The use of medicinal plants by the Yanomami Indians of Brazil

The results of the first detailed study of the use of medicinal plants by a group of Yanomami Indians are presented. Contrary to previous assumptions, they are shown to possess a substantial pharmacopoeia, including at least 113 species of plants and fungi. The changes in their use and knowledge of plant medicine are discussed in the context of the past and present influences on the Yanomami by the outside world.     

Use of indigenous knowledge for rapidly assessing trends in biodiversity: a case study from Chiapas, Mexico

In order to evaluate the usefulness of rapid surveys of indigenous knowledge for assessing trends in biodiversity, a case study was undertaken in two rural communities, Juznajab and Muquenal, in Chiapas, Mexico. This involved the use of a variety of rapid rural appraisal (RRA) and participatory rural appraisal (PRA) techniques, including semi-structured interviews, transect walks and participatory mapping. These approaches were used in conjunction with analysis of land use maps and aerial photographs to evaluate recent changes in vegetation cover and abundance of utilised species. In both communities, the extent of forest cover was considered by local people to have declined substantially in recent decades, with an annual decline in forest cover of 0.3% and 0.6% estimated by local people in Juznajab and Muquenal, respectively. Results from RRA indicated that this has been accompanied by significant declines in the abundance of useful species. In Juznajab 60% and 79%, and in Muquenal 96% and 85% of plants and animal species, respectively, were considered to have declined within living memory. These declines appear to result from over-utilization as well as habitat changes. For example, most of the tree species used for timber and the animal species used for meat were considered to have declined substantially in both communities. These results indicate that indigenous knowledge is potentially a valuable source of information about biodiversity trends, which could be assessed during Rapid Biodiversity Assessments and incorporated into the process of resource management by local communities. However, the contradictions recorded between assessments of vegetation change by local people and data obtained from other sources indicates the need for caution in the use of indigenous knowledge for this purpose.     

云南高黎贡山怒族对植物传统利用的初步研究

采用民族生物学和文化人类学等方法,广泛调查和研究了云南西北部高黎贡山地区怒族对植物的传统利用形式。结果表明：怒族对植物的传统利用主要表现在食用、药用、观赏、宗教祟拜和文化利用等方面。讨论了怒族的传统文化在当地植物多样性利用和管理中的作用和意义,并探讨了在植物多样性管理中传统管理和现代管理之间的关系以及在我国利用文化多样性进行自然生态环境保护的可能性、必要性和可行性。此外,面对优秀的传统文化知识和文化多样性逐渐消失的现实,作者建议加以拯救和广泛的研究。     

高黎贡山地区民族植物学的初步研究Ⅱ.独龙族

采用民族植物学和人类生态学的方法,初步研究了云南高黎贡山北部独龙江流域内独龙族的农业生态系统和采集利用植物的传统知识。处于近乎封闭的自然与社会环境中,独龙族与植物及植物环境的关系十分密切。独龙族的农业生态系统是典型的山地轮歇农业生态系统,系统中存在不少有价值的传统品种和地方品种,并以种植桤木(Alnus nepalensis)来促进轮歇地的休闲管理为特色,对保护当地的森林、生态系统和生物多样性起到了积极的作用。独龙族人人参与野生食用植物的采集活动,它是独龙族社会中仅次于农业生产而位居第二的重要经济活动,共采集100余种野生食用植物,其中有很大一部分是能代替粮食的产淀粉类植物。独龙族采集利用100多种药用植物,云黄连(Coptis teeta)和贝母(Fritillaria cirrhosa)等草药储量丰富,是独龙族用于同外界进行物资交换的主要物品。在其它植物资源的利用方面,独龙族也积累了丰富的传统知识,包括对纤维植物、染料植物等的认识和利用。桤木和董棕(Caryota urens)两个树种是体现独龙族传统植物学和生态学知识的代表种类。独龙族对植物的传统知识,有必要进行深入研究。     

Indigenous knowledge of dye-yielding plants among Bai communities in Dali,Northwest Yunnan,China

Background

Bai people in the Dali Prefecture of Northwest Yunnan, China, have a long history of using plant extracts to dye their traditional costumes and maintain this culture for posterity. However, the development of modern technology, while vastly improving the dyeing efficiency, is also replacing indigenous knowledge which threatens the indigenous practice, causing the latter disappearing gradually. This study sought to examine the indigenous knowledge of plants used for textile dyeing in Bai communities, so as to provide a foundation for their sustainable development.

