Medicinal plants from Riau Province,Sumatra, Indonesia. Part 1: Uses

One hundred and fourteen species of flowering plants, claimed to have medicinal uses, were recorded from a previously uninvestigated area of Sumatra. Of the specimens, which belonged to 51 families, 50% were used to combat fever, 33% for diarrhoea and 31% for other gastrointestinal problems. External applications were often used to treat internal conditions, particularly fever. Species new to the ethnomedical literature are Garcinia parvifolia, Scleria purpurescens, Galearia filiformis, Litsea elliptica, Litsea robusta, Barringtonia lanceolata, Sesbania aculeata, Mimosa pigra, Abelmoschus ficulneus, Hedyotis leucocarpa, Pavetta multiflora, Symplocos cochinchinensis and Trema tomentosa. Hanguana (as H. malayana) represents a new genus of medicinal plants.     

Medicinal plants from Riau Province,Sumatra, Indonesia. Part 2: antibacterial and antifungal activity

Antibacterial assays of 114 species listed in Part 1 showed that 82% of the extracts tested were active against Staphylococcus aureus, while 35% were active against Escherichia coli. Antifungal activity was less dramatic: 19% of the extracts inhibited Saccharomyces cerevisiae, while 20% inhibited Fusarium oxysporum. Our survey of relevant literature indicates that less than 30% of these Angiosperm species have previously been assayed for any form of antimicrobial activity.     

Medicinal plants used in Kirklareli Province (Turkey)

In this paper, 126 traditional medicinal plants from Kirklareli Province in Turkey have been reported. One hundred and twenty six plant species belonging to 54 families and among them 100 species were wild and 26 species were cultivated plants. Most used families were Rosaceae, Labiatae, Compositae and the most used plants were Cotinus coggyria, Sambucus ebulus, Achillea millefolium subsp. pannonica, Hypericum perforatum, Matricaria chamomilla var. recutita, Melissa officinalis subsp. officinalis, Juglans regia, Thymus longicaulis subsp. longicaulis var. subisophyllus, Malva sylvestris, Urtica dioica, Plantago lanceolata, Rosa canina, Ecballium elaterium, Artemisia absinthium, Viscum album subsp. album, Papaver rhoeas, Helleborus orientalis, Cydonia oblonga, Prunus spinosa subsp. dasyphylla, Rubus discolor, Sorbus domestica. A total of 143 medicinal uses were obtained. The traditional medicinal plants have been mostly used for the treatment of wounds (25.3%), cold and influenza (24.6%), stomach (20%), cough (19%), kidney ailments (18.2%), diabetes (13.4%).     

Medicinal plants used by the villagers of a Sundanese community in West Java, Indonesia

AIM OF THE STUDY: Based on the authors' fieldwork in a Sundanese village, Indonesia, this paper aimed to elucidate the roles of herbal medicine in treatment of illnesses and to report medicinal plants and their uses, comparing with those mentioned in the encyclopedic book series of Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Interview survey was conducted for all of the 19 herbalist healers about their therapies for the past 1-month period, and the medicinal plants used were botanically identified. For 70 non-healer households, treatments for all members' illness episodes in the past 1-month period were asked. RESULTS: Medicinal plants were used in two-thirds of illness cases, either through the villagers' self-treatment (60.9%) or by the healers (6.5%). The healers made 96 therapies for illnesses (classified into 23 categories), using 117 plant species. There were 257 types of illness-plant pairs, and only 114 of them (44.4%) were judged conformed to those mentioned in the PROSEA. CONCLUSION: Sundanese villagers have depended heavily on herbal medicine, and high proportion of non-conformed illness-plant pairs suggests necessity of further studies about Sundanese medicinal plants, particularly their pharmacological effects.     

Medicinal plants in Baskoure, Kourittenga Province, Burkina Faso: an ethnobotanical study

Aim of the study

The majority of people living in Kourittenga Province, Burkina Faso, are highly dependent on medicinal plants for their daily health care. Knowledge on the use of medicinal plants by traditional healers is being seriously threatened, due to the fact that it is commonly transferred from one generation to another only verbally. Moreover, recent environmental changes, deforestation, and unsustainable rates of exploitation, represent a serious risk for plant species diversity. Thus, there is a need to record and document indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants in this country. The aim of this study was to report on the use of medicinal plants by traditional healers to treat human diseases in a rural area located in the East-Centre Region of Burkina Faso (Baskoure Area), which has not yet been studied from an ethnobotanical point of view.

