A comparison of knowledge about medicinal plants for three rural communities in the semi-arid region of northeast of Brazil

This paper presents the first quantitative ethnobotanical study of the flora in the semi-arid region in the southwest part of Algeria. The aim of this ethnobotanical survey in the region of El Bayadh situated in the semi-arid part of Algeria was to identify the main medicinal plants used by the local inhabitants to treat different diseases and to collect all the data on their therapeutic characteristics. One hundred informants of different ages were interviewed for this study (69 women and 31 men). Both quantitative and qualitative information were collected through open semi-structured face-to-face interviews with the local people. Data were organized and analyzed by descriptive statistics. The ethnobotanical data were analyzed using various important quantitative indices calculated for each of the recorded medicinal plant species like use value (UV), relative frequency of citation (RFC), relative importance index (RII), informants’ agreement ratio (IAR), informant consensus factor (ICF), fidelity level (FL), and family importance value index (FIV). In addition, a correlation analysis was performed to check the level of association between RFC and both UV and RII. It was reported that 44 useful plant species, belonging to 26 botanical families were used in the treatment of various diseases. The Asteraceae family was the most common family (6 species, 13.64%, FIV = 0.94) of all the medicinal plants recorded in this study. Leaves were the most commonly used plant part, accounting for 50.77% of the plants reported. Eighty-three diseases were identified and grouped into eleven categories, dominated by diseases of the nervous system and sensory organs (ICF = 0.94), which were treated with local medicinal plants. There is a clear dominance of Artemisia herba alba Asso. (Chih) in the three important ethnobotanical indices (UV, RFC, and RII).We found in this study five plant species having maximum fidelity level (100%) where they were used to treat only one disease. The Pearson correlation coefficient between RFC and UV (0.986**), and between RFC and RII (0.713**) showed highly positive significant association between RFC and both UV and RI of plant use in the study area. We deduce that herbal medicine is used in selfmedication of the local population; however, we also draw attention to the fact that the incoherent and limitless use of the medicinal flora constitutes a potential risk contributing to the degradation of the plant biodiversity of the area of study. These results may complement the database of the national medicinal flora and support research in phytochemistry and pharmacology to discover new drugs and approve ethnomedicinal knowledge.

Download Full-text

The Phytochemical Composition of Medicinal Plants: Brazilian Semi-Arid Region (Caatinga)

Phytochemicals in Human Health ◽

10.5772/intechopen.90252 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Iago Almeida da Ponte ◽

Murugan Muthuvel ◽

Sudarsini Saravanabhavan ◽

Stephen Rathinaraj Benjamin

Keyword(s):

Medicinal Plants ◽

Arid Region ◽

Phytochemical Composition ◽

Semi Arid Region ◽

Semi Arid

Download Full-text

Potential of medicinal plants from the Brazilian semi-arid region (Caatinga) against Staphylococcus epidermidis planktonic and biofilm lifestyles

Journal of Ethnopharmacology ◽

10.1016/j.jep.2011.05.030 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 137 (1) ◽

pp. 327-335 ◽

Cited By ~ 95

Author(s):

Danielle da Silva Trentin ◽

Raquel Brandt Giordani ◽

Karine Rigon Zimmer ◽

Alexandre Gomes da Silva ◽

Márcia Vanusa da Silva ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medicinal Plants ◽

Staphylococcus Epidermidis ◽

Arid Region ◽

Semi Arid Region ◽

Semi Arid

Download Full-text

Does total tannin content explain the use value of spontaneous medicinal plants from the Brazilian semi-arid region?

Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia ◽

10.1016/j.bjp.2014.02.001 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 116-123 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Julio M. Monteiro ◽

João S.N. de Souza ◽

Ernani M.F. Lins Neto ◽

Keli Scopel ◽

Elzineide F. Trindade

Keyword(s):

Medicinal Plants ◽

Arid Region ◽

Use Value ◽

Tannin Content ◽

Semi Arid Region ◽

Semi Arid

Download Full-text

Women Participation in Livestock Raising and Household Managemnt In Rural Communities of Nafada, Semi-Arid Region Of Northeastern Nigeria

Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal ◽

10.14738/assrj.71.7061 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 166-177

Author(s):

Yakubu Dan ◽

Idoma Kim

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Arid Region ◽

Family Care ◽

Family Health ◽

Fuel Wood ◽

Livestock Farming ◽

Women's Participation ◽

Livestock Raising ◽

Semi Arid Region ◽

Semi Arid

This study was carried out to examine women’s participation in livestock raising in rural communities of Nafada, semi-arid region of Northeastern Nigeria. Thirteen villages were purposively sampled, and 10 women respondents were randomly selected from each village. Standardized interview schedule was adopted in the collection of information from the sampled respondents and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The results disclosed that approximately half (45%) of the respondents raised goats and sheep and 100% were involved regularly in cleaning of animal sheds, watering and grazing of animals. In addition, washing of clothes, food preparation, cleaning of the house, looking after all family members, child/family health care, preparing beverages and cleaning up after meals ranked highest among household activities undertaken by women. Major challenges of livestock raising, and household management were low innovation (ranked 1), rustling (ranked 2), ranching (ranked 2) and health of animals (ranked 2). Others included child/family care (ranked 1), food (ranked 1), fuel wood collection (ranked 3) and absence of funding from government agents. The correlation results revealed that family size and education of respondents were significant factors influencing the extent of women’s participation in livestock raising in the study area. Therefore, carefully targeted women-focused programmes on livestock farming, intensive adult education and improved agricultural extension/ veterinary services among others are crucial to improving women’s participation in livestock production in Nafada LGA.