Methods

We conducted a semi-structured interview among 344 informants (above age 36) selected through a snowball sampling method. Free lists and participant observation were used as supplementary methods for the interviews. Three quantitative indicators (informant consensus factor [ICF], use frequency, and cultural importance index [CI]) were used to evaluate the indigenous knowledge of the dye-yielding plants.

Results

Twenty-three species belonging to 19 plant taxonomic families were used for dye by Bai communities. We summarized them into four life forms, eight used parts, five colors, three processing methods, and four dyeing methods. Among them, Strobilanthes cusia (Nees) O. Kuntze was the most traditional dyeing plant and has an important cultural value. Location, age, and gender were found to have a significant effect on indigenous knowledge, and the dyeing knowledge was dynamic and influenced by social factors.

Conclusions

Diverse plant resources and rich indigenous knowledge of textile dyeing persist at settlements of Bai communities in Dali Prefecture. However, high labor costs and thinning market of traditional products that use plant dye cause repulsion toward traditional practice. To that, a good income in other profession attracts indigenous people to shift from their tradition of making plant-based dye and associated cultural systems at risk of extinction. More research for market development for products that use plant-based dye is necessary for the conservation of this valuable knowledge and biodiversity protection in Bai communities.

     

Plant virtues are in the eyes of the beholders: A comparison of known palm uses among indigenous and folk communities of Southwestern Amazonia

Despite its central importance to tropical forest conservation, the understanding of patterns in traditional resource use still is incipient. To address this deficiency, we compared known palm uses among two indigenous (Yawanawd and Kaxinawá) and two folk (rubber tapper and ribeirinho) communities in Southwestern Amazonia (Acre, Brazil). We conducted one-hundred-and -forty semi-structured “checklist” interviews about palm uses with male and female adults in the four communities. The knowledge of each community about the uses of the 17 palm species common to all communities was compared by testing for significant differences in the mean number of uses cited per informant and by calculating the Jaccard similarity index of known uses of palm species among the four communities. The following three hypotheses were confirmed: 1) the use of palms differs according to the cultural preferences of each community; 2) indigenous communities know significantly more about palm uses than folk communities; and 3) part of the indigenous knowledge was acquired through contact with Amazonian folk communities.     

Herbivores,but not other insects,are scarce on alien plants

Abstract Understanding how the landscape‐scale replacement of indigenous plants with alien plants influences ecosystem structure and functioning is critical in a world characterized by increasing biotic homogenization. An important step in this process is to assess the impact on invertebrate communities. Here we analyse insect species richness and abundance in sweep collections from indigenous and alien (Australasian) woody plant species in South Africa's Western Cape. We use phylogenetically relevant comparisons and compare one indigenous with three Australasian alien trees within each of Fabaceae: Mimosoideae, Myrtaceae, and Proteaceae: Grevilleoideae. Although some of the alien species analysed had remarkably high abundances of herbivores, even when intentionally introduced biological control agents are discounted, overall, herbivorous insect assemblages from alien plants were slightly less abundant and less diverse compared with those from indigenous plants – in accordance with predictions from the enemy release hypothesis. However, there were no clear differences in other insect feeding guilds. We conclude that insect assemblages from alien plants are generally quite diverse, and significant differences between these and assemblages from indigenous plants are only evident for herbivorous insects.     

