Local Knowledge and Use of Medicinal Plants in a Rural Community in the Agreste of Paraíba, Northeast Brazil

The use of medicinal plants is an important source of therapeutic resources in rural communities and the wide versatility of some species may attract interest for prospecting studies. The aim of this study was to record and analyze local knowledge and the use of medicinal plants in the rural community of Malícia, municipality of Araçagi, Paraíba State, Northeastern Brazil, applying quantitative methods to calculate the Relative Importance (RI) and the Informant Consensus Factor (ICF). Semistructured interviews were conducted with 46 heads of households. The interviews addressed questions about the used parts of the plants, therapeutic indications, and form of use. Therapeutic indications were classified into categories of body systems. The Relative Importance Index (RI) was calculated to verify the species versatility, and the Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) was calculated to verify the consensus of use among informants regarding the body systems. A total of 111 plant species were recorded, inside 101 genera and 47 families. Fabaceae (16 spp.), Lamiaceae, and Myrtaceae (each one with 7 spp.) were the most representative families. Mentha arvensis, Aloe vera, and Myracrodruon urundeuva had the highest RI. A high consensus of use was observed among the informants for neoplasms, nervous system diseases, and infectious and parasitic diseases. Leaves were the part most cited for medicinal use. Regarding the method of preparation, the decoction and the oral administration route stood out. Neoplasms and respiratory system diseases had the highest ICF values. The results indicate a diversified knowledge of the local pharmacopeia and the need for in-depth studies to corroborate the effectiveness of medicinal plants and to understand the dynamics of local knowledge.

ETNOBOTANI UPACARA ADAT PAMOLE BEO OLEH SUKU DAYAK TAMAMBALOH DI DESA BANUA UJUNG KECAMATAN EMBALOH HULU KABUPATEN KAPUAS HULU (Etnobotany Traditional Ceremonies Pamole Beo By The Dayak Tamambaloh Tribe Of Banua Ujung Village, Kapuas Hulu District)

ETNOBOTANI UPACARA ADAT PAMOLE BEO OLEH SUKU DAYAK TAMAMBALOH DI DESA BANUA UJUNG KECAMATAN EMBALOH HULU KABUPATEN KAPUAS HULU (Etnobotany Traditional Ceremonies Pamole Beo By The Dayak Tamambaloh Tribe Of Banua Ujung Village, Kapuas Hulu District)Abstract This study aims to obtain data on plant species for the traditional pamole beo ritual ceremony by the Dayak Tamambaloh tribe in Banua Ujung Village, Embaloh Hulu District, Kapuas Hulu Regency. The research used a survey method. The technique of determining respondents using snowball sampling. The results showed that the plants used by the Dayak Tamambaloh Tribe were 20 species from 12 families. The highest use of habitus was trees with 9 species (45%). The most widely used part of the plant is the stem (40%). The highest utilization of plants, based on status in nature, is natural plants in the forest (75%.). Plants that have the highest UV are Schizostazchyum Sp, Arenga pinnata Merr, Oryza sativa Var. glutinosa and Cotylelobium elanoxylon (1). The highest Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) was the ritual of malao daun takalong (0.94). Bekende with the highest FIV value was Arecaceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Poaceae, with a value of 100%.Keywords:, Ethnobotany, Dayak Tamambaloh, Pamole BeoAbstrakPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendapatkan data jenis tumbuhan untuk upacara ritual adat pamole beo oleh suku Dayak Tamambaloh di Desa Banua Ujung, Kecamatan Embaloh Hulu, Kabupaten Kapuas Hulu. Metode yang digunakan adalah metode survey. Teknik menentukan responden menggunakan snowball sampling. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa tumbuhan yang dimanfaatkan Suku Dayak Tamambaloh sebanyak 20 spesies dari 12 famili. Penggunaan Habitus tertinggi adalah pohon sebanyak 9 jenis (45%). Pemanfaatan tumbuhan tertinggi, berdasarkan status di alam adalah tumbuhan alami di hutan (75%.) Bagian tumbuhan yang paling banyak dimanfaatkan adalah batang (40%). Tumbuhan dengan nilai (UV) tertinggi adalah Schizostachyum sp, Arenga pinnata Merr, Oriza sativa Var. glutinosa dan Cotylelobium melanoxylon (1). Informants Concensus Factor (ICF) tertinggi adalah ritual adat malao daun takalong yaitu (0,94). Analisis Famili Importance Value (FIV) tertinggi adalah Arecaceae, Dipterocarpaceae, dan Poaceae, dengan nilai sebanyak (100%).Kata kunci: Etnobotani, Dayak Tamambaloh, Pamole Beo