Materials and methods

The research was carried out over a period of 8 months, by means of open-ended and semi-structured interviews. A total of 41 traditional healers were interviewed, and group meetings were organised with family members and other local inhabitants having knowledge of traditional medicine.

Results

A total of 190 plant species were recorded. Most medicinal plants used to prepare concoctions were herbs, and leaves were the most frequently used parts. A high percentage of plants were used against gastrointestinal diseases and malaria, which are the prevalent diseases in the study area. The major source of remedies came from wild plants, indicating that cultivation of medicinal plants is not a common practice.

Conclusions

Our study represents an inventory on medicinal plants used in a rural area of Burkina Faso, and confirms that wild plants are widely utilised as health remedies in this area. The collected data may help to avoid the loss of traditional knowledge on the use of medicinal plants detained by traditional healers, and represent the preliminary information required in view of a future phytochemical investigation on the most used plants.     

贵州省薯蓣属药用植物资源

目的:弄清贵州省薯蓣属药用植物资源的种类及分布。方法:查证标本及有关资料。结果:贵州省薯蓣属药用植物共有17种(含1变种),基本查清其地理分布与药用功效,并列出了分类检索表。结论:为深度开发利用贵州省薯蓣属药用植物资源提供科学依据。     

Medicinal plants used for the treatment of diarrhoea in northern Maputaland,KwaZulu-Natal Province,South Africa

Aim of the study

To document the ethnobotanical knowledge on antidiarrhoeal plant use by lay people in a rural community in northern Maputaland.

Materials and methods

Interviews were conducted amongst homestead inhabitants, using structured questionnaires. The focus was on the medicinal plants which are growing in and around the immediate vicinity of the homesteads.

Results

Twenty-three plant species are used in the study area to treat diarrhoea. Four plants (Acacia burkei, Brachylaena transvaalensis, Cissampelos hirta and Sarcostemma viminale) are recorded for the first time globally as an antidiarrhoel. The three antidiarrhoeal plants most frequently used in the study area are Psidium guajava, Catharanthus roseus and Melia azedarach (all three are exotic to South Africa), followed by Sclerocarya birrea and Strychnos madagascariensis which are indigenous. Seven of the 23 plant species are used in five different plant combinations for increased antidiarrhoeal efficacy.

Conclusion

The wide variety of plants that are used to treat diarrhoea in this area supports the traditional value that medicinal plants have in the primary health care system of the rural people in northern Maputaland, KwaZulu-Natal.     

Medicinal plants and food medicines in the folk traditions of the upper Lucca Province, Italy

An ethnopharmacobotanical survey of the medicinal plants and food medicines of the northern part of Lucca Province, north-west Tuscany, central Italy, was carried out. The geographical isolation of this area has permitted the survival of a rich folk phytotherapy involving medicinal herbs and also vegetable resources used by locals as food medicine. Among these are the uncommon use of Ballota nigra leaves as a trophic protective; the use of Lilium candidum bulbs as an antiviral to treat shingles (Herpes zoster); Parmelia sp. as a cholagogue; Crocus napolitanus flowers as antiseptic; Prunus laurocerasus drupes as a hypotensive; and the consumption of chestnut flour polenta cooked with new wine as bechic. Many wild gathered greens are eaten raw in salads, or in boiled mixtures, as ‘blood cleansing’ and ‘intestine cleansing’ agents. Of particular interest is the persistence of the archaic use of Bryonia dioica root against sciatica, and the use of ritual plant therapeuticals as good omens, or against the ‘evil eye.’ Over 120 species represent the heritage of the local folk pharmacopoeia in upper Garfagnana. Anthropological and ethnopharmacological considerations of the collected data are also discussed.     

Medicinal and veterinary plants of El Caurel (Galicia, northwest Spain).

A study of the medicinal and veterinary plants popularly used in El Caurel region (Lugo province, northwest Spain) and their relationships is reported. We obtained data for 85 species belonging to 31 families of vascular plants. Their vernacular names, properties, preparations, mode and popular uses are presented.     

