Abstract
BackgroundTraditional remedies are an integral part of Colombian culture. Here we present the results of a three-year study of ethnopharmacology and folk-medicine use among the population of the Atlantic Coast of Colombia, specifically in department of Bolívar. We collected information related to different herbal medicinal uses of the local flora in the treatment of the most common human diseases and health disorders in the area, and determined the relative importance of the species surveyed.MethodsData on the use of medicinal plants were collected using structured interviews and through observations and conversations with local communities. A total of 1225 participants were interviewed.ResultsApproximately 30 uses were reported for plants in traditional medicine. The plant species with the highest fidelity level (Fl) were Crescentia cujete L. (flu), Eucalyptus globulus Labill. (flu and cough), Euphorbia tithymaloides L. (inflammation), Gliricidia_sepium_(Jacq.) Kunth (pruritic ailments), Heliotropium indicum L. (intestinal parasites) Malachra alceifolia Jacq. (inflammation), Matricaria chamomilla L. (colic) Mentha sativa L. (nervousness), Momordica charantia L. (intestinal parasites), Origanum vulgare L. (earache), Plantago major L. (inflammation) and Terminalia catappa L. (inflammation). The most frequent ailments reported were skin affections, inflammation of the respiratory tract, and gastro-intestinal disorders. The majority of the remedies were prepared from freshly collected plant material from the wild and from a single species only. The preparation of remedies included boiling infusions, extraction of fresh or dry whole plants, leaves, flowers, roots, fruits, and seeds. The parts of the plants most frequently used were the leaves. In this study were identified 39 plant species, which belong to 26 families. There was a high degree of consensus from informants on the medical indications of the different species.ConclusionsThis study presents new research efforts and perspectives on the search for new drugs based on local uses of medicinal plants. It also sheds light on the dependence of rural communities in Colombia on medicinal plants.
Highlights
Traditional remedies are an integral part of Colombian culture
Despite the country’s natural richness, the status of scientific knowledge on Colombian flora is still incipient in many aspects
At different times in Colombia’s history, especially between the Conquest and Colonial periods, when people of different cultures have generated an amalgam of varied customs and beliefs which have in turn contributed to create a diverse and valuable cultural heritage that includes the use of medicinal plants
Summary
Traditional remedies are an integral part of Colombian culture. Here we present the results of a three-year study of ethnopharmacology and folk-medicine use among the population of the Atlantic Coast of Colombia, in department of Bolívar. The main goal of ethnopharmacology is to identify novel compounds derived from plants and animals for use in indigenous medical systems. This knowledge can be used in the development of new pharmaceuticals. The Pacific region has one of the most important pockets of biodiversity in the world, and the tallest costal mountain in the world (18,700 ft above sea level) is in Colombia’s Caribbean region This mountain, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, has a complex variety of flora and fauna since it is completely separated from other ranges mountain, and it contains many different kinds of habitats [10,12]. In 1994, for example, a listing of medicinal plants and their approved uses was produced by the Comisión Revisora de Productos Farmacéuticos-Colombia (Review Commission for Pharmaceutical Products-Colombia) [11]
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