Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Ethnomedicinal plants'

This dissertation is based upon research of an emergent ethnomedicine in a botanically rich area, the Western Cape of South Africa. It examines the interface between ethnobotany and medical anthropology by investigating the biological and social factors related to the knowledge, use and trade of medicinal plants by Cape bush doctors. Incredible syncretism was observed in the identity formation of this homogenous urban group of healers who combined elements of a globally recognized eco-religion and sociopolitical movement Rastafari with several South African cultures through knowledge of medicinal plants. By rejecting colonial principals, including capitalistic biomedical systems, bush doctors have crafted a niche acquiring knowledge and herbal remedies for the treatment of common ailments. Transmission amongst Rastas and trail-and-error experimentation with herbs emphasize that plant knowledge is situational and arises through relationships. From an estimated 200 bush doctors in the Cape, 62 almost exclusively middle-aged coloured males were interviewed. They declared their mission was 'to heal all people' through a reintroduction of KhoiSan healing traditions, an indigenous ancestry largely rejected by coloureds during apartheid. An ethnobotany of bush doctors revealed that of 192 species, 181 were medicinal and included various herbs important to most South African cultural groups. This largely herbaceous pharmacopeia is narrow compared to the region's high biodiversity and thirty-three species were identified as conservation priorities. The presence of bush doctors at transportation hubs as herbal hawkers creates a diversified economy through cultivation of relationships with primarily disadvantaged coloured and black consumers. The consumption, trade and sale of local plants by bush doctors represent efforts to embody the landscape; it reasserts coloured links to indigeneity, renews respect for their heritage and affords rights to resources. By evoking tradition within their tolerant philosophy, leaders of this emergent ethnomedicine develop a racially equitable and ecologically sustainable platform for health care evidenced by medicinal plant gardens in townships and transmission of diverse ethnomedical knowledge. Bush doctors are legitimized through the performance of transmission. This phytomedicinal knowledge reifies an ideology, repositioning coloureds in a moderate stance between colonial biomedicine and traditional African ethnomedicines, but also creates a unified South African medicine.

The South american Natives, Shuar and Achuar people and their ethnomedical culture constitute the background subject of the Phd research, performed both in Ecuador (Salesian Politechnic University, Quito), and in Italy (Pharmaceutical biology labs, University of Ferrara). Based on ethnomedical responses, Piper aduncum, Maytenus macrocarpa, Schinus molle, Tecoma stans and Eugenia hallii were chosen as amazonian plant species subject of the research. AIMS The research has been focused on: − checking the presence of endophytic fungi in plants; − isolating and subculturing pure endophytic strains; − checking the biotransformation capacity of the isolated endophytes on pure compounds; the most performing endophytes were also tested on phytocomplexes and pure chemicals obtained by the plant from which the fungi were isolated; − phytochemical characterization and bioactivity assays of plant extracts: P. aduncum. − METHODS Biotransformations. Fresh aerial plant parts were properly washed in sanitizing solutions and in vitro cultured using adequate solid media to isolate endophytes. (+/-)-cis-bicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-en-6-one, acetophenone, 1-indanone, 2-furyl methyl ketone, 2-methylcyclopentanone, 2-methylcyclohexanone, 2- methoxycyclohexanone were chosen as substrate model for biotransformations. The cultures were sampled after 1, 3, 7, 10 days of culturing, and ethyl acetate extracted to verify by GC-MS the presence of possible biotransformation products. Biotransformations were also checked on P. aduncum whole essential oil and on dillapiol, cis-ocimene, piperitone, (-)-terpinen-4-ol as most abundant chemicals. Chemical fingerprinting of P. aduncum essential oil. Steam distillation was adopted to obtain the essential oil, then characterized by GC-MS, NMR analyses. In vitro bioassays of P. aduncum essential oil. Antimicrobial activities were checked in vitro using proper agarized media to reach MIC. Antioxidant capacities were checked through DPPH test, ABTS and photochemiluminescence assays. Born's turbidimetric method and Writhing test were respectively adopted to check platelet-aggregation and anti-nociceptive properties. Mutagenic, antimutagenic properties and toxicity were assayed using classical and modified Ames test. MAIN RESULTS 364 fungal strains were in vitro isolated. Among all, 5 strains performed biotransformations on acetophenone to (S)-1-phenylethanol, with important yields (78-97%) and enantiomeric excess (78- 100%). Three strains gave also phenols probably by enzymatic reactions (Baeyer-Villiger oxidations). 