Table 12 List of wild spices, used part, processing methods, and forms and purpose of use

 Food

Leaves

Crush fresh leaves and mix with seasoning and sesame

Eat as sauce

Human nutrition

–

17

–

Milk production stimulation for nursing women

–

1

–

Diarrhea

–

2

–

Intestinal worms

–

1

–

Above ground

Crush and mix with seasoning and sesame

Eat as sauce

Stop hemorrhage for nursing women

–

2

–

 Medicine

Leaves

Boil in water as decoction

Drink the liquid 3 times/day

Fever

–

2

–

 Other

Pound the fresh leaves and mix with traditional soap koto

Take a shower with

Deodorant for nursing women

–

1

–

 Food

Leaves

Boil young leaves and mix with seasoning

Eat as vegetable

Human nutrition

1

Fruits

Remove the cockleshell

Eat the pulp

Human nutrition

57

53

86

Malaria

1

5

1

Cough

–

1

–

Crushed dried cockleshells as condiment in sauce

Eat

Human nutrition

2

–

–

Root

Crushed roots as aromatic spice in sauce

Eat as sauce, contra-indicated with pregnant women

Milk production stimulation for nursing women

3

–

–

 Medicine

Leaves

Boil leaves with stem and roots in water as decoction

Drink the liquid and take a shower 3 times/day

Fever and malaria

5

3

6

Drink the liquid 2 times/day

Stomach-ache

–

1

–

Milk production stimulation for nursing women

1

–

–

Soak dried leaves in water for 2–3 days

Drink the liquid and take a shower 3 times/day

Fever and malaria

1

–

–

Boil leaves in water as decoction

Take a shower

Fortify infants

2

–

–

Drink the liquid, a glass for adult, half for children

Dermatosis

1

–

1

Boil in water with Caesalpinia pulcherrima leaves, then add a piece of sugar

Drink a small glass 2 times/day

Icterus and yellow-fever

2

–

–

Triturate the leaves

Drink the juice 2 times/day

Hemorrhoid

–

–

1

Boil dried leaves in water as decoction. Add 2–3 pieces of sugar

Drink the liquid 4–5 times/day

Anemia for children

1

–

–

Boil in fermented corn water the yellowed leaves with A. angustifolium fruits plus tough potash

Drink a glass/day

Sexual weakness

1

–

–

Boil in the fermented corn water yellowed leaves with cockleshells of A. angustifolium fruits and tough potash

Drink the liquid 2 times/day

Painful menstruation

1

–

–

Fresh leaves

Rub the leaves juice against the body

Stop itching or insect bite

–

1

–

Fruits

Remove the cockleshell and Soak the pulp including the seeds in water for 2–3 h

Drink the liquid

Malaria

2

3

3

Hematuria

–

1

–

Pound dried cockleshells with dried seeds of A. melegueta

Make 9 scarifications at the hip

Hip-ache

–

–

1

Remove the cockleshells

Smell the scent or eat the pulp

Nausea for pregnant women

2

–

–

Boil in water as decoction

Drink the liquid once the day

Fortify infants

–

–

1

Boil 4 fruits with other ingredients as decoction

Drink the liquid 3 times/day

Infertility for women

–

–

1

Pound fresh fruits and make small bowls

Insert the bowls in the vagina before sleeping

Absence of menstruation

1

–

–

Soak in water with roots

Drink the liquid 3 times/day

Strengthening of bones

2

–

–

Root

Wash fresh roots

Eat raw and swallow the juice

Snake bite

–

–

1

Stomach-ache

–

–

1

Pounded fresh roots mix with other ingredients

Make a poultice

Snake bite

1

–

3

Soak in Sodabi or in sorghum fermented beverage for 2–3 days

Drink a small glass 2 times/day - contra-indicated with pregnant women

Stomach-ache

1

–

–

Soak with 7–8 M. myristica seeds and 4 Garcinia kola seeds

Drink the liquid 3 times/day

Sexual weakness

–

–

1

Dried roots and dried fruits plus tough potash crushed: mixed the powder palm almonds oil

