Ailment Categories Research Articles

A comparative ethno-religious study of traditionally used medicinal plants employed in the management of cardiovascular diseases

BackgroundDespite the availability of conventional medicine, Mauritians have a deep-rooted interest in the use of traditional herbal medicines (THMs) for the management of diseases. Nonetheless, there is currently a dearth of study that specifically addresses the extent of use of THMs among cardiovascular patients. PurposeTo document THMs employed against cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and to highlight cultural similarities and differences in their use among different religious groups. MethodsInformants (n = 384) were recruited via a face-to-face interview using a semi-structured questionnaire. Quantitative indexes, (frequency index (FI), informant consensus factor (ICF), cultural importance index (CII), and Jaccard similarity index (JSI)) were calculated. Pearson Chi-Squared test was performed to measure the relationship between demographic characteristics and use of TMs. ResultsOne hundred plants and 19 polyherbal formulations (PHF) were reported to be used against CVDs. Fruit (42.8 %) was the most used plant part and juice (27.8 %) was the most frequently reported method of preparation of plant based remedies. Based on the FI, Citrus limon scored the highest value (FI = 9.1). Hypertensive disease category was the most cited ailment category with the highest informant consensus factor (ICF = 0.65). The CII showed that Ocimum tenuiflorum, Camellia sinensis, Murraya koenigi, and Citrus limon were the culturally most important plants among Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and Buddhist, respectively. The highest similarity of plant usage was between the Hindu and Muslim community (JSI = 90.9). ConclusionsThis research provides a basis of comparative preliminary documentation and analysis of therapies used to treat CVDs. More research is needed with a focus on pharmacological investigations to discover useful bioactive constituents.

Ethnomedicinal uses, phytoconstituents and pharmacological importance of pteridophytes used by Malayalis in Kolli hills, India: A quantitative survey

Ethnopharmacological relevance: The medicinal value of pteridophytes has been known to humans since ancient times; however limited data is available about their phytoconstituents and pharmacological properties. Hence, this study was planned to document medicinal usage of pteridophytes by Malayali people in Kolli hills of Eastern Ghats, India. Existing information on phytoconstituents, previous reports on similar therapeutic uses and pharmacological activities for the documented species were compiled. Methods: Fieldwork was conducted from October 2015 to September 2016 and ethnomedicinal data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires from the healers in the study area. The collected data were analyzed through fidelity level (FL) and informants consensus factor (ICF) and recorded illnesses were sorted into 17 ailment categories for the purpose of statistical calculations. Results: A total of 55 species of medicinally important pteridophytes representing 23 families and 38 genera were identified in the study. Mostly fronds were used for preparation of medicine (37 %). Powder (31 %) was one of the dominant preparation methods in treating various ailments. Highest FL (100 %) was recorded for 24 species and highest ICF was recorded for kidney problems (0.90). Conclusions: The present study has an important contribution towards the preservation of indigenous knowledge which is being eroded among younger generations. Most of the frequently used species documented in this study are scarcely explored in phytochemical and pharmacological aspects, despite their remarkable usage among the Malayalis. Hence, this study stresses the need for phytochemical, toxicological and clinical studies on documented species of pteridophytes for the discovery of active molecules and new drug sources.

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used in pachamalai hills of Tamil Nadu, India

Aim of the studyThe present study aimed to identify plants used by tribal people in the Pachamalai hills located in Tiruchirappalli district of Tamil Nadu, India and to document the local names, medicinal uses, methods of preparation and other applications of the collected plants. This is the first report from this area from an ethnobotanical perspective in which statistical calculation is carried out by cultural index (CI) for the reported plants. Materials and methodsData was collected using a questionnaire through interviews with Malayali ethnic people in the study area. The data collected was analyzed through use reports (UR) informant consensus factor (Fic) and relative frequency citation (RFC). Plant samples were collected identified and then processed as voucher specimens following standard ethnobotanical practice. ResultsA total of 103 plant species were recorded, divided into 92 genera and 57 families. These plants were mainly used as leaves (41 %), fruit (12 %), seed (11 %), root (7%), stem (7 %), bark (7 %), rhizome (4 %), flower (4 %), whole plant (3 %), latex, shoot, bulb and tuber (each 1%). Most of the 16 ailment categories recorded a high level of informant agreement (mean Fic = 0.78) and besides being used as medicinal plants, they also had other uses such as food and fuel (wood for fire). ConclusionThe semi-arid climate of Pachamalai hills has rich vegetation with many medicinal and economically important plants available in the area. The most commonly cited plants Nigella sativa, Cinnamomum verum and Santalum album need further phytochemical and associated pharmacological studies to establish their clinical efficacy.