Medicinal plants of the Mapuche

A list of 136 plants used for medicinal purposes by the Mapuche Amerindians of Chile has been compiled. This is the first such list in English and is important due to the disappearance of Mapuche culture with increasing urbanisation. Some introduced plants have been incorporated into the traditional medicine of the Mapuche since the advent of European settlers but there is also a wealth of information about the uses of many indigenous species.     

The medicinal plants of Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia

This paper describes an ethnopharmacological study of two remote settlements in Indonesia. Interviews with practitioners of traditional medicine (dukuns) were carried out to determine the vernacular names of plants used for medicinal purposes. Parts used, methods of preparation and the medicinal uses of 158 species are presented in an inventory. Samples from several species are currently undergoing chemical analysis.     

Medicinal plants of the caatinga (semi-arid) vegetation of NE Brazil: a quantitative approach

The caatinga (semi-arid vegetation) is a Brazilian biome with a significant but poorly studied biodiversity closely associated with a diverse cultural heritage. The present work focused on analyzing published information available concerning medicinal plants used by traditional communities. We sought to contribute to future phytochemical and pharmacological investigations by documenting the therapeutic uses of native caatinga plants within the aims of modern ethnopharmacological research. Twenty-one published works cited a total of 389 plant species used by indigenous and rural communities in northeastern Brazil for medicinal purposes. The relative importance index (RI) of each species in these inventories was calculated, and information concerning the plant's local status (spontaneous or cultivated), distribution, and habit was recorded. Of the 275 spontaneous (non-cultivated) species cited, 15.3% were endemic to the caatinga. A statistical relationship was verified between the relative importance of the species and their endemic status (p<0.05). Herbaceous plants were more numerous (169) than trees (90) or shrubs and sub-shrubs (130) at a statistically significant level (p<0.05). A survey of published information on the phytochemical and pharmacological status of the plants demonstrating the highest RI supported the veracity of their attributed folk uses.     

Medicinal plants used by the Bapedi traditional healers to treat diarrhoea in the Limpopo Province,South Africa

Ethnopharmacological relevance

This paper provides ethnobotanical information on medicinal plants used to treat diarrhoea in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Documentation of this nature usually provides the basis for selecting medicinal plants for future phytochemical and pharmaceutical studies aimed at developing new, effective and affordable plant-derived diarrhoea remedies.

Aim of the study

To record and document medicinal plants used by the Bapedi traditional healers to treat diarrhoea in the Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Materials and methods

In order to record and document medicinal plants used by the Bapedi traditional healers to treat diarrhoea, 51 healers from 17 municipalities covering Capricorn, Sekhukhune and Waterberg districts in the Limpopo Province, South Africa were interviewed between January and July 2011. Data collected included the names of plants, plant part(s) used, methods of herbal preparation, administration, dosage and duration of treatments. Voucher specimens of the plants used by the Bapedi traditional healers to treat diarrhoea were collected, identified and deposited as future reference material at the Larry-Leach Herbarium (UNIN), University of Limpopo.

Results

A total of 20 plant species representing 16 families and 20 genera were found to be commonly used by the Bapedi traditional healers to treat and manage diarrhoea in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. The largest proportion of the medicinal plants belonged to the families Anacardiaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Malvaceae (10% each). The most frequently used species were Punica granatum (39.2%), Grewia bicolor (33.3%), Dombeya rotundifolia (21.6%), Commiphora marlothii (19.6%) and Acacia senegal (13.7%). The roots were the most commonly used plant part (50%), followed by leaves (20%), bark (15%), fruits (10%), pericarp, seed, tuber and whole plants (5% each). Mono therapies based on preparations made from a single plant species were the most dominant (90%). All medicinal preparations were taken orally for 1 week or until diarrhoea subsided. The therapeutic claims of the medicinal plants documented in this study are well supported by literature, with 70% of the species having anti-diarrhoeal properties or are used as diarrhoea remedies both in South Africa and also in other countries.

Conclusion

This study reveals that local communities in the Limpopo Province, South Africa still depend on traditional medicines for basic healthcare; and the use of traditional medicines is still an integral part of their socio-cultural life.     