Eat the mixture, on the morning after eating something sweetened

Intestinal worms

–

1

–

Crush dried roots with tough potash as powder

Lap 3 times/day

Intestinal worms

–

–

1

Boil in water with roots of Imperata cylindrica

Drink the liquid 3 times/day

Tuberculosis

1

–

–

Boil in water as decoction

Rinse the mouth

Tooth decay

1

–

–

Take a shower

Fever

–

1

–

Rub the liquid against the wound

Wound healing

1

–

–

Drink the liquid 3 times/day - contra-indicated with pregnant women

Malaria

1

–

–

Crushed with M. myristica seeds, warm

Rub the mixture against the body

Swelling and edema

1

–

–

roast with Imperata cylindrica roots, 10 pods of M. myristica, 10 Garcinia kola seeds and tough potash as powder

Mix with porridge, once on the morning

Infertility for women

–

1

–

Soak in water for 4 days

Drink the liquid and take a shower 2 times/day

Fortify the body

–

1

–

Cut and Soak in the water of beverage

Drink

Poultry disease healing

–

1

–

Stem

Cut the stem and add 3 seeds of A. melegueta

Eat and swallow the juice

Stomach-ache

–

–

1

Boil in water as decoction, add shea butter

Drink the liquid

Cough

–

1

–

Boil in water as decoction

Drink the liquid 3 times/day

Miscarriage

1

–

–

Seeds

Macerate in the traditional palm alcohol (sodabi) dried seeds with papaya’s dried seeds

Drink a small glass 3 times/day

Stomach-ache

1

–

–

Take some seeds and add with a Garcinia kola seed

Eat

Cough

1

–

–

roast dried seeds as powder and mix with porridge

Drink the porridge

Vertigo

–

–

–

 Other

Leaves

Triturate the leaves in water

Take a shower

Bad body smells

–

1

–

Fresh leaves

Wrap up maize based paste (akassa)