Traditional uses of autochthonous medicinal and ritual plants and other remedies for health in Eastern and South-Eastern Serbia

Ethnopharmacological relevanceRiver and mountain regions in Eastern and South-Eastern Serbia are geographically interesting and, historically they represent an important resource of plants used as food, spices and as remedies for treating many diseases. Different cultures have lived in these regions for ages. They have used wild plants and the methods of their preparation and application, which has remained throughout the history and now is passed on from generation to generation. The aim of the study is a survey of herbal drug uses for the specific ailment categories and their comparison between the two research regions. MethodsSemi-structured anonymous ethnobotanical interviews were conducted. The interviews took place in the River Timok region and Mountain Svrljig region as they make two of the most interesting centers of plant biodiversity. Volunteers in the Timok region were 64 median age and in the Svrljig region - 73 median age. People were interviewed about the local names of plants, the preparation process and about which disease the plants were used for. Results and Discussion161 Respondents from 10 Timok and 10 Svrljig municipality villages were interviewed and 2199 use-reports were recorded. The results of the ethnobotanical research showed 195 plant taxa from the Timok and Svrljig regions. In the Timok region, the recorded species were classified into 47 families and in the Svrljig region they were classified into 64 families. Out of 195 taxa used for medicinal purposes, only 52 species are also included in the European Pharmacopoeia 9.0. The most commonly used plants in Timok region were Hypericum spp., Matricaria chamomilla, Mentha x piperita, Urtica dioica, Juglans regia, while the residents of Svrljig region most frequently used Satureja montana, Sambucus nigra, Polygonum aviculare, Marrubium vulgare and Teucrium chamaedrys. Different statistical analyzes showed that Vlachs used more medical specimens per person than Serbs in the Timok region. The study demonstrated that female informants treated more body organs with medical species per person than male informants. There was a significant difference between the male and female respondents of the Svrljig region in terms of organ systems for which they used certain plant species. ConclusionThe ethnopharmacological study showed a great importance of medicinal plants in the daily life of local communities. According to the analysis, it can be concluded that the village population of the Timok and Svrljig regions use medicinal plants to treat digestive tract problems rather than seeking professional medical attention in health facilities. The aerial part and rhizome of Elymus repens are used for digestive problems in both the Timok and Svrljig regions, and the use of this plant in for the treatment of digestive tract problems is not mentioned in the similar studies conducted in the Balkan region. Also, it can be observed that the population of the two different regions mainly use different herbal drugs to treat the same systems. The reason for that is the availability of certain plants that grow in the two different areas - river and mountain area.

Ethnomedicinal plants of the sacred groves and their uses by Karbi tribe in Karbi Anglong district of Assam, Northeast India

The present study was conducted to record the ethnomedicinal plants and their uses by the Karbi tribe in Bichikri and Harlong sacred groves of West Karbi Anglong district of Assam. A prestructured questionnaire survey and quantitative analysis was carried out to record the medicinal plants and to determine the ailments categories. A total of 38 ethnomedicinal plants (36 genera and 27 families) were recorded from the study sites. Leaves were found as the dominant plant parts used for the treatment of various health ailments. The highest Fic value was recorded for cold, dermatological, skeletal muscle pain and inflammation, general health, and infectious disease and genital-urinary disorder categories. The informant agreement ratio (IAR) was found higher for 18 species. The fidelity level (FL) of 11 species secured the highest FL value (100%) and the used value (UV) was in the range of 0.05 to 0.93. The present study has revealed that the Karbi tribe living around the sacred groves depends on the plant species for their health care. However, proper management is required for the conservation of sacred groves through sustainable utilization of medicinal plants occurred in the groves.

