Ethnobotanical literature survey of medicinal plants in the Dominican Republic used for women's health conditions

Abstract

This ethnobotanical literature survey is part of an on-going study in New York City investigating Dominican and Chinese healing systems and the herbal treatments used for the following women's conditions: uterine fibroids (benign tumors of uterine smooth muscle); menorrhagia (excessive uterine bleeding); endometriosis (growth of endometrial tissue outside of the uterus); and hot flashes (sudden brief sensations of heat commonly experienced during menopause). The objectives of this survey were: (1) to search literature on medicinal plants used in the Dominican Republic and identify those used for the above listed conditions and their symptoms; (2) to compare the use between herbal treatments reported in the literature with those prescribed by Dominican healers in New York City; and (3) to evaluate the extent to which healers may have changed their use of plants in order to adapt to availability in the New York City environment. A total of 87 plant species were reported in the Dominican literature for these conditions and symptoms. Nineteen species overlapped from the literature survey and the fieldwork with Dominican healers in New York City, representing 29% ( n=65) of the plants prescribed by healers in New York City. This study offers a model to investigate changes in plant use as people migrate to urban centers where they are surrounded by diverse cultures, healing systems, and new environments.