Abstract
The symptom “fever” is generally not itself a terminal condition. However, it does occur with common mild to severe ailments afflicting the world population. Several allopathic medicines are available to attenuate fever by targeting the pathogen or the symptom itself. However, many people in marginal civilizations are obligated to use locally grown medicinal plants due to limited access to common pharmaceuticals. The Karen ethnic group is the biggest ethnic minority group in the hill-tribes of Thailand. They utilise a vast repertoire of medicinal plant species. Since many modern drugs were discovered out of traditional therapies, it is possible to discover new allopathic drugs in the treatment of fever and associated pathogens from the Karen people. Thus, this study aims to identify and record the ethnomedicinal plants they used for the treatment of “fever”. The names of plants used by the Thai Karen people for the treatment of fever were mined from publications on ethnomedicinal uses. Useful plant species and families were identified using the Cultural Importance Index (CI). With the mined data, 125 plant species from 52 families were identified, distributed across 25 Karen villages. A chemical cross-examination of these species provided valuable insights into chemical classes worthy of further investigation in the context of fever and associated pathogens.
Highlights
Fever is one of the most prevalent afflictions of the human race in the developing world [1]
This study aims to build an exhaustive list of plants used by the Karen people for fever
Not surprising that the current study successfully compiled the biggest list of medicinal plants used for fever treatment in Thailand
Summary
Fever is one of the most prevalent afflictions of the human race in the developing world [1]. Fever commonly develops in the course of microbial infection, where pyrogens released by the bacteria or virus act directly on the OVLT (organum vasculosum laminae terminalis) of the anterior hypothalamus, which responds by elevating core body temperature [2]. The endogenous release of pyrogens occurs in response to pathogenic protozoal lifeforms that use mosquitoes as their vectors. In northern Thailand, the most common forms of fever are caused by the transmission of mosquito-borne vectors, dengue fever [3] and malaria [4]. The recent global pandemic of COVID-19 has stimulated a renewed interest in discovering new therapies that act against fevers and fever-causing agents. Seeking curative drugs from plants is considered a rational approach because of recent developments in the context of synthetic derivatives of alkaloids from Cinchona, possibly contributing to patient recovery [5]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