Losing knowledge about plant use in the sierra de manantlan biosphere reserve, Mexico

The purpose of this paper is to document relationships between knowledge of plant use and indicators of modernization in Mexico. The model we are testing envisions increasing loss of plant use knowledge with increasing modernization indicated by loss of indigenous language and acquisition of nontraditional community services such as literacy and quality of housing. As predicted, we demonstrate that empirical knowledge about plant use is both more diverse and more evenly shared by people speaking an indigenous language—the Huastec—than by mestizo and Spanish-speaking indigenous populations in the Sierra de Manantlan. Our analyses also indicate that the adoption of modern community services by eight rural communities in the Sierra de Manantlan of western Mexico has had notable effects eroding traditional knowledge about useful plants in some but not all communities. From this we suggest that even though traditional knowledge about plants probably suffered a decline that accompanied loss of the indigenous language in Manantlan, traditional knowledge may be able to survive the modernization process today where such knowledge has an important role in subsistence.     

广西龙胜红瑶传统药用植物的民族植物学知识

瑶族是一个拥有悠久历史和灿烂文化的民族,红瑶是其中一个分支,因妇女服饰上的花纹图案以大红色为主而得名,其生活习俗饱含民族特色,对植物尤其是药用植物的利用方式,与其他民族不同。该研究采用经典的民族植物学理论和方法,访问调查了广西龙胜红瑶传统药用植物种类,根据植物拉丁名、中文名、当地名、用途、用法及药用部位,对其进行民族植物学编目,并与《中国药典》作了比较。结果表明:共记录到药用植物95种,隶属于57科83属,其中蔷薇科、百合科种类最多,分别含有7种,显示龙胜红瑶传统药用植物资源的多样性;全株入药的植物种类41种,占总数的43.16%;根入药的种类为23种,占总数的24.21%;叶入药的种类为13种,占总数的13.68%。药用植物的药用部位以全株、根及叶为主;治疗风湿类疾病的药物比重最大,为23.47%,推测与其生活的环境有关;与《中国药典》比较,发现71种植物未被其收录,另有17种虽被收录但主治功效不同,有7种被收录且主治功效大致相同,为新型中药的研发提供了借鉴。同时,还探讨了龙胜红瑶传统药用植物的药用价值、资源现状及文化传承的问题。     

Ethonobotany and sustainable utilization of natural dye plants in Sierra Leone

An ethnobotanical survey of practicing dyers in the biodiversity rich ecosystems of Sierra Leone and of the literature was conducted on the common plant species used to produce natural dyes. In addition, the methods used to obtain these dyes and to dye fabric, together with the techniques used to produce various patterns on fabric were investigated. Although the thriving dye industry is now predominantly serviced by synthetic dyes, the knowledge of the plants used still survives among some dyers, who use plant dyes to some extent. However this indigenous knowledge is rapidly being lost as increasingly less of it is being passed on to succeeding generations. Several plants used in the dyeing process are documented, together with their taxonomic characteristics; local names; how the dyes are produced and fabric dyed; the colors obtained; in addition to how various patterns are designed. Sustainable utilization of this important renewable natural resource is discussed.     

Indigenous and Ammophila arenaria-dominated dune vegetation on the South African Cape coast

Abstract. Communities formed by the potentially invasive European Ammophila arenaria (marram grass) are compared with those dominated by indigenous dune plant species in coastal dune systems. Sampling of communities was carried out along the Cape coast for species richness, species diversity, importance values and species associations. The influence of soil and other environmental factors on vegetation were also compared. While species richness values in A. arenaria communities appear similar to those of indigenous dune plant communities, diversity indices are significantly lower. However, on the basis of importance values of individual species, A. arenaria does not show extreme dominance to the exclusion of other species, as it does on the North American Pacific coast, where it has also been introduced. Because of its growth in dense tufts, A. arenaria is accompanied mostly by small chamaephytes and therophytes, while indigenous stands support more phanerophytes. Moreover, A. arenaria forms weaker species associations than dominant indigenous dune plant species. The alien status of A. arenaria in South Africa is confirmed by applying classification and ordination analyses which failed to differentiate A. arenaria communities according to their geographical origin as achieved with indigenous communities. This may be attributed to the lack of vigorous indigenous plants in A. arenaria communities, which accounts for the low variety in species composition of A. arenaria communities along the coastline. With regard to environmental factors, A. arenaria communities were observed to be less sensitive to extrinsic factors, such as climate, than indigenous dune plant communities. Results confirm that A. arenaria is an alien plant species in South Africa, but do not imply its invasiveness in the present or near future.     