Medicinal plants of the genus Macleaya (Macleaya cordata,Macleaya microcarpa): A review of their phytochemistry,pharmacology, and toxicology

In the genus Macleaya, Macleaya cordata and Macleaya microcarpa have been recognized as traditional herbs that are primarily distributed in China, North America, and Europe and have a long history of medicinal usage. These herbs have been long valued and studied for detumescence, detoxification, and insecticidal effect. This review aims to provide comprehensive information on botanical, phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological studies on plants in the genus Macleaya. Plants from the genus of Macleaya provide a source of bioactive compounds, primarily alkaloids, with remarkable diversity and complex architectures, thereby having attracted attention from researchers. To date, 291 constituents have been identified and/or isolated from this group. These purified compounds and/or crude extract possess antitumor, anti‐inflammatory, insecticidal, and antibacterial activities in addition to certain potential toxicities. Macleaya species hold potential for medicinal applications. However, despite the pharmacological studies on these plants, the mechanisms underlying the biological activities of active ingredients derived from Macleaya have not been thoroughly elucidated to date. Additionally, there is a need for research focusing on in vivo medical effects of Macleaya compounds and, eventually, for clinical trials.     

Medicinal plants of India with anti-diabetic potential

Since ancient times, plants have been an exemplary source of medicine. Ayurveda and other Indian literature mention the use of plants in treatment of various human ailments. India has about 45000 plant species and among them, several thousands have been claimed to possess medicinal properties. Research conducted in last few decades on plants mentioned in ancient literature or used traditionally for diabetes have shown anti-diabetic property. The present paper reviews 45 such plants and their products (active, natural principles and crude extracts) that have been mentioned/used in the Indian traditional system of medicine and have shown experimental or clinical anti-diabetic activity. Indian plants which are most effective and the most commonly studied in relation to diabetes and their complications are: Allium cepa, Allium sativum, Aloe vera, Cajanus cajan, Coccinia indica, Caesalpinia bonducella, Ficus bengalenesis, Gymnema sylvestre, Momordica charantia, Ocimum sanctum, Pterocarpus marsupium, Swertia chirayita, Syzigium cumini, Tinospora cordifolia and Trigonella foenum graecum. Among these we have evaluated M. charantia, Eugenia jambolana, Mucuna pruriens, T. cordifolia, T. foenum graecum, O. sanctum, P. marsupium, Murraya koeingii and Brassica juncea. All plants have shown varying degree of hypoglycemic and anti-hyperglycemic activity.     

云南省中药材种植（养殖）科技产业发展对策

本文分析了云南省中药材种植（养殖）科技产业发展的现状和存在的主要问题,提出了围绕重点发展和保护的中药材品种,建立五大中药材优势产业带的产业布局;建设中药材种植基地,提升中药材加工能力,培育中药材市场与龙头企业,保护中药资源,构建创新支撑体系的发展对策;加强政府对中药材产业引导,优化中药材产业的发展环境,保障对中药材产业的资金投入,培养中药材产业人才等发展措施,以促进云南中药材产业发展。     

江西道地药材车前子中桃叶珊瑚苷含量的测定

车前子为常用中药,具有清热利尿,渗湿通淋,明目祛痰的功效。临床上用于治疗急性肾小球肾炎、老年高血压、咳喘和黄疸性肝炎等。《中国药典》(2000版)与《中药大词典》均以车前Plantago asiatica L.、平车前P. Depressa Willd.的干燥成熟种子作为车前子基源,车前的种子一般称为大粒车前子,平车前种子一般称为小粒车前子。江西的吉安、吉水、泰和一带是家种的大粒车前子的主产     

Medicinal plants uses of the Tacana, an Amazonian Bolivian ethnic group

We present the results of an ethnopharmacological investigation of a Bolivian lowland ethnic group, the Tacana. The Tacana have a long tradition of exchange with highland communities. Though facing rapid acculturation, highlighted by the loss of the Tacana language among the younger generations, the knowledge and uses of medicinal plants are still alive. Of the approximately 450 different plant species collected during this survey, 33% had medicinal uses. We present an overview of the traditional Tacana ethnomedicine and pharmacopoeia.