scholarly journals Economic value, endogenous knowledge and distribution of Picralima nitida (Stapf) T. Durand and H. Durand in Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Ghislain Comlan Akabassi ◽  
Elie Antoine Padonou ◽  
Achille Ephrem Assogbajo ◽  
Noël Zirihi Guede

Background: Picralima nitida (Apocynaceae) is an important African medicinal plant species. It is frequently used in traditional medicine and pharmaceutical industries for manufacture of drugs against infectious diseases, malaria, diabetes and cancer. Despite its important, the species can be rare, especially in the Dahomey Gap (in contrast to the Guineo-Congolese region). There is also a controversy on its distribution. Without knowing the drivers of plant species rarity it is impossible to address the issue of the controversy of its distribution and unsustainable use as well as safeguarding endogenous knowledge of its uses.  Methods: Ethnobotanical surveys were conducted in the Dahomey Gap with 120 informants randomly interviewed. A literature review of scientific papers and books was used to provide information on the uses, distribution and threats of the species in the Guineo-Congolese region. Results: The results revealed that P. nitida products were more expensive in the Dahomey Gap than the Guineo-Congolese region. All parts of the species were collected and used for 34 treatments. The species had low density and distribution in Dahomey Gap compared to the Guineo-Congolese region. Conclusions: P. nitida is used across its distribution areas with important economic values. Adapted management strategies are needed for the sustainable use and conservation of the species..

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Ghislain Comlan Akabassi ◽  
Elie Antoine Padonou ◽  
Achille Ephrem Assogbajo ◽  
Noël Zirihi Guede

Background: Picralima nitida (Apocynaceae) is an important African medicinal plant species. It is frequently used in traditional medicine and pharmaceutical industries for manufacture of drugs against infectious diseases, malaria, diabetes and cancer. Despite its important, the species can be rare, especially in the Dahomey Gap (in contrast to the Guineo-Congolese region). There is also a controversy on its distribution. To ensure the sustainable use of the species, this study evaluated the economic value, endogenous knowledge and effect of climate gradient on the distribution of the species in Africa. Methods: Ethnobotanical surveys were conducted in the Dahomey Gap with 120 informants randomly interviewed. A literature review of scientific papers and books was used to provide information on the uses, distribution and threats of the species in the Guineo-Congolese region. Results: The results revealed that P. nitida products were more expensive in the Dahomey Gap than the Guineo-Congolese region. All parts of the species were collected and used for 34 treatments. The species had low density and distribution in Dahomey Gap compared to the Guineo-Congolese region. Conclusions: P. nitida is used across its distribution areas with important economic values. Adapted management strategies are needed for the sustainable use and conservation of the species.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 58-64
Author(s):  
Dwi Haryanto ◽  
Rosye H.R. Tanjung ◽  
Konstantina M.B. Kameubun

Study on the used of medicinal plants by Marind people who lived at Wasur National Park, Merauke was conducted by using descriptive methods which include observation, interview, documentation, literature review techniques, as well as  emic and ethic approaches. During the study there were 46 species which belong to 26 families plants found as medicinal plants used by Marind people to cure about 30 diseases. Among 46 species, there were 7 potential medicinal plant species which known  and used by most Marind people. The seven potential medicinal plant species were Ipomoea triloba L., Bauhinia sp., Pittosporum sp., Kingiodendron platycarpum Bent., Sophora tool mentosa L.Cyrtandra sp., dan Tinopspora disstiflora L. Part of plant used vary from leaf, root, bark, fruit and other part of plant. Compare to other part of plant, leaf was the most common used as traditional medicinal plant. Key words:   traditional medicinal plant, Marind people, Wasur National Park


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Ghislain Comlan Akabassi ◽  
Elie Antoine Padonou ◽  
Achille Ephrem Assogbajo ◽  
Noël Zirihi Guede

Picralima nitida (Apocynaceae) represents is an important African medicinal plant species. It is frequently used in traditional medicine and pharmaceutical industries for drugs manufacturing against infectious diseases, malaria and diabetes and commercially traded as well. Despite its importance, the species is becoming rare, especially in the Dahomey Gap because of it is commercial importance. There is an issue about the controversy of the plant species on its distribution across both regions. Without further forest resources inventory, it is difficult to address efficiently the issue of the controversy of its distribution, the unsustainable use and the endogenous knowledge about of plant species usages. Ethnobotanical surveys were conducted in the Dahomey Gap with 120 informants randomly selected and interviewed. A literature review of scientific papers and books was also used to provide information on the sale prices dynamic, amount sold per units, uses, distribution area using the GBIF Platform, and threats of the species in both climatic regions.     P. nitida products were more expensive (per sale unit) in the DG than the GC region. All parts of the species were collected and used to treat 34 diseases. The plant species appear to be poorly distributed in the DG than the GC region. The overuse, endogenous knowledge loss in DG and deforestation in GC region appeared the main driver of scarcity of the species.    P. nitida has various medicinal uses across both regions. The sale price and amount sold per unit tend all to vary across both regions as well. However, the plant species is becoming scarcer in the DG than CG region. The issue of resource scarcity may drive loss of endogenous knowledge about the plant species uses. A forest inventory and documentation of uses are highly needed to assess the exact density and distribution area of P.nitida across both regions


