International Journal of Plant & Soil Science

The study focused on the spontaneous plants used in the traditional soap making. The aim is to create a directory of the main plant species used in traditional soap making in the Sudan savanna zone.
An ethnobotanical investigation based on direct structured or semi-structured individual interviews was carried out with 193 people. 33 plants were recorded, among which 7 plants are used for the extraction of the fat and 28 for potash manufacture. The frequency of plant use, level of abundance plant and origin of each plant species were estimated.
At the end of the study, 33 plants were recorded and 22 are abundant in study zone. Carapa procera was used much and on the other hand Ceiba pentandra, Cussonia arborea, Elaeis guineensis and Vitellaria paradoxa were moderately used. 28 plants are spontaneous and 84 % of respondents reported their involvement in the traditional soap making. 7 plants were used for fat extraction while 28 plants species were use to potash manufacture. Stems and fruit were most requested as organs of plants for soap making.
The intensive use of the stem (trunk and branches) of these species is a real pressure on the resources itself and may lead to the extinction of the most vulnerable one. Plants inventoried were ranked according to their importance for the soap makers. Several types of plants were identified, from the most known, commonly used and abundant in the study site (Carapa procera, Ceiba pentandra and Cussonia arborea) to the least known, little used and scarce. The valorization of these resources can be beneficial to concerned population, it is urgent to adopt a sustainable management approach for the preservation of the used species. So, 3 plants species (C. procera, P. butyracea and C. arborea) were proposed for possible revalorization.