scholarly journals Medicinal plants in an urban environment: the medicinal flora of Banares Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Archana K Verma ◽  
Munesh Kumar ◽  
Rainer W Bussmann
Author(s):  
Jaqueline Cibene Moreira Borges ◽  
Cristiane Mendes Lourenço ◽  
Livia Zanatta ◽  
Vanderson Ramos Mafra ◽  
Saulo José Lima Júnior ◽  
...  

Research that takes account of popular uses of medicinal plants, also in urban areas, is important records to subsidize health actions more effectively and safely and maintain the local cultural heritage, as advocated by the national policy of medicinal plants. This study aimed to survey the use of medicinal plants by residents of the municipality of Aliança the Tocantins. In 2011, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 70 informants in the urban environment, Aliança of Tocantins. Most claimed to have acquired knowledge about medicinal plants with parents and grandparents, 60% and 25.7%, respectively. 62.9% of the interviewees obtained the plants in their backyard and 30% in the backyard of neighbors or relatives. The families with the highest number of species were Lamiaceae with 4 species (40%), Asteraceae and Malvaceae with 2 species each (20%). There were 82 therapeutic properties about the species mentioned, with a higher number of citations for "other indications" (25.6%), such as pain in general, back pain, malaise, dizziness, among others. The most used form of preparation was tea (81.4%) and the leaf was the most used organ (81.4%). Of the informants, 61.4% prefer to use home remedies instead of industrialized medicines. The informants, even living in the urban environment (82.8%), still know and frequently use the local medicinal flora, this being an indication of strong local cultural appeal and feasibility of encouraging green backyards.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilia Arjona-García ◽  
José Blancas ◽  
Leonardo Beltrán-Rodríguez ◽  
Citlalli López Binnqüist ◽  
Hortensia Colín Bahena ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The use and knowledge of medicinal plants play an essential role in community health in rural Mexico. Medicinal plants are part of the local heritage and provide a source of economic income. Nevertheless, knowledge of their use has declined due to factors like accelerated urbanization. Some authors have proposed that by reducing natural spaces, urbanization generates changes that impact the recognition, use, and management of natural resources. Here, we evaluate how urbanization affects the knowledge, use, and perception of medicinal plants in a Biosphere Reserve in Mexico. Methods Using a mixed methodology including quantitative and qualitative analyses, we generated a list of medicinal plants, methods of preparation, prevalence of illness, and use in two communities with different degrees of urbanization. Results A total of 217 medicinal plants were identified. The more urbanized community had greater knowledge of, and used, a larger number of introduced plant species, while the less urbanized community used and had more knowledge about wild plants. One of the factors explaining these differences was occupation, with people who work outdoors showing greater knowledge of wild plants. Conclusions Urbanization can lead to a loss of knowledge of the use and management of local wild species, with implications for the conservation of biocultural heritage. Substitution of native medicinal plants by introduced species shows disinterest and disuse in the local medicinal flora, which could be reflected in their ecosystems.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 32-36
Author(s):  
A. Yu. Turyshev ◽  
V. D. Belonogova ◽  
A. A. Orlova ◽  
K. O. Sidorov ◽  
A. Yu. Skornyakova

Introduction. Medicinal plant raw materials are one of the most important sources of herbal remedies used both for the prevention and treatment of a number of diseases [1, 2]. Even with the development of modern science and chemistry, medicinal plant raw materials are widely used in both folk and official medicine. The advantage of medicinal plants is their wide range of biological activity, low toxicity and the possibility of long-term use without significant side effects. Human economic activity has a noticeable negative effect on the condition of wild-growing plants: their stocks are decreasing, and some species disappear altogether. Today, given the high level of development of industry and agriculture, the procurement of raw materials for wild medicinal plants is not always possible. Information on the quantitative assessment of the raw material base of wild medicinal plants in the Middle Urals, the content of biologically active substances in medicinal plant raw materials is partially outdated, which determines the need for their systemic resource study and chemical-pharmacognostic study.Aim. Comprehensive assessment of the state of populations of wild medicinal plants in the Middle Urals.Materials and methods. Determination of stocks of raw materials of the studied species of medicinal plants was carried out on specific thickets according to the generally accepted method. The authenticity of the raw materials was established by a macroscopic method when collecting raw material samples. In the course of the study, samples of medicinal plant materials of 5 types were prepared. The determination and assessment of the main indicators of the good quality of medicinal plant raw materials (the content of active and extractive substances, moisture in the mass upon drying, total ash and ash insoluble in a 10% solution of hydrochloric acid) was carried out according to the methods and requirements of the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation XIV edition. In the raw materials Artemisiae absinthii herba and Leonuri herba, the amount of extractives was determined by the gravimetric method. The quantitative assessment of the content of essential oil in the samples of Origani vulgaris herba and Tanaceti vulgaris flores was carried out by the method of hydrodistillation. To determine the quantitative content of the sum of flavonoids in Hyperici herba, Artemisiae absinthii herba, Leonuri herba and the sum of flavonoids and phenolcarboxylic acids in Tanaceti vulgaris flores, a spectrophotometric method was used.Results and discussion. In the course of resource and phytochemical studies of representatives of the medicinal flora of the Middle Urals, a comprehensive assessment of the state of populations of wild medicinal plants – sources of medicinal plant raw materials (Origani vulgaris herba, Hyperici herba, Tanaceti vulgaris flores, Artemisiae absinthii herba and Leonuri herba) was carried out. The results are included in the electronic inventory of wild medicinal plants of the Middle Urals.Conclusion. The conducted complex of studies will allow updating information about the medicinal flora of the Middle Urals in order to use raw materials for the creation of medicines.


2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (02) ◽  
pp. 1272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mukesh M. Patel

Ethnomedicinal field trips were undertaken during 2012-2014 in the villages of Bayad taluka, Aravalli district, Gujarat, for the documentation of folk and herbal medicinal plants used by local people residing in and around forest areas. During field trips firsthand information on traditional uses of wild medicinal plant species was collected from tribal people. The source of information is based on interviews with local Vaidyas, Bhagats, Shepherds and local tribal informants of the area. The study indicated that tribe depends on medicinal flora for curing their various diseases. The study showed that, 24 plant species belonging to 22 genera of 20 Angiosperms families were recorded during field trips in study area.


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