15 fungal strains gave the lactones (-)-(1S,5R)-2-oxabicyclo[3.3.0]oct-6-en-3-one and (-)-(1R,5S)-3- oxabicyclo[3.3.0]oct-6-en-2-one from (+/-)-cis-bicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-en-6-one, probably as result of monooxygenase activation. Phytochemical characterization of P. aduncum essential oil has evidenced dillapiol as the most abundant terpene, followed by cis-ocimene, piperitone and terpinen-4-ol. Only cisocimene and piperitone gave several biotransformation products through dehydrogenation and hydroxylation reactions. The essential oil has evidenced non-mutagenic properties and interesting antifungal and antioxidant activities. CONCLUSIONS Several endophytic fungal strains from Amazonian plants were isolated and checked for biotransformations on pure chemicals and on P. aduncum essential oil. Data obtained will be useful for possible following patents about micro-organisms able to transform pharmaceutically interesting chemicals. Taxonomical characterization of the most performing fungal strains is still in progress. P. aduncum essential oil can be considered genotoxically safe and provides interesting antifungal and antioxidant properties, supporting its ethnomedical use as cicatrising and disinfectant crude drug and suggesting an extension of its employ as preservative ingredient.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of non-infectious diseases that cause hyperglycemia. DM symptoms were first clinically described by ancient Greek physicians whose prescriptions included plant-based remedies. Today, DM affects >400 million people globally and prevalence rates are rapidly increasing in developing countries where basic healthcare relies on local knowledge of botanical remedies. Many developing countries are home to diverse peoples and plants—providing fodder for varied plant-selection strategies and unique botanical pharmacopoeias. I addressed the plant-selection strategies used in a multi-ethnic, developing country, Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), to ascertain their role in shaping the local antidiabetic pharmacopoeia and to assess their benefits and risks in identifying safe and useful remedies. Using literature reviews, field surveys, and laboratory bioassays, I completed three categories of analysis. Ethnobotanical analyses showed that T&T’s antidiabetic pharmacopoeia is primarily of recent origin as >50% of the 48 historical DM remedies were Neotropical natives, including congenerics of well-known medicinal Paleotropical genera. Nevertheless, conservative knowledge transmission was also evident as several Paleotropical species of T&T’s pharmacopoeia, including Momordica charantia and Catharanthus roseus were also used in Africa, India and across the Caribbean. Paleotropical natives with a long history of use are likely to be safer remedies. Ethno-medicinal analyses of the pre- and post-2000 DM remedies of T&T, totaling 99 species, suggest that the centuries-old hot/cold folk disease-model was the model predominantly used in plant-selection. Parallels found between T&T folk concepts and biomedical mechanisms of DM provide probable bases for efficacy but the chronic use of purgatives and bitter-tasting plants is likely to be risky. Phytochemical analyses revealed that 69% of the tested plant extracts contained phenolic compounds, with more than half producing >80% alpha-glucosidase inhibition. Phenolic content and alpha-glucosidase inhibition were strongly correlated among food plants used as medicines, suggesting higher probability of selection as a result of non-target effects. The medicinal use of food plants may provide the best margins of safety and efficacy in identifying antidiabetic remedies. Together, these analyses showed how culture-specific plant-selection strategies can identify safe, useful remedies for developing countries to address their increasing DM prevalence in a cost-effective and sustainable manner.