Trade

–

–

5

Stem

Fresh stems

As string to attach luggage on the field

Home use

–

6

–

As wipe to punish children

Home use

–

5

–

 Ceremony

Seeds

Dried seeds

Eaten by fetishist to activate incantations

Magico-religious

–

2

–

 Food

Leaves

Crushed leaves as aromatic spice in sesame sauce

Eat the sauce

Human nutrition

2

–

–

Stop hemorrhage for nursing women

–

1

–

Fruits

Remove the cockleshell

Eat the pulp

Human nutrition

5

–

–

Root

Crushed roots as aromatic spice in sauce

Eat as sauce

Human nutrition

1

–

–

Fortify nursing women

1

–

–

Icterus

1

–

–

Headache

1

–

–

 Medicine

Leaves

Crushed leaves mixed with salt or in sauce

Drink the mixture or eat the sauce

Stomach-ache

1

–

–

Soak fresh leaves in water

Rinse the face 3 times/day

Swelling of the face

–

1

–

Fresh leaves

Rub the leaves juice against the face 3 times/day

Swelling of the face

–

1

–

Leaves, roots and fruits as key ingredients for the recipe

Drink

Discard snakes and snake bite healing

1

–

–

Fruits

Remove the cockleshell and Soak the pulp including the seeds in water

Drink the liquid

Malaria

1

–

–

Hematuria

–

1

–

Crush or pound and mix with shea butter

Rub the mixture against the body

Ache

1

–

–

Soak in water with roots

Drink the liquid 3 times/day

Strengthening of bones

1

–

–

Root

Boil in water as decoction with potash

Drink the liquid

Anemia

–

1

–

Crush or pound fresh roots

Rub the mixture against the body

Swelling and edema

1

2

–

Crush or pound fresh roots

Rub the mixture against the head

Headache

7

–

–

Boil in water as decoction

Take a shower

Ache

–

1

–

Fever

–

1

–

Crush or pound fresh roots

Put a little in the nostrils

Cold

1

–

–

Crush fresh roots

Put the paste obtained on the decayed tooth

Tooth decay

–

1

–

Soak in water for 5 min the crushed fresh roots

Rub against the head and rinse the face

Vertigo

–

1

–

Soak in water with fruits peduncle and leave under the sun

Take a shower

Measles

1

–

–

Stem

Soak in germinated corn beverage

Rinse the face

Swelling of the face

–

1

–

Cut the fresh stems

Eat and swallow the sap

Cough

1

–

–

 Other

Stem

Fresh stems

As string to attach luggage on the field

Home use

–

2

–

As wipe to punish children

Home use

–

1

–

 Ceremony

Seeds

Dried seeds

Eaten by fetishist to activate incantations

Magico-religious

1

1

–

 Medicine

Fruits

Remove the cockleshell and Soak the pulp including the seeds in water

Drink the liquid

Malaria

1

–

–

Hematuria

–

1

–

Crush or pound and mix with shea butter

Rub the mixture against the body

Ache

1

–

–

Soak in water with roots

Drink the liquid 3 times/day

Strengthening of bones

1

–

–

Root

Sock in palm wine

Drink the liquid for 9 days (men) or 7 day (women)

Asthenia

–

–

1

Seeds

Crush dried seeds and mix with water

Drink the liquid and drip on the eyes, contra-indicated with pregnant women

Anemia

–

–

1

Drink the liquid 2–3 times/day, contra-indicated with pregnant women

Diarrhea

–

–

1

Crush dried seeds and mix with palm alcohol

Drink the liquid 2 times/day, contra-indicated with pregnant women

Stomach-ache

–

–

1

Soak with X. aethiopica fruits

Drink a small glass 2 times/day, contra-indicated with pregnant women

Stomach-ache

–

–

1

Crush dried seeds as powder

Make scarifications for 9 days (men) or 7 days (women)

Paralysis

–

–

1

Soak in palm alcohol with P. guineense and X. aethiopica fruits, ginger and lemon

Drink the liquid 3 times/day, contra-indicated with pregnant women

Ulcer

–

–

1

 Ceremony

Seeds

Dried seeds

Eaten by fetishist to activate incantations

Magico-religious

–

–

10

 Medicine

Leaves

Boil in water as decoction

Take a shower

Dermatosis

–

–

1

Root

Boil in water as decoction

Drink the liquid 2 times/day

Hemorrhoid

–

–

1

 Ceremony

Leaves

Fresh leaves

Make magic to counter tchakatou dark magic

Magico-religious

–

–

1

 Food

Leaves

Attach the leaves and use as aromatic in Cleome gynandra leaves sauce

Eat the sauce

Human nutrition

–

–

2

 Food

Leaves

Crush the young shoots and mix with seasoning and crushed sesame or peanut as aromatic spices