Inventory of Medicinal Plants Used Traditionally to Manage Kidney Diseases in North-Eastern Morocco: Ethnobotanical Fieldwork and Pharmacological Evidence

Kidney disease is one of the most common health problems and kidney failure can be fatal. It is one of the health disorders associated with extreme pain and discomfort in patients. In developing countries, such as Morocco where socioeconomic and sanitary conditions are precarious, medicinal plants are considered the primary source of medication. In the present work an ethnobotanical survey was conducted in a remote area of North-Eastern Morocco and we focused on (1) establishing a record of medicinal plants used traditionally by local people to treat kidney diseases and (2) correlate the obtained ethnomedical use with well-studied pharmacological evidence. From February 2018 to January2020, information was gathered from 488 informants using semi-structured questionnaires. The data were analyzed using three quantitative indices: The use value (UV), family use value (FUV), and informant consensus factor (ICF). A total of 121 plant species belonging to 57 botanical families were identified to treat kidney diseases. The families most represented were Asteraceae (14 species), followed by Lamiaceae (12 species) and Apiaceae (10 species). The most commonly used plant parts were leaves, followed by the whole plant and they were most commonly prepared by decoction and infusion. The highest value of the (UV) index was attributed to Herniaria hirsuta L. (UV = 0.16), and the highest family use value (FUV) was assigned to Caryophyllaceae with (FUV = 0.163). Regarding the informant consensus factor (ICF), this index’s highest values were recorded for kidney stones (ICF = 0.72). The use of 45% of the selected plants were validated based on literature review. This study helped document and preserve crucial traditional plant knowledge of 121 plant species used to treat kidney problems that can be used in the search for new biologically active compounds through more upcoming pharmacological studies.

Quantitative ethnobotanical study of medicinal flora used by local inhabitants in selected Barangay of Malinao, Albay, Philippines

Belgica THR, Suba MD, Alejandro CJD. 2021. Quantitative ethnobotanical study of medicinal flora used by local inhabitants in selected Barangay of Malinao, Albay, Philippines. Biodiversitas 22: 2711-2721. study identified and documented herbal medicines used in traditional therapies of local inhabitants in Malinao Albay. Ethnobotanical documentation in this study was through field observation, unstructured interviews, group discussions, and guided field walks. Preference ranking, use-value, informant consensus factor, and fidelity level were quantified. Based on the survey, 74 medicinal plants from 38 families and 72 genera were identified by 350 local inhabitants with therapeutic purposes using quantitative ethnobotanical indices. The plant species belonging to Lamiaceae were best represented with eight species, followed by Compositae with six species and Euphorbiaceae, Malvaceae, and Moraceae with four species each. While the plant species, i.e., Senna alata (L.) Roxb and Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth, were recorded with the highest Fidelity level (FL). In terms of Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), Justicia gendarussa Burm.f, Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers and Centella abbreviata (A. Rich.) Nannf were recorded with the highest values. Moreover, the plant with the highest Use Value (UV) was Moringa oleifera Lam, and the leaves were the most used part as a decoction to cure different illnesses. This study provides baseline data of plant diversity in Malinao Albay and their medicinal uses, which could be used as a basis for drug discovery to improve the utilization of herbal plants from global perspectives.