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Ficus L., with about 750 species, is the richest of the family Moraceae, widely distributed in tropical regions of the world. The genus is characterized by lactescentes plants, woody, shrubs and lianas, often hemiepiphytes growing on tree branches or in the leaf axils of palms. In Brazil, there are about 100 species of Ficus, popularly known as "figueiras" and/or "gameleiras", many of which are exploited as sources of textiles, food and used in folk medicine. This study aimed to conduct an analysis of leaf morpho-anatomy of three species of Ficus sugb. Urostigma (Gasp.) Miq. Found in Paraíba: Ficus cyclophylla (Miq.) Miq., Ficus elliotiana S. Moore and Ficus caatingae R. M. Castro, and a review of the ethnomedicine of the species of the genus. Cross sections of leaves (blade and petiole) were performed in microtome in material embedded in methacrylate, stained with toluidine blue. The study of venation, epidermal cells, histochemical analysis and SEM were carried out using standard methods for each analysis. A review of the ethnomedicine of Ficus was performed, through literature search and various databases. The three species share the following characters: dorsiventral mesophyll, collateral vascularization, the presence of cytoplasmic inclusions of druses and prismatic crystals type (distributed in all tissues of the leaf), angular collenchyma, epidermis with straight polygonal anticlinal walls, hypostomatic and anomocytic stomata. They have characters that distinguish them from their related species, particularly with respect to the structural organization of the mesophyll, board, border and vascularization of the petiole. With respect to etnomedicinal revision, 27 species were reported (23.3%) used in traditional medicine in Brazil. Among the most common therapeutic indications, the most important were those reported for the digestive system and against intestinal worms (29%). The plant parts are used more sheets (63%), followed by the use of latex (51.8%). The oral use was the main route of administration (72.7%). Leaf anatomy was more relevant than the external morphology and can be used for the characterization of the three species and to support quality control of his herbal drugs, as it provided for the same distinctive characters. In addition, the survey provided the record etnomedicinal plants with popular uses that can serve as a basis for the election of species that can be employed as a source of biologically active compounds.
Ficus L., com cerca de 750 espécies, é o mais rico da família Moraceae, com ampla distribuição nas regiões tropicais do mundo. O gênero caracteriza-se por possuir plantas lactescentes, hábito arbóreo, arbustivo e lianas, muitas vezes hemiepífitas crescendo em ramos de árvores ou nas axilas das folhas de palmeiras. No Brasil, ocorrem cerca de 100 espécies de Ficus, popularmente conhecidas como figueiras e/ou gameleiras , muitas das quais aproveitadas como fontes de produtos têxteis, alimentícios e de uso na medicina popular. Este trabalho teve como objetivo realizar um estudo da morfoanatomia foliar de três espécies de Ficus sugb. Urostigma (Gasp.) Miq. encontradas na Paraíba: Ficus cyclophylla (Miq.) Miq., Ficus elliotiana S. Moore e Ficus caatingae R.M. Castro, e uma revisão da etnomedicina das espécies brasileiras do gênero. Secções transversais de folhas (lâmina e pecíolo) foram realizadas em micrótomo, em material incluído em metacrilato, posteriormente coradas com azul de toluidina. O estudo da venação, das células epidérmicas, testes histoquímicos e MEV foram realizados seguindo os métodos usuais para cada análise. Foi realizada uma revisão da etnomedicina de Ficus, mediante uma pesquisa na bibliografia e em vários bancos de dados. As três espécies estudadas compartilham os seguintes caracteres: mesofilo dorsiventral, feixes vasculares colaterais, presença de inclusões citoplasmáticas do tipo drusas e cristais prismáticos (distribuídas em todos os tecidos da folha), colênquima do tipo angular, epiderme com paredes anticlinais poligonais retas, anfígena, hipoestomática e estômatos anomocíticos. Possuem caracteres diferencias que as distinguem de suas espécies afins, principalmente com relação à organização estrutural do mesofilo, bordo, contorno e vascularização do pecíolo. Com relação à revisão etnomedicinal, foram registradas 27 espécies (23,3%) utilizadas como medicinais no Brasil. Dentre as indicações terapêuticas mais comuns, destacaram-se aquelas referidas para o sistema digestório e contra verminoses intestinais (29%). As partes da planta mais utilizadas foram folhas (63%), seguidas do uso do látex (51,8%). O uso oral foi a principal via de administração (72,7%). A anatomia foliar foi mais relevante que a morfologia externa e pode ser usada para a caracterização das três espécies e para subsidiar o controle de qualidade de suas drogas vegetais, uma vez que forneceu caracteres distintivos para as mesmas. Além disso, o levantamento etnomedicinal forneceu o registro de plantas com usos populares que podem servir de base para a eleição de espécies que poderão ser empregadas como fonte de compostos biologicamente ativos.

