TITLE:
Bibliometrics Validation of Local Plant Species in Burkina Faso for the Management of Endometriosis from 2014 to 2024
AUTHORS:
Aminata P. Nacoulma, Sié Paul Kambou, Lassané Ouedraogo, Pierrette Rachidatou Lankouande, Naamwin-So-Bawfu R. Meda, Jean Sakande
KEYWORDS:
Bibliometrics, Medicinal Plants, Endometriosis, Burkina Faso
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.17 No.10,
October
19,
2026
ABSTRACT: Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological condition characterized by the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus, causing inflammatory reactions, severe pelvic pain, and fertility problems. Although hormonal and surgical treatments exist, they are often palliative, costly, and difficult to access in low-resource countries. Faced with these limitations, many women turn to traditional medicine, which uses plants with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and analgesic properties. However, there is a lack of rigorous scientific data validating these uses, particularly in Burkina Faso. This study aims to catalog the medicinal plants reported in the literature from 2014 to 2024 and to identify the chemical groups responsible for their biological activities. Data for the study were collected via the Dimensions AI platform, using the primary keyword “endometriosis and medicinal plants.” The VOSviewer software was used to map citation networks of authors and journals. The analysis identified 2162 articles published in PubMed during the period, with exponential growth observed between 2019 and 2021, peaking at 400 articles in 2024. The predominant research fields were biomedical and clinical sciences (67.53%). The most represented families in this study were Fabaceae (13%), Asteraceae (10%), and Cannabaceae (8.7%). Essential oils (24.7%), leaves (19.6%), and flowers (19.6%) were the most studied parts. From a phytochemical perspective, flavonoids constituted the most abundant group (26.3%), followed by terpenes (17.8%). Six local species were identified in Burkina Faso, including Entada africana and Phyllanthus niruri. This study suggests the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants in the management of endometriosis, supported by some biological mechanisms of action.