Eat the sauce

Human nutrition

49

54

29

Boil in water and mix with seasoning as vegetable sauce

1

–

2

Dry and reduce in powder

Sprinkle the sauce

Human nutrition

43

35

17

Boil fresh leaves in water with corn

Eat

Human nutrition

–

2

2

Soak in water with corn and grind

Eat as akassa

Human nutrition

–

–

1

Infuse dried leaves in warm water as aromatic tea

Drink the tea

Human nutrition

1

1

–

Flower

Dried flowers in whole or crushed

Sprinkle the sauce

Human nutrition

44

35

17

Milk production stimulation for nursing women

2

1

–

Healing uterine wounds for nursing women

3

1

–

Indigestion, constipation and stomach-ache

8

5

–

Dysentery and Hemorrhoid

2

1

–

Boil flower or leaves in water with seasoning as spice for spicy meat

Eat

Human nutrition

–

1

5

 Medicine

Leaves

Boil in water as decoction

Drink the liquid and take a shower 3 times/day

Fever and malaria

6

9

25

Fortify infants

2

5

6

constipation and Stomach-ache

1

1

7

Diarrhea

–

3

–

Measles

1

1

–

Cover the head and take a steam bath

Headache

2

–

–

Rinse the eyes

Sore eyes

–

–

1

Boil in water as decoction or Soak in alcohol

Drink the liquid

Blood-pressure

3

–

–

Boil in water with stem and roots as decoction

Cold and cough

2

–

2

Dysentery and Hemorrhoid

–

1

2

Drink the liquid and rinse the body or take a shower 2 times/day

Dermatosis and wound healing

–

2

5

Boil in water leaves and roots

Drink the liquid

Healing uterine wounds for nursing women

4

–

–

Nausea and vomiting

3

1

–

Triturate the leaves

Inhale the gas and drip on the eyes

Headache

–

–

1

Put the juice into the nostrils

Cold

–

–

1

Drink the juice before going to hospital

Snake bite

1

–

–

Fresh leaves

Eat and swallow the juice

Cough

–

–

–

Root

Boil in water as decoction

Drink the liquid 2–3 times/day

Anemia for children

1

–

1

Nausea and vomiting

10

–

–

Indigestion and Stomach-ache

2

9

–

Diarrhea

–

1

–

Ulcer

–

2

–

Intestinal worms

2

–

–

Drink the liquid and take a shower

Fever and malaria

–

12

2

Fortify infants

–

3

–

Boil in water as decoction with small red onions, X. aethiopica fruits and M. myristica seeds

Drink the liquid and take a shower

Dermatosis and wound healing

–

7

1

Crush or pound fresh roots

Rub the mixture against the body

Swelling and edema

1

–

1

Soak in water for 2 h

Drink the liquid 3 times/day

Painful menstruation

1

–

–

Soak in water for 3 days with X. aethiopica fruits

Rinse the eyes

Sore eyes

–

1

–

Crush dried roots with 9 A. melegueta seeds and X. aethiopica fruit as powder

Inhale the powder

Headache

1

–

–

Stem

Boil in water as decoction

Drink the liquid 3 times/day

Asthma

–

1

–

 Cultural

Flower

Dried flowers

Use to spicy sauce

Food

–

21

–

 Food

Seeds

Roast the seed to remove the cockleshells and crush the almond, use as aromatic spice in sauce

Eat the sauce

Human nutrition

–

–

1

Crush almonds with X. aethiopica fruits and mix with pepper, chili, other spices and seasoning