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the Kani tribes of Pechiparai Hills, Western Ghats, India

BackgroundThe present study was conducted among the Kani, a tribe settled in the Pechiparai hills of Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghats, to document and quantify their traditional knowledge on the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of various human ailments. MethodsEthnomedicinal data were collected from the Kani by using semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed by using use value (UV), informant consensus factor (Fic), fidelity level (FL) and family use value (FUV). ResultsIn total, 138 species representing 126 genera belonging to 60 families were reported to have medicinal value and were extensively used by the tribe. Leguminosae was the most speciose family, including 14% (19 species) of identified species. Leaf (50%; 69 species) was found to be the part most used to prepare drugs; leaf extract in the form of juice (26%) was the most widely used preparation; and remedies were often administered orally (53%). The highest UV was recorded for Aristolochia indica (0.35) with 18 use reports, whereas the highest Fic (0.09) was noted for the ailment category ‘fever’. The wide use of Curcuma longa has strong pharmacological evidence – that it is effective in treating various ailments. ConclusionThe present study was the first quantitative survey of the traditional use of medicinal plants by the Kani and will help in the conservation of this invaluable inheritance.

Ethno-medicinal survey of plants used by Magar (Kham) community, Rolpa district, Western Nepal

Background: Medicinal plants (MP) are the primary source of health care in developing countries like Nepal. Specially, indigenous people depend on MP species for their basic livelihood. In this study, we aimed to document MP species and assess their indigenous use among Magar (Kham) community in Western Nepal. Methods: A list of MP species was prepared through empirical ethnobotanical study and their indigenous use was assessed using a set of questionnaires. The data collected was generalized for MP species diversity, use categories, and life forms. Informant consensus factor (Fic), Use Frequency (UF) and Use Value (UV) were used to find the cultural importance of MP species. Results: We recorded 82 MP species, belonging to 45 families and 75 genera of which nine species cited in Magar (Kham) community are ethnobotanically new to Nepal. Informant consensus factor value was found to be high (1) for eight ailment categories; cancer, warts, pneumonia, dandruff, frightening, anesthetic, skin disease, eye irritation and leeches. Based on use value index, the most important ethnomedicinal species were Bergenia ciliata , Swertia chirayta , Acorus calamus and Aconitum gammiei . Conclusions: This study provides complete document of indigenous uses of MP species among Magar (Kham) community of Thabang Rural Municipality (RM), Rolpa district. Nine MP species were reported with new uses for the first time in Nepal. There is further possibility of recording of new use reports in other villages adjoining to the present studied Magar Kham community. The species with high cultural values must be tested further for their pharmacological properties. Key words : Rolpa district, Jaljala Mountain, Indigenous Uses, Quantitative ethnobotany, Use Value Index

Ethnoveterinary Survey of Medicinal Plants Used for Treatment of Animal Diseases in Ambo District of Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia.

Traditional knowledge on the use of medicinal plants is in danger of extinction because of different changes taking place all over the world including Ethiopia, and thus, there is a need for its immediate documentation for the purpose of conservation, sustainable utilization, and development. Thus, an ethnobotanical study was conducted in Ambo District, Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia, to document and analyze local knowledge on medicinal plants used for the treatment of animal diseases. Data were collected between November 2017 and April 2018 mainly through semi-interviews conducted with purposively selected informants. Data collected mainly included demographic information of respondents, local names of medicinal plants, plant parts used, preparation methods, mode of applications, diseases treated, and habit and habitat of the reported plants. Based on data obtained through interviews, informant consensus factor (ICF) values were computed. A total of 55 medicinal plants used to manage livestock ailment were reported by informants in the Ambo District. Herbs were commonly used in the preparation of remedies. Leaf was the most frequently utilized plant part accounting for 49.1% of the total reported medicinal plants. The majority (69.0%) of the medicinal plants used in the study district were uncultivated ones mainly harvested from edges of forests and bushlands, roadsides, riverbanks, and grasslands. High ICF values were obtained for ophthalmological (0.82), dermatological (0.79), febrile (0.77), and gastrointestinal ailments (0.77). The current study shows that there is still rich traditional knowledge on the use of plants to control various animal diseases in the study district. However, such a claim needs to be scientifically verified with priority given to medicinal plants used in the treatment of ailment categories with high ICF values as such plants are considered to be good candidates for further pharmacological evaluation.

