; this study provides the first systematic ethnopharmacological baseline to guide pharmacological prioritization, conservation, and policy-relevant integration of traditional medicine.

Between 2018 and 2023, we conducted semi-structured interviews (n = 20 traditional healers), participatory observation, in situ photographic documentation, and GPS mapping. Voucher specimens were taxonomically verified against herbarium material and online resources. Quantitative indices included frequency measures and rank order priority (ROP); therapeutic indications were grouped using ICD-11 categories.

Informants reported 272 ethnospecies, of which 78 taxa (39 families) were identified to species level. Fabaceae (9%), Asteraceae (6.4%), and Euphorbiaceae, Poaceae, and Zingiberaceae (each 5.1%) were most represented families. Leaves (53.8%) and roots (42.3%) were the principal parts used; decoction (60%) and maceration (31%) were the most common preparations. ROP prioritized Terminalia brachystemma (81.8), Securidaca longepedunculata (54.4), and Mondia whitei (52.2) for follow-up study. Treated conditions clustered in gastrointestinal disorders (43.6%) and infectious/parasitic diseases (29.5%). Healers reported several contraindications and observable adverse effects.

This work provides the first comprehensive ethnopharmacological register for Malanje Municipality, highlighting high-priority species for phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological evaluation and identifying conservation and sustainable-use concerns (notably root harvest). Limitations include a modest sample of informants and incomplete taxonomic resolution for many ethnospecies.

Expand sampling across the province, complete voucher identification, perform contamination and toxicity screening, and develop community-led cultivation and stewardship plans that align with Angola's National Policy for Traditional and Complementary Medicine.