Between Forest and Laboratory: Knowledge, Practice, and Identity Among Traditional Medicine Practitioners in Yaoundé, Cameroon
TL;DR
Traditional medicine in Yaoundé constitutes a coherent, adaptive, and culturally embedded therapeutic system anditable collaboration between traditional practitioners and biomedical institutions grounded in mutual respect, quality standardisation, and intellectual property recognition holds significant potential for improving healthcare access and preserving phytotherapeutic heritage in Central Africa.
Abstract
Contextually, traditional medicine remains a primary healthcare resource for a significant proportion of the Cameroonian population. Despite growing pharmacological interest in medicinal plants, the practitioners who constitute the human backbone of this system herbalists, traditional healers, phytotherapists, and naturopaths remain understudied in their socio-cultural context, their knowledge systems, and their relationship to biomedical practice. The objective of this study was to explore the ethnopharmacological knowledge, preparation techniques, cultural transmission mechanisms, and identity of five traditional medicine practitioners in Yaoundé, Cameroon, with a view to understanding complementarities and tensions between traditional and biomedical systems. As far as the Methods are concerned, this qualitative study employed semi-structured in-depth interviews with five purposively selected informants: a phytotherapist-nutritionist, a traditional healer (tradipraticienne), two herbalists from the Mvog-Bi market, and a naturopath. Interviews were conducted in Yaoundé between January and March 2026 and analysed thematically through an ethnomedical lens. Results show that five thematic domains emerged: (1) raw material sourcing and plant identification; (2) preparation and transformation processes; (3) formulation and dosage; (4) cultural transmission and spiritual dimensions; and (5) challenges and prospects for integration with modern pharmacy. Practitioners shared empirical pharmacovigilance logic, intergenerational oral transmission, and polypharmaceutical formulation. Key divergences were found in standardisation practices, spiritual engagement, and institutional recognition. In Conclusion, traditional medicine in Yaoundé constitutes a coherent, adaptive, and culturally embedded therapeutic system. Equitable collaboration between traditional practitioners and biomedical institutions grounded in mutual respect, quality standardisation, and intellectual property recognition holds significant potential for improving healthcare access and preserving phytotherapeutic heritage in Central Africa.