Ethnomedicinal plants for prevention of cardiovascular diseases in Bangladesh

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the major causes of death globally. The treatment of CVD by using modern medicines is very expensive. The present article mainly focuses the ethnomedicinal plants used by the local people for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in Bangladesh. Information on the ethnomedicinal uses of plants was collected using semi-structured interviews with key informants during the year of2017 and 2018. Group discussion with local people was also conducted for the promotion of data collection. A total of 41 medicinal plant species was recorded for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. These species belong to 30 families. The most frequently used medicinal plant species for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases were Terminalia arjuna (Roxb. ex DC.) Wight & Arn., Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb., Terminaliachebula Retz., Allium sativum L., Tamarindus indica L. and Alternanthera sessilis (L.) R. Br. ex Roem. Informant consensus factor (Fic) has been calculated to determine the agreement of local people in the use of medicinal plants for the CVD. Among the ailments categories high Fic value was found in case of antioxidant followed by heartache, high blood pressure and blood purifier. Comparing with previous research Hylocereus undatus (Haw.) Briton and Rose, Alternanthera paronychioides Klotzsch ex Koch and Lactuca sativa L. were seem to be newly reported medicinal plants for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in Bangladesh. The plant species with high citation, Fic and Fl values can be subjected to phytochemical investigation to find new class of active compounds for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The findings of the present study are very preliminary. Further long term studies are needed to validate the ethnomedicinal plants used by the local people for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in Bangladesh.

Ethnobotanical Study of Indigenous Medicinal Plants of Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia.

For a long time, the people of Saudi Arabia have been using medicinal plants (MPs) as conventional medicine to heal diverse human and livestock diseases. The present work is the first study on ethnobotanical uses of 124 MPs species used by the local tribal communities of Jazan province in the Southwest of Saudi Arabia. Ethnobotanical data were collected by interviewing 174 local informants using semistructured interviews. Informants of different ages, from several settlements belonging to several tribal communities, were interviewed. It is worth noticing that the age of informants and their knowledge of MPs were positively correlated, whereas the educational level and MP knowledge of participants were negatively correlated. To find out if there was agreement in the use of certain plants in the treatment of given ailments, we used Informant Consensus Factor (ICF). To determine the most frequently used plant species for treating a particular ailment category by local people we used the fidelity level (FL%). The Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) was used to indicate the local importance of a species and the relative importance (RI) level was used to check the therapeutic potentials of the cited plants. A total of 124 MPs belonging to 103 genera and 48 families were collected and identified. The majority of these plants were shrubs (45%), perennial herbs (21%), annual herbs (19%), or trees (18%). The Asteraceae (10.48%), Fabaceae (7.25%), and Apocynaceae (7.25%) families were the most represented. Leaves, fruits, and whole plant (24%, 18%, and 16%, respectively) were the most used plant parts in formulating traditional medicines. Ziziphus spina-christi and Calotropis procera with the highest RI level (2.0) were found to have the highest range of therapeutic uses. They were followed by Datura stramonium (1.86), Withania somnifera, and Aloe vera (1.81). The ICF ranged from 0.02 to 0.42 covering 12 disease categories with a prevalence of disease categories related to skin and hair problems (ICF=0.42) having 75 species cited, while 73 species were cited for gastrointestinal tract (GIT) disorders (ICF = 0.40). Senna alexandrina (67%), Tribulus terrestris (64%), Pulicaria undulata (60%), Leptadenia pyrotechnica (55%), and Rumex nervosus (55%) had the highest FL which indicates their good healing potential against specific diseases. The high-FL species are the most promising candidate plants for in-depth pharmacological screening and merit further consideration. Accordingly, Jazan flora has good ethnobotanical potential. Unfortunately, many MP species are endangered by drought, overgrazing, and overexploitation. Some protection measures should be undertaken to prevent these species from becoming extinct. Natural reserves and wild nurseries are typical settings to retain medically important plants in their natural habitats, while botanic gardens and seed banks are important paradigms for ex situ conservation.

