Abstract
Ethnopharmacological relevanceHow medicinal plant knowledge changes over time is a question of central importance in modern ethnopharmacological research. However, only few studies are available which undertook a comprehensive exploration of the evolution of plant use in human cultures. AimsIn order to understand this dynamic process, we conduct a systematic diachronic investigation to explore continuity and change in two knowledge systems which are closely related but separated in time—historical iatrosophia texts and today′s Greek Orthodox monasteries on Cyprus. Materials and methodsAn ethnobotanical study was conducted in 21 of the island′s monasteries involving various types of interview as well as a written questionnaire survey. Data about medicinal plant use collected in the monasteries was analysed and quantitatively compared to historical iatrosophia texts using data from our pre-existing dataset. ResultsWe found a core group of plant taxa for which a high consensus exists among the monasteries regarding their medicinal usefulness. Various means and routes of knowledge transmission appear to be involved in the development of this knowledge. The systematic comparison between the monasteries and the iatrosophia shows similarities and differences on various levels. While the plants used by the nuns and monks have by the majority a relationship to the iatrosophia and show a remarkable historical consistency in terms of their use for defined groups of ailments, the importance of many of these plants and the use of herbal medicines in general have changed. ConclusionsThis is one of the first studies from the Mediterranean region which is based on a systematic ethnopharmacological analysis involving comprehensive datasets of historical and modern ethnographic data. The example illustrates continuity and change in ‘traditional’ knowledge as well as the adoption of new knowledge and provides the opportunity to look beyond the dichotomy between traditional and modern concepts of plant usage. Overall, the study suggests that a systematic diachronic approach can facilitate a better understanding of the complex and dynamic processes involved in the development of medicinal plant knowledge.
Highlights
One of the core interests in today′s scientific inquiry is “to understand how systems change over time, whether they are atoms, molecules, organisms, ecosystems, climates, galaxies, black holes or universes” (Shapiro, 2011)
Of these 628 use reports (UR) are based on Field study (FS) and 673 URs on written questionnaire (WQ) with 61 URs resulting both from FS and WQ with the corresponding plant uses being reported in both datasets
The practical absence of applications linked to cardiovascular conditions in the iatrosophia corresponds to the situation in Matthioli′s I Discorsi where cardiovascular uses do not appear as a use category (Leonti et al, 2010). This raises the question to what extent earlier people, in the absence of the possibilities of modern science, were able to understand cardiovascular symptoms or how much they knew about heart diseases and about the prevalence of cardiovascular complaints in general. This is one of the first studies from the Mediterranean region which is based on a systematic ethnopharmacological analysis involving comprehensive datasets of historical and modern ethnographic data
Summary
One of the core interests in today′s scientific inquiry is “to understand how systems change over time, whether they are atoms, molecules, organisms, ecosystems, climates, galaxies, black holes or universes” (Shapiro, 2011). This focus plays a central role in modern ethnopharmacological research in the context of continuity and change in human-plant relationships. The need to better understand the development of knowledge systems about plant use is supported by recent findings of ethnobotanical or ethnopharmacological field studies which suggest that local or indigenous knowledge about the use of plants as medicine or food is currently undergoing diverse and often dramatic changes. 49 (29 female and 20 male, aged between 25 and 91, average 57) participated in the field study and 46 (26 female and 20 male, aged between 26 and 91, average 52) in the written questionnaire survey
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