The Utilization of Medicinal Plants to Overcome Gastric Disorders by The Dayak Muara Tribe in Kuala Dua Village, Sanggau Regency

People use medicinal plants to treat various diseases, one of which is gastric disorders. The study aims to analyze the use of medicinal plants to overcome gastric disorders by the Dayak Muara tribe in Kuala Dua Village, Sanggau Regency. The sampling method was purposive sampling, with the number of respondents was 10% of the total number of households in Kuala Dua Village (91 respondents). The information regarding the medicinal plants used by the Dayak Muara tribe to overcome gastric disorders such as diarrhea, intestinal worms, nausea and vomiting, constipation, gastric, flatulence, and stomachache was collected. Furthermore, data obtained analyzed for the use-value (UV), informant consensus factor (ICF), and fidelity level (FL). The Dayak Muara tribe in Kuala Dua village, Kembayan District, has used 17 species of medicinal plants to overcome gastric disorders. Curcuma longa is the plant with a high use value or UV (0.96), followed by Psidium guajava (0.89) and Zingiber officinale (0.45). The highest value of informant consensus factor or ICF includes the diseases category of diarrhea (0.98), gastric, stomachache, nausea, and vomiting, each of which has an ICF value (0.96), constipation (0.94), intestinal worms and flatulence (0.88). The plants with the highest fidelity level (FL) are Allium sativum, Cymbopogon citratus and Centella asiatica for gastric (100), Areca catechu for constipation (100), Moringa oleifera, and Theobroma cacao (100) for stomachache.

Potential Toxicity of Medicinal Plants Inventoried in Northeastern Morocco: An Ethnobotanical Approach

Herbal medicine and its therapeutic applications are widely practiced in northeastern Morocco, and people are knowledgeable about it. Nonetheless, there is a significant knowledge gap regarding their safety. In this study, we reveal the toxic and potential toxic species used as medicines by people in northeastern Morocco in order to compile and document indigenous knowledge of those herbs. Structured and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, and simple random sampling was used as a sampling technique. Based on this information, species were collected, identified, and herbarium sheets were created. The collected data were analyzed using two quantitative indices: informant consensus factor (ICF) and fidelity level (Fl), as the degree of these indices give an insight into the level of toxicity of a given plant. The results revealed the knowledge of 55 species belonging to 36 families. The most represented families were Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Solanaceae, and Fabaceae. Furthermore, the majority of the species cited were herbs (67%), and the most common toxic parts were seeds, followed by leaves and roots. According to the informant consensus factor, death (0.81%) had the highest agreement, followed by the urological (0.76%) and skin (0.75%) categories. The most significant plants in terms of fidelity level were Solanum sodomaeum L. and Nerium oleander L. for death, Arisarum vulgare O. Targ. Tozz., Mentha spicata L., and Morus alba L. for the digestive category, Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss. and Citrus x aurantium L. for cardiovascular category, Urtica dioica L. for skin category, Datura stramonium L, and Ephedra altissima Desf. for neurological category, and finally Crocus sativus L. for general and unspecified category. This work highlights a valuable traditional knowledge of poisonous and potential poisonous plants in northeastern Morocco. Further phytochemical and toxicological research is needed to determine the safety of these prized herbs.

Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants Used to Treat Human and Livestock Ailments in Hulet Eju Enese Woreda, East Gojjam Zone of Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Indigenous people of a given community have their own local specific knowledge on plant use, management, and conservation. The objective of this study was to document medicinal plants used to treat human and livestock ailments in Hulet Eju Enese Woreda. The data were collected using semistructured interviews, focus group discussions, and field observations with local people. A total of 100 informants over the age of 20 years were selected to collect information on medicinal plant use. Descriptive statistics (percentage and frequency), Jaccard’s similarity index, independent sample t-test and analysis of variance, informant consensus factor, fidelity level, preference ranking, and direct matrix ranking were computed. A total of 80 medicinal plant species belonging to 75 genera and 52 families were documented. In terms of species diversity, Solanaceae stood first with 5 species followed by Euphorbiaceae and Malvaceae with 4 species each. Out of eighty medicinal plants, 53 species were used to treat only human ailments, 8 species were used to treat only livestock ailments, and the remaining 19 species were used for treating both human and livestock ailments. From the total medicinal plant species, shrub constitutes the largest number with 42.5% species. The most frequently used plant parts were leaves, accounting for 28.9%. The major routes of administration were oral accounts, 81 (57%), followed by dermal, 45 (31.7%), nasal, 6 (4.2%), and others, 10 (7%). In the disease category with the highest informant consensus factor (0.83) value was sudden sickness. There was highest preference (49) for Phytolacca dodecandra to treat rabies. Cordia africana was shown to be the top multipurpose species. This study revealed that the study area was rich in medicinal plants. Agricultural expansion, charcoal making, and firewood collection were considered major threats to medicinal plants. Therefore, awareness creation to the youth and training to the healers play a pivotal role to prevent the loss of indigenous knowledge.