L’analyse des 209 entretiens semi-directifs effectués durant cette thèse a permis d’obtenir une vision globale et descriptive, autant qualitative que quantitative, des pharmacopées qui s’entrecroisent sur le littoral guyanais. Les usages phytothérapeutiques des 19 communautés culturelles interrogées ont été décryptés de façon à obtenir un panorama actualisé des pratiques ethnobotaniques guyanaises. Cette étude ethnographique a notamment permis de mettre en lumière les principales catégories nosologiques concernées par la phytothérapie sur le littoral guyanais et d’apporter un regard neuf sur les ethnomédecines de ce territoire et, notamment, les représentations du corps et de la maladie qu’elles sous-tendent. Les modes de traitement et les formes d’administration des remèdes en usage aujourd’hui sont finement documentés ainsi que les espèces utilisées (356 espèces identifiées).De façon plus originale, une cartographie des flux ethnobotaniques actuels est réalisée ainsi qu’une analyse de la « répartition culturelle » des plantes médicinales et une réflexion est menée sur les thèmes de la transversalité, de la sélection, de la transmission et de l’interculturalisation des savoirs relatifs aux plantes médicinales. Entre autres sous-thématiques, les rôles joués par la migration, la transfrontalité ou encore l’urbanité y sont largement discutés
The analysis of the 209 semi-directive interviews conducted during this thesis made it possible to obtain a global and descriptive vision, both qualitative and quantitative, of the pharmacopoeias that intersect on the Guyana coast. The phytotherapeutic uses of the 18 cultural groups interviewed were decoded in order to obtain an updated overview of French Guyanese ethnobotanical practices. This ethnographic study also made it possible to highlight the main nosological categories concerned by phytotherapy on the French Guiana coast and to provide a fresh look at the ethnomedicines of this territory and, particularly, the representations of the body and the diseases they underlie. The way of treating them and forms of administration of the remedies in use today are finely documented as well as the species used (356 identified species).In a more original way, a mapping of current ethnobotanical flows is realized as well as an analysis of the "cultural distribution" of medicinal plants, and a reflection is carried out on the themes of transversality, selection, transmission and interculturalization of knowledge relating to medicinal plants. Among other sub-themes, the roles played by migration, transfrontality and urbanity are widely discussed

碩士
國立臺灣大學
農藝學研究所
93
The aim of this study was to investigate the hepatoprotective activities, defined as capabilities against lipid peroxidation in mice, of 70% ethanol extracts of sixty-four ethnomedicinal plants in Taiwan. The anti-lipid peroxidative effects of plant extracts were determined by TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) assay, which is an indicator of lipid peroxidation and free radical activity in an in vitro biological system. To induce the formation of lipid peroxidation the liver homogenates of mice were treated with tert-Butyl hydroperoxide (t-BuOOH) or ferrous chloride (FeCl2). The quantities of Malondialdehyde (MDA) thus induced were measured, after transforming into MDA (TBA) 2, at 532 nm by high performance liquid chromatography. Compared to trolox, twenty-seven plant extracts (200μg/ml) prepared from leaf、stem or herb displayed significant inhibition (> 50%) on the formation of MDA: Rhus javanica (Anacardiaceae), Canna indica (Cannaceae), Bischofia javanica, Breynia officinalis, Mallotus paniculatus, Triadica sebifera (Euphorbiaceae), Cinnamomum camphora (Lauraceae), Desmodium sequax, Millettia pachycarpa, Pueraria montana (Leguminosae), Dianella ensifolia (Liliaceae), Ficus microcarpa (Moraceae), Psidium guajava (Myrtaceae), Areca catechu (Palmae), Rumex crispus (Polygonaceae), Spiraea prunifolia (Rosaceae), Psychotria rubra (Rubiaceae), Euphoria longana (Sapindaceae), Boehmeria densiflora, Boehmeria nivea (Urticaceae), and Tetrastigma formosanum (Vitaceae). The human normal liver cell (Chang liver cell lines) was used to test the cytotoxicity of the plant extracts. Cell activity were determined by the IC50-value of the reduced form of MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide). Among these twenty-seven plant extracts (200μg/ml), only six exhibited no cytotoxicity: P. rubra, C. indica, B. javanica, B. officinalis, B. nivea, and T. formosanum. Furthermore, we evaluated the antioxidant activity of these six plant extracts by DPPH assay, metal (Fe2+) chelators, superoxide quencher, and FRAP assay. The results showed that these six plant extracts could scavenge DPPH free radical, in the order as following (IC50: μg/ml): P. rubra (5.54) > T. formosanum (13.77) > C. indica (19.02) > B. officinalis (20.78) > B. javanica (32.91) > B. nivea (43.91). They also exhibited ferric reducing /antioxidant power (equivalent μg/ml Trolox): P. rubra (24.24) > B. officinalis (11.56) > T. formosanum (10.59) > C. indica (9.37) > B. javanica (8.9) > B. nivea (6.74). But to our surprise these extracts showed no ability of chelating Fe2+ and scavenging superoxide free radical. In conclusion, among sixty-four ethnomedicinal species thus studied, there are six plant extracts which demonstrate potential for protecting the mice liver from damage as caused by FeCl2, and which do not have cytotoxicity against Chang liver cell line. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of these six extracts is mainly mediated by theirfunction as hydrogen donators and reducing agents against the liver damage.

MSc (Botany)
Department of Botany
Invasive alien plants (IAPs) are non-native species that have spread beyond the introduction site; become abundant to an extent that they serve as agents of change that also threaten native biological diversity (Garcia-Berthou, 2007). IAPs have medicinal applications for the treatment of various aliments in humans (Jäger et al., 1996). In this study, an ethnomedicinal survey was conducted on medicinal uses of invasive alien plant species in order to identify and investigate the various disease treatment methods employed by Bapedi traditional health practitioners within Capricorn District. Six traditional health practitioners were randomly selected, via the snowball method from each of the five local municipalities namely: Aganang, Blouberg, Lepelle-Nkupi, Molomole and Polokwane. The whole survey included 30 traditional health practitioners. A semi structured questionnaire was administered to document information about the medicinal uses of IAPs from participants. The collected data from the questionnaire was captured in Microsoft Excel 2010 and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study recorded 22 IAPs belonging to 14 plant families. Records or data collected show invasive alien plants species to have been used for treatment of different alignments amongst Bapedi traditional health practitioners. Plant families with the most recorded species include: Solanaceae and Myrtaceae with 18.2% for both of them. The plant parts most frequently used in descending order were as follows: roots vii (40%), followed by the leaves (39%), fruits (7%), thorns (6%), bark (4%), seeds (2%) and lastly stems (2%). Decoction was recorded as the most dominant method used during medicinal preparations (n = 176) and flu was recorded as the most treated ailment amongst traditional health practitioners (n = 29). Apart from clearing IAPs as part of management strategy by South African government, there are other alternative innovative ways that can be employed to ensure that the number of IAPs introduced does not exceed beyond measure.This could be achieved by encouraging local people to use them as either medicinal sources or by incorporating them into any other local ethnobotanical use. The new innovative ways (such as traditional health practitioners utilizing the IAPs instead of endangered plants or indigenous plants species) can bring in some form of relief to the already declining indigenous species populations. Research scholars from different research institutes and higher education research centres can regard IAPs used medicinally as source of new pharmaceutical leads to create new medications. With such attention turned to alien invasive species, their survival as well as their spread will be kept on check at the same time creating a control measure to their spread with little effort. Further laboratory-based studies are needed to determine efficiency and safety of the IAPs used by traditional health practitioners in this study.