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamilu. E. Ssenku ◽  
Shaban A. Okurut ◽  
Aidah Namuli ◽  
Ali Kudamba ◽  
Godfrey Wasige ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Currently, the global consumption of herbal medicine is increasing steadily, incurring extinction risks to the medicinal plant species. Uganda is one of the top ten countries with alarming levels of loss of medicinal plant biodiversity, and erosion of the associated Medicinal Traditional Knowledge (MTK). This study documented medicinal plant species, and examined the approaches used in preventing extinction of these species and the associated MTK in Butalejja district. Methods: A cross – sectional study design was adopted to conduct an ethnopharmacological survey, using semi-structured questionnaires administered to purposively selected herbalists. Simple descriptive statistics were adopted for data analysis using STATA version-15.0. Results: A total of 133 medicinal plant species, belonging to 34 families and 125 genera were identified. Most species belonged to family Fabaceae (22; 65%), and Solanaceae (10; 29%). Leaves were the commonest organ used (81; 80%), followed by roots (15; 15%). Medicinal herbs were mainly administered orally as decoctions (100; 34.6%), and infusions (45; 16%). The most cited diseases treated were cough (24; 7.74%), Ulcers (23; 7.42%), and Malaria (14; 4.52%). Medicinal plants were majorly harvested from homestead farms and roadside vegetation, with wetlands being the least cited habitat. Efforts to stop the extinction of medicinal plants and MTK were inadequate. Conclusion and recommendations: There was high dependency on medicinal plant species for primary healthcare and income generation. Noted also was the accelerated loss of medicinal plant biodiversity due to habitat destruction, especially in swamps. The conservation of medicinal plants and MTK was largely attributed to traditional cultural values. There is need for validation of efficacy and safety of key medicinal plants identified in this study, to support their future adoption in clinical medicine and pharmaceutical industries. Inclusion of traditional cultural ideals in national biodiversity conservation programs is warranted.


2003 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Q. Paynter ◽  
S. M. Csurhes ◽  
T. A. Heard ◽  
J. Ireson ◽  
M. H. Julien ◽  
...  

Weeds are serious threats to Australia's primary production and biodiversity conservation. For example, a recent Australia Bureau of Statistics survey found that 47% of farmers across Australia have a significant weed problem. A literature review revealed that legumes represent a significant proportion of the national weed problem and most serious Australian legume weeds are exotic thicket-forming species that were deliberately introduced for their perceived beneficial properties, such as for shade and fodder, or even quite trivial reasons, such as garden ornamentals. The low economic value of the rangelands most of these species infest, compared with control costs, hinders chemical and mechanical control of these weeds, such that biological control, which takes time, is expensive to implement and has no guarantee of success, may represent the only economically viable alternative to abandoning vast tracts of land. We argue that, because the behaviour of an introduced species in a novel environment is so hard to forecast, better predictive techniques should be developed prior to further introductions of plant species into novel environments. We also discuss the potential of legumes currently being promoted in Australia to become weeds and suggest the recent trend of exporting Australian Acacia spp. to semiarid regions of Africa risks history repeating itself and the development of new weed problems that mirror those posed by Australian Acacia spp. in southern Africa.


Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 425
Author(s):  
Rodrigue Vivien Cao Diogo ◽  
Luc Hippolyte Dossa ◽  
Sèyi Fridaïus Ulrich Vanvanhossou ◽  
Badirou Dine Abdoulaye ◽  
Kossi Hélliot Dosseh ◽  
...  

The sustainable use of rangelands in pastoral areas requires the inclusion of all stakeholders to develop sound management strategies. However, the role of these actors in the sustainable management of natural resources is still poorly understood. The present study aims to (i) assess the perception of farmers and herders of the risks and opportunities of transhumance on rangeland resource use and management, and to (ii) generate useful knowledge for the design and implementation of policies that favor the coexistence of these actors and reduce competition over rangeland resources use in Benin. To this end, interviews were conducted with 240 crop farmers and herders using a semi-structured questionnaire in two contrasting agroecological zones in the northern (Kandi) and the southern (Kétou) part of the country. Among the respondents, 64% of farmers in the North were agro-pastoralists (owning 10.6 ha of land and 10.7 cattle) and 36% were herders (keeping 45.8 cattle and cultivating about 3.7 ha of land). They perceived that communal rangelands were entirely degraded. In the South, 36% of respondents were agro-pastoralists (with 0.3 cattle and farming 4 ha of land) and 64% cattle herders (raising 45.3 cattle and farming 0.9 ha of land only). Of the herders, 50% kept cattle for more than 20 years, while agro-pastoralists had no previous experience in cattle herding. Cultivation practices among crop farmers, such as high use of mineral fertilization (23.8%) and bush fires for land clearing (22.5%), were reported in Kandi (North) and Kétou (South) as factors that might contribute to land degradation. However, these farmers perceived transhumance as a threat to the sustainable use of natural resources. In contrast, herders perceived transhumance as an opportunity to valorize unused land and increase the availability of manure to cropland. The prevalent negative attitude of crop farmers regarding transhumant herders increases the vulnerability of cattle herding in both regions. There is an urgent need of raising awareness concerning the mutual benefits provided by the coexistence of crop farmers with herders to promote participative rangeland management strategies. This may contribute towards coping with the current challenges of food insecurity and increasing climate variability as well as to reducing recurrent conflicts in the region.


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