Entomotherapy: a study of medicinal insects of seven ethnic groups in Nagaland, North-East India

Background The ethnic communities in Nagaland have kept a close relationship with nature since time immemorial and have traditionally used different kinds of insects and their products as folk medicine to treat a variety of human ills and diseases. The present study was conducted to record the entomotherapeutic practices of seven different ethnic groups of Nagaland. Method Documentation is based on semi-structured questionnaires and group discussions with a total of 370 informants. The data collected were analysed using fidelity level (FL) and informant consensus factor (ICF). Results Fifty species of medicinal insects belonging to 28 families and 11 orders were identified in connection with treatments of at least 50 human ailments, of which the most frequently cited were coughs, gastritis, rheumatoid arthritis, stomach ache and wound healing. Mylabris sp. showed the highest fidelity level (FL) of 100% for its therapeutic property as a dermatologic agent, while the informant consensus factor (ICF) ranged from 0.66 to 1.00. The use of medicinal insects varies amongst the seven ethnic groups, suggesting that differences in cultures and geographic location can lead to the selection of specific insect species for specific medicinal purposes. The largest number of insect species appear to be used for treating gastrointestinal, dermatological and respiratory diseases. Conclusion The list of medicinal insect species, many of which are reported for the first time in the present study, suggests the presence of a considerable diversity of therapeutically important insect species in the region and elaborate folk medicinal knowledge of the local ethnic groups. This knowledge of insects not just as a food, but also as therapy is passed down verbally from generation to generation, but is in danger of being lost if not documented in a systematic way. Having stood the test of time, traditional folk medicinal knowledge and its contribution through entomotherapy should not be regarded as useless as it has the potential to lead to the development of novel drugs and treatment methods.

Ethno-pharmacological use of Ethiopian indigenous forest honey: the case of Sheka forest

Background Sheka forest is the last indigenous forest in Ethiopia. Plant species are important for the production of different honey types used for both consumption and healing purpose. Healing purposes of plant species used for honey production has not been well documented. Documentation of the community honey based ethno pharmacological knowledge can provide huge significance in the process of subjective interpretation. Materials and Methods The study employed ethnographic descriptive and explanatory research design which participate 40 healers from Sheka forest, Ethiopia Quantitative analytical tools such as relative frequency citation (RFC), use value (UV), cultural importance index (CI), relative importance (RI), frequency index (FI) and informants consensus factor (ICF). Results Six major plant species have been identified in the study area. Honey made from Scheflera abyssinica (Geteme) had higher relative importance (1.67), relative frequency citations (0.55), citation index and frequency index (100). Honey from Vernonia amygdaline (Girawa) was used basically to treat human ailments such as diarrhea and Tonsillitis. Honey from Ficus vasta (Sholla) was primarily used to treat coughing, itching and allergy. Syzgiu guineense (Dokima) and Guizotia schimperi (Meskel Abeba) honeys were primarily used as cosmetics and to protect skin from excessive cold. Scheflera abyssinica honey was used for treat of almost all of the above listed ailments. Ailments like cosmetics and excessive cold, Tonsillitis and Itching and Allergy had a higher Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) of 0.86, 22 0.82 and 0.80, respectively. Wound and Foot and Mouth diseases were the only two livestock ailments treated by five different honey types. Conclusion Six plant species used for medicinal honey production that treated eight ailments have been identified. Scheflera abyssinica (Geteme) honey used for the treatment of eight human ailments. Honey treatment for Tonsillitis and itching and allergy had a higher Informant Consensus Factor.