Medicinal plants resources of Western Himalayan Palas Valley,Indus Kohistan,Pakistan: Their uses and degrees of risk of extinction

Present study was intended with the aim to document the pre-existence traditional knowledge and ethnomedicinal uses of plant species in the Palas valley. Data were collected during 2015–2016 to explore plants resource, their utilization and documentation of the indigenous knowledge. The current study reported a total of 65 medicinal plant species of 57 genera belonging to 40 families. Among 65 species, the leading parts were leaves (15) followed by fruits (12), stem (6) and berries (1), medicinally significant while, 13 plant species are medicinally important for rhizome, 4 for root, 4 for seed, 4 for bark and 1 each for resin. Similarly, thirteen species were used as a whole while twelve species as partial for medicinal purpose. Further, it is concluded that every part of plants such as bulb, rhizome, roots, barks, leaves, flowers, fruit and seed were used for various ailments. Moreover, among 65 plants species, 09 species are threatened and placed into Endangered (EN) and Least Concern (LC) categories of IUCN. The recorded data are very useful and reflects the significance of the Palas valley as medicinal plants resource area.     

Prioritization of medicinal plants on the basis of available knowledge, existing practices and use value status in Uttaranchal, India

In order to understand the pattern of indigenous uses of medicinal plants available in the Uttaranchal state of the Indian Himalaya, this study was undertaken through literature survey and fieldwork in various parts of the state. A list of all the major and most of the lesser categories of ailments was prepared and categorized with the help of medical practitioners. A total of 300 plant species used in curing 114 ailments prevailing in various ethnic and non-ethnic communities of Uttaranchal were documented. These 114 ailments were further grouped into 12 broad classes of diseases in order to project the indigenous uses of medicinal plants for various ailments. It was found that herbs contributed the highest number of medicinal plants (65%), followed by shrubs (19%) and trees (16%). The maximum number of plant species were used to cure generalized body aches and colic, followed by gastrointestinal and dermatological problems. Vitex negundo was the most important species, used for the treatment of more than 48 ailments. Azadirachta indica, Woodfordia fruticosa, Centella asiatica, Aegle marmelos, Cuscuta reflexa, Butea monosperma, Phyllanthus emblica, and Euphorbia hirta were among other important medicinal plants based on their high use values. The underground parts of the plant were used in the majority of cases. Of 300 medicinal plants, 35 were rare and endangered species, of which about 80% was restricted to the high altitude alpine region of Uttaranchal Himalaya. A priority list of 17 medicinal plant species was prepared on the basis of endemism, use value, mode of harvesting and rarity status. Strategies for long-term conservation of these valuable medicinal plants are discussed.     

Traditional knowledge of wild medicinal plants used by the inhabitants of Garam Chashma valley,district Chitral,Pakistan