Medicinal Plant by Batak Toba Medicinal plants used by the Batak Toba Tribe in Peadundung Village, North Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract. Silalahi M, Nisyawati, Pandiangan D. 2019. Medicinal plants used by the Batak Toba Tribe in Peadundung Village, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 20: 510-525. Research of the medicinal plants by the Toba Batak ethnic has limited, even though the globalization and modernization resulted to degradation of the local knowledge. The objectives of this study were (i) documentation of medicinal plants used in the traditional therapies by the Batak Toba tribe of Peadundung Village, North Sumatra, Indonesia, and (ii) analysing the data by quantitative ethnobotanical tools such as use value (UV), cultural significance index (CSI), relative frequency of citation (RCF) and informant consensus factor (ICF) to determine the cultural importance of medicinal plants in order to develop a tool for their conservation. Semi-structured interviews with 41 identified respondents was the methodology employed for qualitative data collection. A total of 149 medicinal species of plants, belonging to 131 genera and 55 families, were recorded in the study which are used in the treatment of 21 categories of ailments. Plants with the highest UV were Eurycoma longifolia (UV=3.44), Curcuma longa (UV=2.67) and Zingiber officinale (UV=2.60). Eight species, namely Curcuma longa, Eurycoma longifolia, Allium cepa, Psidium guajava, Aleurites moluccanus, Piper betle, Citrus hystrix and Uncaria gambir were found to be having the highest RCF value of 1.00. Eurycoma longifolia (CSI=126), Curcuma longa (CSI=112) and Zingiber officinale (CSI = 105) emerged as the culturally most significant medicinal plants. Thrush and aphrodisiac use categories received the highest ICF of 1.00 each because the informants agreed of using only a single species for each of these categories. Eurycoma longifolia was used as an aphrodisiac whereas Averrhoa carambola was used against thrush. All these important and significant plants suffer the greatest harvesting pressure, hence their conservation should be given priority.

An ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal survey of traditionally used medicinal plants in Seymour, South Africa: An attempt toward digitization and preservation of ethnic knowledge

Introduction: Medicinal plants have been used for the treatment of both infectious and noninfectious diseases by the majority of the world's population for many years. The low socioeconomic standing of Eastern Cape population suggests that the majority of people use traditional methods of health care. Many of the rural communities in this province have no access to Western medical health care and rely on traditional medicine for their primary health-care needs. Materials and Methods: An ethnobotanical survey was conducted from February 2013 to December 2015 to investigate the use of medicinal plants by the people of Seymour in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Information was gathered from nine traditional healers, seven herbalists, and 18 elderly villagers. Results: The information collected revealed six ailment categories that were treated with a wide range of medicinal plants. A total of 50 plant species belonging to 29 families were reported to be used in the treatment of various ailments. Members of the family Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, and Rutaceae had the highest number of species used in traditional healing. Leaves were reported to be the most frequently used plant part, followed by roots, bark, stem, and then corms and rhizomes. The survey indicated that the most prominent method of herbal administration used is orally via extracts that were obtained by boiling, either as a decoction or concoction. Conclusions: This study has documented important information on medicinal plants used by people, traditional healers, and herbalists of Seymour region in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa to treat various ailments. Abbreviations used: ACE: Angiotensin-converting enzyme; CNS: Central nervous system; ENT: Ear, nose and throat; HIV: Human Immunodeficiency virus; ICF: Informant consensus factor; Nur: Total number of use report; Nt: Number of taxa; TB: Tuberculosis

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in Bellary district of Karnataka state, India

