Abstract
Northern Peru represents the center of the Andean “health axis,” with roots going back to traditional practices of Cupisnique culture (1000 BC). For more than a decade of research, semistructured interviews were conducted with healers, collectors, and sellers of medicinal plants. In addition, bioassays were carried out to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of plants found. Most of the 510 species encountered were native to Peru (83%). Fifty percent of the plants used in colonial times have disappeared from the pharmacopoeia. Market vendors specialized either on common and exotic plants, plants for common ailments, and plants only used by healers or on plants with magical purposes. Over 974 preparations with up to 29 different ingredients were used to treat 164 health conditions. Almost 65% of the medicinal plants were applied in these mixtures. Antibacterial activity was confirmed in most plants used for infections. Twenty-four percent of the aqueous extracts and 76% of the ethanolic extracts showed toxicity. Traditional preparation methods take this into account when choosing the appropriate solvent for the preparation of a remedy. The increasing demand for medicinal species did not increase the cultivation of medicinal plants. Most species are wild collected, causing doubts about the sustainability of trade.
Highlights
Traditional medicine is used globally and has a rapidly growing economic importance
In his book Hoy y Ayer: Las Plantas Medicinales [95], he reviewed the lamentable history of medicinal plant legislation in Peru throughout the 1990s
He pointed out that the nation followed the recommendations of the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA), which he saw as totally inapplicable, a situation traceable to the “bicultural” nature of Peruvian society where the official scientific world view predominates over traditional “cosmovision.” This was occurring in spite of the fact that, since the 1970s, World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly formulated and refined guidelines for appropriate protection and sustainable development of medicinal plant resources and associated knowledge
Summary
Traditional medicine is used globally and has a rapidly growing economic importance. In developing countries, traditional medicine is often the only accessible and affordable treatment available. Complementary-Alternative Medicine is becoming more and more popular in many developed countries. Traditional and complementary-alternative medicine are gaining more and more respect by national governments and health providers. (i) Research into safe and effective Traditional Medicine and Complementary Alternative Medicine treatments for diseases that represent the greatest burden, among poorer populations. Dr Fernandez discusses a decreasing trend in Latin American consumption of medicinal products from 8% of global consumption in 1980 to 5% in 1990 He attributes this reduction to decreased government distribution of free medicines to the poor, concentrated wealth in a few hands, and increased poverty. (2) Medicine and Medical Anthropology: epidemiological and regional health-status diagnoses, evaluation of traditional therapies, and ethnography and publication of aspects of Andean culture and “cosmovision.” (3) Ethnobotany and Phytotherapy: collection and identification of 3,740 plants and development of an Herbarium and certified laboratory leading to the production and commercialization of six natural medicines. Ruiz from 1777 to 1788 [22]; the work of Italian naturalist Antonio Raimondi [23]; ethnoarchaeological analysis of the psychedelic San Pedro cactus [24]; curandera depictions in Moche ceramics [25], and research on the medicinal plants of Southern Ecuador [26,27,28,29]
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