Background: Obesity is a global epidemic that affects both developed and developing countries. According to World Health Organization (WHO), in 2014, over 1.9 billion adults were overweight. Burkina Faso, like other countries, faces the problem of obesity, with a prevalence of 7.3%. The main cause is excessive intake of caloric foods combined with low physical activity, although genetic, endocrine and environmental influences (pollution) can sometimes be predisposing factors. This metabolic imbalance often leads to multiple pathologies (heart failure, Type II diabetes, cancers, etc.). Drugs have been developed for the treatment of these diseases; but in addition to having many side effects, locally these products are not economically accessible to the majority of the population. Burkina Faso, like the other countries bordering the Sahara, has often been confronted in the past with periods of famine during which populations have generally used anorectic plants to regulate their food needs. This traditional ethnobotanical knowledge has not been previously investigated. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in Burkina Faso in the provinces of Seno (North) and Nayala (Northwest) to list the plants used by local people as an anorectic and/or fort weight loss. Methods: The survey, conducted in the two provinces concerned traditional healers, herbalists, hunters, nomads and resourceful people with knowledge of plants. It was conducted over a period of two months and data were collected following a structured interview with the respondents. The approach was based on dialogue in the language of choice of the respondent and the use of a questionnaire. The data have been structured and then statistically analyzed. Results: The fifty-five (55) respondents of the survey were aged between 40 and 80 years. Sixty-one (61) plant species, belonging to thirty-one (31) families were listed as appetite suppressants and/or for their anti-obesity properties. The main families of plants are Mimosaceae, Rubiaceae, Asclepiadaceae and Cesalpiniaceae. Fruits are the most used part of the plant organs. Consumption in the raw state or as a decoction are the two main forms of preparation. Conclusion: The great diversity of plants cited by informants demonstrates the existence of rich local knowledge to address obesity in Burkina Faso. Evaluation of the biochemical activity of the extracts of the most cited species could allow the development of a phytomedicine economically accessible to the majority of the population. This could allow for the preservation of biodiversity in this region which is weakened by climate change because some of the species cited are in fragile state or are threatened with extinction.

Medicinal plants can help combat antibiotic resistance by providing novel, active molecules. Three plant species of the Terminalia genus are widely used in traditional medicine in the Mouhoun region for the treatment of cutaneous and respiratory diseases. Therefore, it is important to determine the ethnopharmacological potential of bark extracts from the trunks of these three Terminalia species. This study compared the phytochemical and biological activities of extracts from three Terminalia species to determine their ethnopharmacology. The medicinal properties of the extracts were assessed based on their ability to inhibit the growth of the following microorganisms: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, Candida krusei, Candida glabrata, and Candida tropicalis. The significant interest in these medicinal plants among the local communities were elucidated by their antioxidant properties and phytochemical composition, along with the detection key bioactive compounds. Major phytochemical groups and phenolic compounds were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography with a diode array detector. These phytochemical findings were validated by evaluating the antioxidant capacity of the extracts using DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS assays. Hydroethanolic, ethanolic, and hexane extracts from the bark of three Terminalia species inhibited the growth of both bacteria and fungi, as evidenced by their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). The findings showed that Terminalia species were most effective against various tested bacteria and fungi, with MICs ranging from 0.1 to 6.25 mg/mL. Terminalia avicennioides, Terminalia macroptera, and Terminalia laxiflora extracts demonstrated 50 % inhibition of DPPH at concentrations ranging from 0.04 to 0.6 mg/mL. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of several families of chemical compounds, such as total phenolics and flavonoids. Phenolic compounds identified by HPLC in ethanolic extracts of T. avicennioides, such as isorhamnetin, quercetin, and ferulic acid, are recognised for their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. These findings establish an ethnobotany for these three Terminalia species, with their chromatographic characteristics facilitating the identification of key molecules of interest. The ethanolic extract of T. avicennioides can be used in phytomedicinal formulations against bacterial (P. aeruginosa and S. aureus) and fungal (C. albicans and C. glabrata) infections, both of which are recurrently recorded in certain skin and respiratory tract diseases.