Ethnomedicinal survey of traditional medicinal plants was carried out in Bellary district using ethnobotanical and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) methods. The data collected was analyzed by means of Ailment Categories, Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), Use Value and Fidelity Level (FL). The present investigation brought in light 148 medicinal plant species belonging to 132 genera and 56 families used in the treatment of various human diseases in Bellary district. The most commonly used species were Achyranthes aspera and Momordica charantia with a use value of 0.18 each, followed by Calotropis procera (use value 0.17), Leucas aspera, Tinospora cordifolia, Withania somnifera (use value 0.15 each), Phyllanthus amarus (use value 0.14) and Azadirachta indica with a use value of 0.13. The rural people of Bellary district are highly dependent on the traditional herbal medicine because of their poor socio-economic conditions and availability of effective drug plants. The information gathered on traditional medicinal plants is expected to serve as a useful tool for the establishment of herbal drug industries and improve the economy of the region.

First ethnobotanical inventory and phytochemical analysis of plant species used by indigenous people living in the Maromizaha forest, Madagascar

Ethnopharmacological relevanceCharacterized by one of the highest rates of endemism and biodiversity in the world, Madagascar provides a wide variety of medicinal plants, that could represent a potential source of new drugs. The main aim of this study was to investigate the potential medicinal properties of the plant species used by indigenous people in Maromizaha forest and to provide the first ethnobotanical inventory of the area. Materials and methodsData were collected through open semi-structured interviews with local informants, the reported plants were collected and identified to create a specimen herbarium. Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) was calculated for each ailment category mentioned in the use-reports. A selection of seven medicinal plants was submitted to phytochemical and antimicrobial analysis. The results were discussed and compared with those described in ethnobotanical and pharmacological literature. ResultsOne hundred and three villagers were interviewed and a total of 509 use-reports were recorded. Information on 117 plant species belonging to 57 botanical families were provided. 12 categories of indigenous uses were recognized, among them the higher ICF values were recorded for cardiovascular complaints (0.75), general and unspecific diseases (0.74), digestive disorders (0.69), and diseases of the skin (0.55). The traditional medicinal uses of 18 species (15 endemic) were described for the first time. In total, 22 different bioactive compounds were identified; polyphenols, monoterpenes, organic acids, and vitamin C were observed in the chemical composition of all the analyzed samples. Macaranga perrieri showed the highest values of both total polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. Antimicrobial activity was observed in leaf and bark extracts of Dilobeia thouarsii. ConclusionThese results confirmed the importance of investigating the traditional use of plant species, suggesting the crucial role of ethnobotanical studies for rural development, biodiversity conservation, and the sustainable use of plant resources in the studied area.

Ethnoveterinary Medicines: A Potential Alternative to Animal Health Care for the Tribal Communities of Koraput, Odisha

Medicinal plants play an important role throughout the world for the treatment and prevention of various diseases of both human and animal. The tribal communities of Koraput still depends on medicinal plants for their first aid remedies to treat some simple ailments of livestock. The present study was initiated to quantitatively document their indigenous knowledge on the utilization of most common medicinal plants for livestock treatment. A total of 40 field surveys were carried out from August 2015 to October 2016 in order to document the utilization of medicinal plants. The ethnoveterinary information was collected through structure interviews among the traditional healers and local livestock farmers . The collected data were analyzed through use value (UV), informant consensus factor (Fic) and fidelity level (FL). A total of 56 species of plants distributed in 54 genera belonging to 36 families were identified as commonly used medicinal plants by the tribal communities of Koraput for the treatment of 20 types of ailments. These ailments were categorized into 9 ailment categories based on the body systems treated. Leaves were the most frequently used plant parts and most of the medicines were prepared in the form of paste and administered orally. Fic values of the present study indicated that there was a high agreement in the use of plants in the treatment of wound infections, dysentery and eye problems among the users. Dermatological infections/diseases and gastro-intestinal disorders had highest use-reports and 2 species of plants had the highest fidelity level of 100%. The most important species according to their use value were Curcuma longa , Ficusreligiosa , Aloe vera, Ziziphusmauritiana, Tridaxprocumbens and Vitexnegundo. As a result of the present study it can be recommend the plants Aloe vera,Azadirachtaindica, Calotropisprocera, Curcuma longa, Daturametel, Ficusreligiosa, Ziziphusmauritiana, Vitexnegundo and Tridaxprocumbens can be investigated further for their ethnopharmacological properties for the discovery of potential new drugs for veterinary treatment.