Download Full-text

Utilitarian and cognitive aspects in the ethnotaxonomy of plants from the Caatinga in two rural communities in Northeastern Brazil

Revista Brasileira de Gestão Ambiental e Sustentabilidade ◽

10.21438/rbgas(2021)082013 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (20) ◽

pp. 1459-1488

Author(s):

Reinaldo Farias Paiva de Lucena ◽

Patrícia Muniz de Medeiros ◽

Elcida de Lima Araújo ◽

Ângelo G. Chaves Alves ◽

Kallyne Machado Bonifácio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Arid Region ◽

Life Forms ◽

Classification Criteria ◽

Northeastern Brazil ◽

Consensus Model ◽

Plant Names ◽

Semi Arid Region ◽

First Time ◽

Semi Arid

This research sought to contribute to plant ethnotaxonomic studies and aimed to describe cognitive and utilitarian aspects used in communities in the semi-arid region of Brazil. The question asked in the interview was: "What plants do you know?" The interviews were conducted with local specialists, using plant names written on cards randomly placed on a table. The informants were asked to organize the cards according to their understanding. Two hundred and one folk generics were recorded in Cachoeira and 185 in Barrocas, both communities located in the Municipality of Soledade (Paraíba). These generics were divided into 65 trees/shrubs, 138 herbs, 10 lianas/creepers, 7 cacti, and 4 bromeliads. A total of 146 monotypic and 24 polytypic folk generic were identified. The life forms were abundant; some of them had already been recorded in the literature but others were recorded for the first time. The morphological and utilitarian aspects were the most used classification criteria. The informants followed no consensus model to organize their classification.

Download Full-text

Avaliação do Potencial de Aproveitamento de Aluviões para a Construção de Barragens Subterrâneas no Semiárido Pernambucano

Revista Brasileira de Geografia Física ◽

10.26848/rbgf.v13.5.p2402-2416 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 2402

Author(s):

Eronildo Luiz da Silva Filho ◽

Tiago Oliveira Caetano ◽

Thaise Suanne Guimarães Ferreira ◽

José Almir Cirilo ◽

Rochele Sheila Vasconcelos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Arid Region ◽

The State ◽

Alluvial Soils ◽

Water Storage Capacity ◽

Subsurface Dam ◽

Semi Arid Region ◽

Underground Dams ◽

Semi Arid ◽

Animal Consumption

Diante da histórica escassez de recursos hídricos na região semiárida, é notória a necessidade de se encontrar novas fontes de obtenção e armazenamento de água, seja para o consumo humano e animal ou para produção agrícola. A implantação de barragens subterrâneas no semiárido brasileiro pode contribuir de forma positiva na melhoria do abastecimento humano em comunidades rurais, além do fornecimento de água para o consumo animal e para produção de alimentos. Como sua construção se dá sobre os solos aluviais, o presente estudo tem como objetivo avaliar o potencial de aproveitamento desses solos no estado de Pernambuco para a implantação de barragens subterrâneas e verificar as áreas passíveis de salinização para a escolha adequada desse tipo de intervenção. A área de estudo corresponde ao estado de Pernambuco, em que a presença de solos aluviais foi observada por bacia hidrográfica, utilizando os dados do Zoneamento Agroecológico do Estado de Pernambuco (ZAPE). Com a mesma base de dados foram selecionados os solos com características salinas e estimada, por aluvião, a capacidade de armazenamento de água. Foi possível verificar que o estado de Pernambuco apresenta consideráveis áreas de solos aluviais, com potencial para aproveitamento das águas subterrâneas e para construção de barragens subterrâneas, bem como identificar as regiões onde a implantação desse tipo de obra deve ser mais restritiva por conta do risco de salinização. Evaluation of the Alluvial Use Potential for a Construction of Underground Dams in the Semi-Arid Region of PernambucoA B S T R A C TGiven the historical scarcity of water resources in the semi-arid region, it is clear the need to find new sources for obtaining and storing water, either for human and animal consumption or for agricultural production. The establishment of underground dams in the Brazilian semi-arid region can contribute positively to the improvement of human supply in rural communities, as well as the supply of water for animal consumption and food production. As its construction takes place on alluvial soils, the present study aims to evaluate the potential use of alluvial soils in the state of Pernambuco for the implantation of underground dams and to verify the salinization areas for the appropriate choice of this type of intervention. The study area corresponds to the state of Pernambuco, where the presence of alluvial soils was observed by watershed, using data from Pernambuco State Agroecological Zoning (ZAPE). With the same database were selected soils with saline characteristics and estimated, in each alluvium, water storage capacity. It was possible to verify that the state of Pernambuco has areas considerable of alluvial soils, with potential for groundwater utilization and for the construction of underground dams, as well as to identify the regions where the implementation of this type of work should be more restrictive due to the risk of salinization.Keywords: groundwater, alluvium, subsurface dam, risk of salinization.

Download Full-text