Eat as sauce

Stomach-ache

–

–

1

 Medicine

Seeds

Boil in water with X. aethiopica fruits, U. chamae roots and small red onions

Drink the liquid 3 times/day

Stomach-ache

–

–

1

Black menstruations and absence of menstruations

–

–

1

Crush the almond and mix with palm almond oil

Rub the mixture against the body

Fever

–

–

1

Boil in water as decoction

Take a shower

Fever

–

–

1

Flower

Char flowers with U. chamae roots as powder and an A. melegueta fruit pod

Sprinkle wounds

Incurable wounds healing

–

–

1

Bark

Crush dried bark and 7 A. melegueta seeds as powder and mix with palm almond oil

Put the mixture in the wounds

Wound healing

–

–

1

Soak fresh barks in the water

Rinse a wound

Wound healing

–

–

1

Root

Pound dried roots and mix with sugar and sulfur as powder

Mix the powder with the porridge

Dysentery and Hemorrhoid

–

–

1

 Ceremony

Seeds

Dried seeds

Used by fetishist for various ceremonies

Magico-religious

–

–

4

 Food

Leaves

Fresh leaves crushed or in whole as aromatic spice in sauce

Eat

Human nutrition

–

–

13

Fruits

Crush dried fruits and mix with seasoning

–

–

11

Stem

Cut fresh stems and put in the sauce

–

–

2

Root

Put fresh roots in the sauce

–

–

1

 Medicine

Leaves

Boil in water as decoction

Drink the liquid

Dermatosis

–

–

1

Fruits

Sock in water dried fruits with ginger and fruit of X. aethiopica

Drink the liquid, contra-indicated with pregnant women

Dermatosis

–

–

1

Soak in alcohol dried fruits with A. melegueta and X. aethiopica fruits

Ulcer

–

–

1

Hematuria

–

–

1

Soak dried fruits in alcohol

Drink the liquid 2 times/day

Blood-pressure

–

–

1

Crush dried fruits and mix with salt

Drink the mixture

–

–

–

 Ceremony

Fruits

Dried fruits

Used by fetishist for ceremonies of fâ

Magico-religious

–

–

5

 Medicine

Root

Crush or pound the roots

Make a poultice

Edema and abscess

–

–

2

Soak in water with X. aethiopica fruits and M. myristica seeds

Drink the liquid

antibiotic

–

–

1

Boil in water with U. chamae and Z. zanthoxyloides roots, X. aethiopica fruits, M. myristica seeds and small red onions

Drink the liquid once the day

Stomach-ache

–

–

1

Soak in alcohol with garlic and A. melegueta seeds

Drink the liquid

Fever

–

–

1

 Medicine

Root

Rub against a rock

Rub the root juice against the body

Edema, abscess, swelling, wound and mumps

10

–

1

Dry and reduce in powder the roots with papaya roots and fruits of A. melegueta

Hemorrhoid

1

–

–

Crush the roots

Rub the past against the body

Guinea-worm disease

–

–

1

 Food

Fruits

Ripe fruit

Eat

Human nutrition

–

–

1

Root

Crush and mix with seasoning as aromatic spice

Eat

Human nutrition

–

–

1

 Medicine

Leaves

Boil in water as decoction

Take a shower

Fever

–

–

1

Root

Soak in alcohol with X. aethiopica fruits, M. myristica and A. melegueta seeds

Drink the liquid 2 times/day

Stomach-ache

–

–

2

Boil in water with ripe palm fruits

Drink the liquid

Anemia

–

–

1

 Medicine

Fruits

Boil or soak in water with A. melegueta seeds

Drink the liquid 3 times/day

Stomach-ache

–

–

3

Dried fruits

Eat the fruit and swallow the juice

Nausea and vomiting

–

–

1

Boil in water with other ingredients as decoction

Drink the liquid

Infertility for women

–

–

2

Boil in water as decoction

Drink the liquid

Fortify infants

–

–

1

Crush dried fruits and mix with alcohol

Rub the mixture against the body

Edema, swelling and dermatosis

–

–

2

Crush dried fruits as powder and mix with sugar

Mix the powder with the beverage and drink

Asthenia

–

–

1

 Ceremony

Fruits

Dried fruits

Used by fetishist for various ceremonies

Magico-religious

–

–

2

 Food

Root

Remove, dry and crush roots’ barks as powder

Spicy sauces and eat, contra-indica with pregnant women

Human nutrition

25

–

–

Milk production stimulation for nursing women

9

–

–

Stomach-ache and ulcer

4

–

–

Dysentery and diarrhea

2

–

–

Healing uterine wounds for nursing women

5

–

–

 Medicine

Root

Soak the roots’ barks in alcohol

Drink the liquid 2–3 times/day, contra-indicated with pregnant women

Stomach-ache

14

–

–

Nausea and vomiting

1

–

–

Intestinal worms

1

–

–

Sexual weakness

1

–

–

Soak the roots’ barks in alcohol with A. melegueta seeds

Abortion

2

–

–

Soak the roots’ barks in alcohol with garlic, pepper, chili, X. aethiopica fruits, M. myristica and A. melegueta seeds

Drink the liquid 2–3 times/day, contra-indicated with pregnant women

Ulcer

3

–

–

Menstruation issue

1

–

–

Boil in water the roots’ barks with garlic, pepper, chili, X. aethiopica fruits, M. myristica and A. melegueta seeds

Drink the liquid 2–3 times/day, contra-indicated with pregnant women

Sexually transmissible infections

1

–

–

Boil in water the roots’ barks with ginger leaves as decoction

Drink the liquid

Painful and dark menstruation

2

–

–