NRF

Information about the medicinal uses of forty-two plant species was collected from traditional healers and knowledgeable villagers from a variety of different ethnic groups in Nepal. Illnesses for which these plants are used are those perceived in western style medicine to be caused by bacterial, fungal or viral pathogens. Methanol extracts of the species were screened for activity against a variety of bacteria, fungi and viruses, under various light conditions to test for photosensitizers. Thirty-seven extracts showed activity against bacteria and thirty-five showed activity against fungi. Only eight were active against Gram-negative bacteria. The exposure to UV-A light had a considerable effect on the activities of some extracts, with eight extracts being active only when exposed to light. The antibacterial and antifungal effects of fifteen extracts were enhanced upon exposure to light. Fifteen extracts showed 100% inactivation of at least one virus, and fifteen showed partial activity. Eight extracts were active only when exposed to light, and the antiviral effect of eight extracts was enhanced upon exposure to light. A species showing antibacterial activity, Centipeda minima (Asteraceae), and one showing antiviral activity, Carissa carandas (Apocynaceae) were the focus of bioactivity guided fractionation. Centipeda minima was found to contain three sesquiterpene lactones, identified as 6-O-methylacrylylplenolin, 6-O-isobutyroylplenolin, and 6-O-angeloylplenolin. 6-O-Methylacrylylplenolin had not been previously isolated from C. minima. All three of these sesquiterpene lactones had activity against Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. A fraction from the methanol extract of Carissa carandas was quite active against herpes simplex virus. This fraction was found to contain a derivative of 3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamic acid.

In South Africa, indigenous plant species are used and traded for traditional medicine (muthi) and so are alien plant species. A literature review of 40 previous studies and survey work at various outlets, including muthi markets and muthi shops in Johannesburg, Durban and Pretoria, found that 320 alien plant species are used and/or sold for traditional medicine in South Africa. Fifty three of the 320 species were found to have weed and/or invader status. Surveys at Faraday and Warwick muthi markets in Johannesburg and Durban respectively as well as muthi shops in Johannesburg, Durban and Pretoria were conducted from October 2010 to February 2011. The following aspects regarding the plant material traded were recorded: the differences in the number of volumes traded; the differences in the number of alien species sold in the markets and shops (and also in Indian and Black-owned shops); the source and origins of these and the viability of propagules sold in the muthi trade. The surveys found that 49 alien plant species were sold and approximately 87 x 50kg-size bags of alien plant material was present in the markets and shops during the time of the survey. Muthi shops sold more than double the number of alien plant species than were sold in the markets and the same result was found for Indian versus Black-owned shops. Alien species were either harvested in South Africa, predominantly in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), or imported from India. Indian-owned muthi shops sold more species imported from India than alien species that were naturalised and harvested in South Africa. In contrast, the majority of alien species sold at markets and Black-owned shops were harvested in KZN. Viability tests found that 24% of alien plant species sold in this study had greater than 50% viability. Six invasive species are traded in low volumes with viable propagules sold for five of these, highlighting a possibility of spreading through the traditional medicine trade. The study concluded that the total trade in alien plant species is trivial in comparison to the trade of indigenous plant species.