Folk Phytotherapy in Paediatric Health Care in Central and Southern Italy: a Review

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) consists of systems and practices used to prevent or treat illness, and/or promote health and wellbeing, generally with herbal remedies. In recent decades, ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological surveys have received increased attention among populations in central and southern Italy traditionally highly conservative regarding knowledge of folk medicine. This review highlights the use of wild and cultivated plants in paediatric health care. From a search of articles published between 1978 and 2017 we found a total of 34 containing reports of medicinal plants specifically used for treating children’s diseases, listing 83 taxa belonging to 37 families in 116 recorded cases of medicinal plant use. Tuscany has the highest number of plant use reports and the highest number of species used in a single region, followed by Campania and Sicily. Allium sativum is the most widely reported species, cited in eight regions. We identified eight ailment categories. Plants used as anthelmintics and for gastro-intestinal and skin diseases are widely used.

Traditional knowledge on herbal drinks among indigenous communities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan

BackgroundTraditional knowledge about the use of medicinal plants for herbal drinks (HDs) is not well documented in the Azad Kashmir region despite their widespread use. This study highlights the taxonomic diversity and traditional knowledge on medicinal plants used for HDs while examining the diversity of diseases treated with HDs in the study area.MethodsIndividual discussions were conducted with 255 informants (84 women and 171 men). Data gathered included (i) informant age and gender, (ii) HD species and respective plant parts used, (iii) health disorders treated, and (iv) mode of preparation and utilizations. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices including relative frequency of citation (RFC), informant consensus factor (ICF), and use value (UV) were used for data analyses.ResultsAltogether, 73 medicinal plants belonging to 40 families and 66 genera were reported to be used in HD preparations, with Asteraceae being the richest family. The average number of HD species cited was 9.09 ± 0.17 per informant and did not vary either by age or gender. In addition, men and women, and adults and the young used the same pool of species (dissimilarity nearly zero). The most used plant parts were leaves (20.00%), roots (17.25%), and fruits (16.47%). Based on UV, the top five most used species were Valeriana jatamansi, Isodon rugosus, Onopordum acanthium, Acacia nilotica, and Viola canescens; and the UV was similar among gender and age categories too. The most utilized herbal preparation forms included decoctions, infusions, and tea. One hundred and eleven diseases grouped into 13 ailment categories were reported to be cured using HDs. The main category of disease treated with HDs was gastrointestinal (GIT) disorders (RFC = 17.43%). Relatively few species were used by a large proportion of informants for each category of ailment (ICF ≥ 0.60). Only one species was used for “glandular disorders” and “eye diseases” (ICF = 1).A novelty of about 22% (16 species) was recorded for HD species in the present work.ConclusionThe diversity of medicinal plant species used as HDs and the associated traditional knowledge are of considerable value to the indigenous communities of the Azad Kashmir region. Therefore, there is a need for conservation and preservation of medicinal HD species as well as the wealth of indigenous knowledge. The conservation effort should be high for species in the ailments categories glandular disorders and eye diseases. The therapeutic uses of HDs have provided basic data for further research focused on phytochemical and pharmacological studies and conservation of the most important species.

An ethnoveterinary study on plants used in the treatment of dermatological diseases in Central Anatolia, Turkey

Aim: The aims of the present study were to determine the significant species utilized in ethnoveterinary medicine, identify methods used for different ethnoveterinary medicine preparations, and to compare the plants utilized in traditional veterinary medicine and the plants utilized in the other regions of Turkey and different parts of the world. Methods: Interviews were conducted with 173 individuals in total by means of a semi-structured questionnaire between 2009-2013 for the purpose of recording traditional ethnoveterinary practices employed in animal health care. In order to evaluate the reliability and richness of the knowledge of medicinal plants in the area, quantitative indices, such as “informant consensus factor”, “use value”, “relative frequency citation”, and “fidelity level”, were used for the data analysis. Results: The findings of this study have revealed 26 plant species, including herbs and trees, belonging to 22 families utilized in the treatment of veterinary dermatological diseases by breeders in Central Anatolia. Rosaceae, Fabaceae and Liliaceae were the most common representatives of these families used to treat eight dermatological ailment categories with the percentages of 13.6, 9.09 and 9.09, respectively. Conclusion: The current study has emphasized the ethnoveterinary knowledge of recently discovered plants and their new usage in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey.

