Herbal Healers Research Articles

Problems and prospects in the conservation and development of the Himalayan medicinal plants sector

With the advent of a market-orientated economy, the medicinal plants wealth of the Himalaya has become a high price commodity. As a result, many wild populations of valued medicinal plants are declining due to over-harvesting. In order to prevent the further loss of medicinal plants in the wild and, at the same time, to meet the demands of pharmaceutical companies and herbal healers, attempts are being made at various levels (e.g. farmers and government organisations) to cultivate these species. Unfortunately, these cultivation efforts are not entirely successful for many reasons, including the specific ecological requirements of many Himalayan medicinal plant species. Moreover, there are many other constraints in the development of the Himalayan medicinal plants sector. The present study examines such constraints and also identifies the prospects in view of developing and managing the medicinal plants sector.

Some Lesser Known Oral Herbal Contraceptives in Folk Claims as Anti-Fertility and Fertility Induced Plants in Bastar Region of Chhattisgarh

The traditional knowledge prevailing among Gond tribes of Bastar region regarding use of various plants as anti fertility inducing agents and fertility inducing agents have been studied and described. Objective :The present study is result of documentation of indigenous knowledge about medicinal plants from Gond tribes of Bastar region Chhattisgarh state. Materials and method: The documentation of traditional knowledge from Gond tribes has been conducted during ethnobotanical studies. The information was collected by interviewing local vaidys and traditional herbal-healers prevalent in Bastar region. They have immense knowledge about plants and drugs the same are being utilized by tribals since last several centuries by collecting plants and their parts to prevent birth as oral contraceptive and anti-fertility agents and also as fertility inducing agent. Result and conclusion: The lesser known 22 herbal plants used by Gond tribes of Bastar 18 uses of plants as anti fertility inducing agent and 04 uses of plants as fertility inducing agent plants has been briefly described in the paper alongwith botanical names, vernacular name family and method of preparation of drugs and their dosages. The knowledge of plants used by traditional herbal healers for anti-fertility purposes, isolation of their active principles etc. would be of immense help to replace synthetic drugs.

Indigenous Uses, Population Density, and Conservation of Threatened Medicinal Plants in Protected Areas of the Indian Himalayas

Abstract: For 10 years I monitored the population density of threatened medicinal plant species in seven protected areas in the Indian Himalayas. I also documented the indigenous uses of threatened medicinal plants through interviews with 138 herbal healers (83 Tibetan healers and 55 Ayurvedic healers) residing in the buffer zone villages of these protected areas. To assess the population status of threatened medicinal plant species, I sampled the 10 major habitat types in the protected areas. In all, I found 60 threatened medicinal plant species during the study period, of which 54 species occurred in the sampling plots. Twenty‐two percent of threatened medicinal plant species were critically endangered, 16% were endangered, and 27% were vulnerable. Thirty‐two threatened medicinal plant species were endemic to the Himalayan region. The density of threatened medicinal plant species varied with protected areas. The Valley of Flowers protected area had the highest number of threatened medicinal plant species. The “moist” habitat type was richest in these species among all 10 habitat types sampled. Arnebia euchroma (Royle ex Benth.) Johnston and Ephedra gerardiana Wall. ex Stapf. were the most common threatened medicinal plant species. The indigenous groups of healers used these threatened species in curing about 45 different ailments. Based on my findings, I believe that to ensure the long‐term sustainability of threatened medicinal plants, medicinal‐plant conservation areas should be established.

Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and cardiac diseases in the south-east region of Morocco (Tafilalet)

In this study, the medicinal plants used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and cardiac diseases were inventoried based on the ethnopharmacological survey in south-eastern Morocco: Tafilalet region. Seven hundred persons including 320 diabetic patients and 380 patients with hypertension and cardiac disorders and 20 traditional herbal healers were interviewed in different areas of Tafilalet. The results indicated that 80% of patients interviewed used medicinal plants to treat diabetes, hypertension and cardiac diseases because they state that phytotherapy is cheaper (58%), more efficient (40%) and better (65%) than modern medicine. In this ethnobotanic enquiry, about 92 medicinal plants were cited. A lot of them are cited for the first time in Morocco. Many parameters have been evaluated such as knowledge of the toxic plants, doses, parts used, etc. Also, we have reported that 75% of type 2 diabetic patients used medicinal plants in association with modern drugs, while 10% of type 1 diabetic patients regularly used medicinal plants combined with insulin treatment. Some toxic plants have also been reported. In conclusion Tafilalet region disposes of a large phytotherapy knowledge which must be scientifically investigated especially in treating diabetes mellitus, hypertension and cardiac diseases.