Garam Chashma valley is a mountainous valley situated in the Hindukush mountain range in Pakistan. This area is blessed with rich and diverse medicinal flora extensively utilized by the local community to cure health issues. The present article aims to explore and document the indigenous traditional knowledge about wild plants and their curative properties. This survey was carried out during April 2018 to September 2019. Data was collected from 153 indigenous people through semi structure questionnaire, group discussion, field survey and formal talks with elder people. Quantitative analysis of recorded data was obtained by applying quantitative indices like Frequency of Citation (FC) Use Reports (UR), Family Use Value (FUV), Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), Use Value (UV) and Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC). About 83 plant taxa belonging to 36 different families were recorded for the treatment of 95 different disorders grouped into sixteen disease categories. Herbs were the most leading plant habit (81.9%) and dried plant material (51.8%) usually preferred for therapeutics uses. Among families Asteraceae (16.86%) was recorded as major taxon with highest number of species followed by Lamiaceae (12.06%). Leaves 33% were recorded most abundantly used plant part followed by flowers (17%). Regarding to formulations, decoction (39.3%) and powder (17.1%) were recorded most frequent mode of preparation while oral intake (78%) was most preferred administration route. About (40%) plants species were utilized to treat Gastrointestinal diseases (GIT) disorders. Informant consensus revealed that Gastrointestinal disorders and Dermatological disorders were top ranked ailments categories with 0.94 consensus. The current study imparted that medicinal plants are still used by the indigenous communities of Garam Chashma valley, district lower Chitral, Pakistan. Thus, this investigation provides basis for the conservation of medicinal flora in the area. Medicinal plants (MPs) having high value of FC, RFC, UV, FUV, FL and ICF should be further study for phytochemistry and ethnopharmacology to evaluate novel active ingredients for new drugs discovery.     

An ethnobotanical survey of the Agter–Hantam, Northern Cape Province, South Africa

The use of a rapid appraisal methodology, followed by a new approach that we refer to as the Matrix Method, has revealed a wealth of traditional knowledge on useful plants amongst people of Khoi–San decent in the Agter–Hantam, Calvinia district, Northern Cape Province of South Africa. The data include 14 new species records of useful plants; 20 new vernacular names and 99 new uses for 46 of the plant species, showing that Khoi–San ethnobotany is still incompletely recorded and that there is an urgent need to document this wealth of traditional knowledge before it is lost forever. This article also introduces two new terms — the Ethnobotanical Knowledge Index (EKI), a quantitative measure of a person's knowledge of local plant use (value between 0 and 1), and the Species Popularity Index (SPI), a quantitative measure of the importance or popularity of each species (value between 0 and 1). In the Agter–Hantam, the EKI varied from 0.20 to 0.93 in older people but even young children had EKI values of 0.27. The best known and most popular indigenous useful plants in the Agter–Hantam are Aloe microstigma (a new species record, with a SPI of 0.97), Hoodia gordonii (SPI = 0.94), Microloma sagittatum (0.94), Sutherlandia frutescens (0.92), Quaqua incarnata (0.92) and Galenia africana (0.85). The new quantitative method will allow for direct comparisons of the preservation of traditional plant knowledge and the importance of various plants species in different communities.     

Traditional Regulation of Edible Caterpillar Exploitation in the Kopa Area of Mpika District in Northern Zambia

The Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) of the Bisa people of northern Zambia on species, life cycles and host plants of the caterpillars they exploit for food and for household income generation, and the traditional control of caterpillar harvesting, were investigated through a household survey. The accessed indigenous knowledge on caterpillar biology was validated through a forest survey, caterpillar collections and identifications. Eight species of caterpillars were harvested from the surrounding miombo woodlands. Their life systems and host plants were well understood by members of local communities and this knoweldge was communicated amongst them orally. Popular commercial species were Gynanisa maya Strand and Gonimbrasia zambesina Walker. Over 20 miombo tree species hosted the two species but the mean numbers of the caterpillars on Julbernadia paniculata Troupin were significantly larger than those on other host plants (p < 0.05), indicating that J. paniculata was probably the main host plant of the two species. Traditional regulation of caterpillar harvesting involved: (i) monitoring for edible caterpillar development and abundance and for changes in caterpillar habitats, (ii) protection of host plants and moth eggs against late bush fires, through use of traditional fire technology, and (iii) temporal restriction of edible caterpillar harvesting. The possibility of the Zambian Government promoting caterpillar harvesting as an economic incentive to the Bisa people to conserve both this renewable edible caterpillar natural resource and their environment is discussed.     