AN ETHNOZOOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF TRADITIONALLY USED ANIMAL-BASED THERAPIES IN ATTAPPADY OF PALAKKAD DISTRICT, KERALA, INDIA.

The present study is an attempt to collect and document the ethnozoological knowledge possessed by the traditional tribal people of Attappady hills of Western Ghats in Palakkad district. The study area consisted of three categories of tribes namely, Irula, Kurumba and Muduga. Irulas contribute the majority followed by Mudugas and Kurumbas respectively. The study involved collection of information regarding the topic from all the three categories of tribes. Informations were collected by direct personal interviews with traditional healers belonging to tribal community. The mentioned animals were identified by their local names and previous studies in ethnozoology and available biodiversity records of regions in and around Attappady which involves Silent Valley National Park. The lack of biodiversity records posed difficulty in identifying the animal mentioned by the healers. The collected data was analyzed mathematically by calculating Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) to know the category of ailment for which more treatment is available, Fidelity level of animal species to identify the most preferred species for zootherapeutics, andInformant Agreement Index (IAR) to determine the agreement between informants for the use of a particular animal species for the treatment of a particular ailment category. ICF value obtained is highest for orthopedic ailments, FL is highest for Varanus bengalensis and Rusa unicolor and IAR is highest for seven species. The reduction in number of animals, lack of efficiency in implementing forest laws and their cultural taboos regarding the interaction with the outside world have resulted in the deterioration of traditional knowledge among the tribal population itself and also, due to legal issues, they have switched over almost completely to floral medicine. Therefore, they have a very little knowledge on the practice of zootherapeutics and ethnozoology.

Ethnomedicinal plants used by local inhabitants of Jakholi block, Rudraprayag district, western Himalaya, India

BackgroundEthnomedicinal knowledge of the Indian Himalayas is very interesting because of the wide range of medicinal plants used in traditional medical practice. However, there is a danger of knowledge being lost because the knowledge sharing is very limited and passed on orally. The present study is the first ethnomedicinal study in Jakholi area of Rudraprayag district of Northwestern India. The aim of present study was to identify traditional medicinal plants used by the inhabitants to treat different ailments and document the associated knowledge of these medicinal plants.MethodsAn ethnomedicinal survey was carried out in 72 of 133 villages and alpine pastures of Jakholi block (800–4000 m asl). Door to door surveys and group discussions, applying semi-structured questionnaires were conducted with traditional healers and villagers in local language (Garhwali). Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) was computed to analyse collected ethnomedicinal data.ResultsA total of 78 species (Gymnosperms 3 species, Monocotyledons 12 and 63 Dicotyledons) belonging to 73 genera in 46 families were identified to treat 14 different ailments categories. Most dominant family is Asteraceae (5 species). In disease treated categories, Diseases of the skin (DE) have the highest proportion (29.55%) followed by Gastro- intestinal disorder (GA) (25.89%). The most life form of plants used was herb (56%) followed by tree (23%) while root was the most frequently used part of the plants and the traditional preparation was mainly applied in the form of paste (37%). The highest ICF value (0.99) was found for hair ailments (HA) followed ophthalmologic complaints (OP) and mental afflictions (MA) (0.98).ConclusionsThe present study provides valuable information about traditional knowledge of medicinal plants of Jakholi Block in the Northwestern Himalaya, India. Local communities still possess large traditional knowledge of plants and their therapeutic uses and that the link of that traditional knowledge to modern research could be of importance for the isolation of new phytotherapeutic compounds leading to the development of novel therapeutic active agents. Some of the ethnomedicinal plants are facing high threats and are becoming rare, and conservation initiatives are needed to conserve them for sustainable management in the region.