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used for the treatment of diabetes, cardiac and renal diseases in the North centre region of Morocco (Fez–Boulemane)

In order to make an inventory of herbal remedies commonly used in the treatment of diabetes, hypertension and renal diseases in the North centre region of Morocco, 1527 patients (1095 diabetic patients, 274 with renal disorders and 158 with cardiac disorders) and 25 traditional herbal healers were interviewed in four different areas of Fez–Boulemane region. More than 1153 of the total patients interviewed (76%) used regularly medicinal plants to treat diabetes, cardiac and renal diseases. These data showed that phytotherapy has always be practiced in this region. All the persons interviewed have indicated that the reasons of using phytotherapy is that the plant medicines are cheapest (54%) and more efficient (38%) than modern medicine. They also reported that the result of phytotherapy is better (72%). Our survey started at May 1997. About 90 plants were cited (54 plants for diabetes, 11 for cardiac diseases, 19 for hypertension and 33 for renal diseases). The plants reported have been identified and are presented in a table with the vernacular name, useful parts, ecological distribution and medicinal uses. Only 12% of the total patients have a relative knowledge of the toxic plants. The result indicated that nine plants are extremely toxic at high doses and chronic treatment. Fifty nine percent of the interviewers have indicated that they used medicinal plants from the experience of the other.

The Nation's Nature: Herbal Healers as Contested Signifiers of Belizean Identity

The Nation's Nature: Herbal Healers as Contested Signifiers of Belizean Identity

A new medicinal plant from Amazonian Ecuador

Dalbergaria tessmanii, a shrub of the Gesneriaceae locally abundant in the tropical forests of Ecuador, is variously ethnomedicinally employed. For example, none of several Shuar (Jívaro) herbal healers know or use it, but the one Shuar Shaman consulted extols its importance in reducing vaginal bleeding. Although Mestizo native consultants from the provincial capital of Morona-Santiago report its use in alleviating heart problems, those from Pastaza Province employ it to reduce menstrual flow. The Lowland Quechua apparently use it for this purpose as well. This plant has apparently not yet been chemically examined. Its reported use in several different cultural context suggest that it should be phyto chemically investigated.

Determination of antibacterial activity in rhizome of plant Aechmea magdalenae (andre) andre ex baker

The rising resistance of microbes toward the present-day antibiotics has led the researchers to increasinglyinvestigate medicinal plant-based antibiotics. The plant Aechmea magdalenae (Andre) Andre ex Baker (Bromeliaceae) is a terrestrial bromeliad native to Central America and Northwestern South America. Throughout much of its range, the juice from the leaves of A. magdalenae has been used by locals as caustic for wounds. Inthe lowland wet forests of Costa Rica, however, the local herbal healers do not rely on this species. In this study,antibacterial and biochemical analyses were conducted on A. magdalenae to document its potential use as amedicinal plant for both the local people in Costa Rica and to the scientific community. Gas chromatography-massspectrometry profiling studies also revealed, acetic acid to be one of the important chemical compound present inhigh probability in A. magdalenae. The antibacterial activity was confirmed by performing agar disc diffusion assayusing various concentrations of acetic acid against bacteria Escherichia coli. Acetic acid clearly demonstratedits antibacterial effect against E. coli. The antibacterial activity of the methanolic extracts of A. magdalenae wastested against Gram-negative (E. coli) and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus). The methods usedto determine the antibacterial activity of the plant extracts were agar well diffusion assay and 96-well plateassay. In both the assays, gentamicin was used as a positive control and 20% dimethyl sulfoxide was used asa negative control. In 96 well plate assay, resazurin was used as an indicator to evaluate qualitatively whetherthe bacteria there was the growth of the bacteria or no growth. All the tests were performed in triplicates. Thezones of inhibition recorded were higher for S. aureus (10.5 mm) as compared to E. coli (9.5 mm). The minimuminhibitory concentration for E. coli was higher as compared to S. aureus.

Ammi visnaga in the treatment of the anginal syndrome: Anrep, G. V., Barsoum, G. S., Kenawy, and Misrahy, G.: Brit. Heart J. 8:171 (Oct.), 1946

In this study, the medicinal plants used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and cardiac diseases were inventoried based on the ethnopharmacological survey in south-eastern Morocco: Tafilalet region. Seven hundred persons including 320 diabetic patients and 380 patients with hypertension and cardiac disorders and 20 traditional herbal healers were interviewed in different areas of Tafilalet. The results indicated that 80% of patients interviewed used medicinal plants to treat diabetes, hypertension and cardiac diseases because they state that phytotherapy is cheaper (58%), more efficient (40%) and better (65%) than modern medicine. In this ethnobotanic enquiry, about 92 medicinal plants were cited. A lot of them are cited for the first time in Morocco. Many parameters have been evaluated such as knowledge of the toxic plants, doses, parts used, etc. Also, we have reported that 75% of type 2 diabetic patients used medicinal plants in association with modern drugs, while 10% of type 1 diabetic patients regularly used medicinal plants combined with insulin treatment. Some toxic plants have also been reported. In conclusion Tafilalet region disposes of a large phytotherapy knowledge which must be scientifically investigated especially in treating diabetes mellitus, hypertension and cardiac diseases.