Ethnobotanical plant uses in the KwaNibela Peninsula, St Lucia, South Africa

Ethnobotanical field studies were conducted for the first time in the KwaNibela Peninsula of southern Maputaland, KwaZulu-Natal, to document indigenous knowledge about useful plants. The vernacular names and uses of 82 plant species were recorded and compared to published Zulu and Swazi knowledge. Medicines for skin disorders, toothache, wounds, worms, chest and throat ailments, infertility and purgatives are still commonly used. Superstition and divination play a major role in the traditional knowledge system of the people of KwaNibela with 24 plants used for this purpose. Three KwaNibela medicinal plants (Erythroxylum delagoense, Putterlickia verrucosa, and Teclea natalensis) appear to be new records, not previously reported in the general scientific literature. The list also includes 61 novel uses of plants and another 15 new variations on known (published) uses. Ten previously unpublished vernacular names are presented, together with an additional 19 new variants of known names. These new additions to the scientific literature confirm that indigenous knowledge in KwaZulu-Natal is not yet completely recorded.     

Depredation of domestic herds by pumas based on farmer’s information in Southern Brazil

Background

We can conserve cultural heritage and gain extensive knowledge of plant species with pharmacological potential to cure simple to life-threatening diseases by studying the use of plants in indigenous communities. Therefore, it is important to conduct ethnobotanical studies in indigenous communities and to validate the reported uses of plants by comparing ethnobotanical studies with phytochemical and pharmacological studies.

Materials and methods

This study was conducted in a Tamang community dwelling in the Makawanpur district of central Nepal. We used semi-structured and structured questionnaires during interviews to collect information. We compared use reports with available phytochemical and pharmacological studies for validation.

Results

A total of 161 plant species belonging to 86 families and 144 genera to cure 89 human ailments were documented. Although 68 plant species were cited as medicinal in previous studies, 55 different uses described by the Tamang people were not found in any of the compared studies. Traditional uses for 60 plant species were consistent with pharmacological and phytochemical studies.

Conclusions

The Tamang people in Makawanpur are rich in ethnopharmacological understanding. The present study highlights important medicinal plant species by validating their traditional uses. Different plant species can improve local economies through proper harvesting, adequate management and development of modern techniques to maximize their use.     

Traditional Beverage Plants Used by Dai Villagers in Xishuangbanna

One hundred and fourteen plant species which belonging to 43 families and 93 genera were recorded in this study. All these species were used as traditional beverage plants by Dai people in two Dai villages (Man’an and Mansan)of xishuangbanna and 65 . 8% of the plants may hold medicinal functions. The results indicated that the species and the number of species were quite different between the two villages , and the difference between genders was not significant. However, the results of ANOVA showed that there was not significant difference between the average number of plant species mentioned in the villages and among genders, and the mean number of plant species mentioned in young group was significantly lower than that in old group, especially inMan’an village where transportation is much convenient. The study suggested that the indigenous knowledge was on the way of loss with the influence of exotic culture.     

Plant biodiversity and ethnobotany of Borana pastoralists in Southern Oromia, Ethiopia

A survey of plant biodiversity and ethnobotanical studies was conducted in southern Ethiopia using an integrated approach of botanical collections, group discussions, interviews and questionnaires. Species richness, growth forms and uses of native wild plants are described. Borana pastoralists distinguished and named 86% of the plant species identified. A total of 327 plant species distributed among 197 genera and 69 families are documented: 40% are trees/shrubs, 30% forbs (non-woody plants other than grasses and sedges), 16% grasses, 10% climbers, 2% sedges and 2% succulents. Based on richness of species and usefulness, the most important families are Poaceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae and Asteraceae. Two hundred forty-eight species (76%) are used by Borana pastoralists, out of which 42% have multiple uses. Indigenous knowledge of pastoralists on use and management of their plant resources is a valuable source of information for conservation and sustainable utilization of the plant biodiversity and, hence, conservation based on indigenous knowledge is recommended.