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Daroueche O, Dimassi A, Bertrand C, Chassagne F. Exploring traditional cosmetic flora from Comoros islands: An ethnobotanical survey in Mayotte. Heliyon 2024; 10:e35322. [PMID: 39165956 PMCID: PMC11334832 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e35322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Mayotte is located in the Indian Ocean and is home to more than five languages, cultures and lifestyles. However, due to rapid urbanization, this traditional knowledge is at risk of extinction. Moreover, ethnobotanical studies on the pharmacopoeia and cosmetopoeia in Mayotte are almost nonexistent. This study was carried out to document the traditional knowledge of Mayotte's cosmetopoeia. The main objective of this study was to document the diversity of cosmetic plants used by the Mahoran community. We conducted field surveys from 2021 to 2022 in 14 communes of "Grande Terre", the largest of the two islands from Mayotte. A total of 35 experts (fundi) were interviewed in this study. Individual interviews with Mahoran informants using open questions were conducted, and voucher specimens were collected for each plant species cited. A total of 470 cosmetic formulations, representing a total of 1777 URs, were recorded. Each formulation contains 1 to 13 ingredients, with a predominance of single-ingredient recipes. In particular, hygiene, makeup, fragrance, hair and nails, and dermatology are the most cited cosmetic categories. A total of 83 plant species were identified and the five most cited plant species were, in decreasing order: Cocos nucifera (273 URs), Jasminum nummulariifolium (191 URs), Ocimum spp. (120 URs), Curcuma longa (105 URs), and Lawsonia inermis (101 URs). This study is one of the first to focus solely on the exploration of cosmetopoeia in Mayotte, contributing to the preservation of knowledge and the promotion of customs related to traditional cosmetics on this island. Further studies should be performed on some highly cited plant species endemic to the area (e.g., Jasminum nummulariifolium, Pandanus maximus) to confirm their interest for the cosmetic industry and thus contribute to the economic growth of Mahoran people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oumaynou Daroueche
- UAR 3278 CRIOBE, EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Cedex, Perpignan, France
- Pôle d’Excellence Rurale, Pôle PI2M, RN 2, 97670, Coconi, Mayotte
| | - Abassi Dimassi
- Conservatoire botanique national de Mascarin (CBN-CPIE Mascarin), Saint Leu, La Réunion, France
| | - Cédric Bertrand
- UAR 3278 CRIOBE, EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Cedex, Perpignan, France
- Pôle d’Excellence Rurale, Pôle PI2M, RN 2, 97670, Coconi, Mayotte
- S.A.S. AKINAO, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Cedex, Perpignan, France
| | - François Chassagne
- UMR152 PharmaDev, Université Paul Sabatier, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Toulouse, France
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Chassagne F, Butaud JF, Ho R, Conte E, Hnawia É, Raharivelomanana P. Traditional medical practices for children in five islands from the Society archipelago (French Polynesia). JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2023; 19:44. [PMID: 37853377 PMCID: PMC10585756 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-023-00617-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traditional Polynesian medicine for children has been poorly documented, and few data are available on their efficacy and safety. In this context, the aim of this study was to identify traditional practices used for treating children and then assess the efficacy and safety of the most cited remedies by reviewing the literature. METHODS In 2022, a semi-structured survey was carried out on five islands from the Society archipelago (Bora Bora, Huahine, Moorea, Raiatea, and Tahiti). A total of 86 participants were interviewed including 19 experts in herbalism. A thorough literature review was performed on the most cited plant species to gather the relevant ethnobotanical, pharmacological, and clinical data of each remedy. RESULTS Participants mentioned using 469 remedies to treat 69 health disorders. The most represented health categories were digestive system, skin disorders, infectious diseases, and respiratory system. A total of 67 plant species (representing 731 use-reports) were mentioned and Annona muricata, Gardenia taitensis, and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis were the main plants reported. Regarding the safety of cited remedies, one plant (Microsorum grossum) showed high risk of toxicity, and its use should be avoided in infants and children. CONCLUSION Our survey confirms the importance of traditional medical practices for children in the Society Islands. A lack of data in children for most cited remedies demonstrate the need for more pharmacological and toxicological research on Polynesian medicinal plants. Finally, the potential risk of toxicity for some cited plant species reported calls for a better information of traditional medicine users and healers.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Chassagne
- UMR 152 PharmaDev, Université Paul Sabatier, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Toulouse, France.
- Maison des Sciences de l'Homme du Pacifique (UAR 2503), Université de la Polynésie Française / Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
| | - Jean-François Butaud
- Correspondant du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (PatriNat), Paris & Consultant en foresterie et botanique polynesienne, Tahiti, French Polynesia
| | - Raimana Ho
- UMR 214 EIO, Université de Polynésie Française, IFREMER, ILM, IRD, Faaa, Tahiti, French Polynesia
| | - Eric Conte
- Maison des Sciences de l'Homme du Pacifique (UAR 2503), Université de la Polynésie Française / Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Tahiti, French Polynesia
| | - Édouard Hnawia
- UMR 152 PharmaDev, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | - Phila Raharivelomanana
- UMR 214 EIO, Université de Polynésie Française, IFREMER, ILM, IRD, Faaa, Tahiti, French Polynesia
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Silambarasan R, Sasidharan S, Nair J H, Kumar S N, R A, Nair AS, Selavinayagam K. A multivariate and quantitative assessment of medicinal plants used by the indigenous Malayali tribes in the Javadhu hills of Tiruvannamalai district, Tamil Nadu, India. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15607. [PMID: 37305490 PMCID: PMC10256831 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The study of medicinal plants with their traditional uses and related pharmacological studies has received more attention during the past several decades around the world. The Malayali tribes of the Javadhu Hills in the Eastern Ghats rely heavily on a system of traditional medicine for healthcare. A qualitative ethnographic method with a semi-structured questionnaire was used to interview 52 people across 11 localities in the Javadhu Hills. In the data analysis, descriptive statistics such as Use reports (UR), frequency of citations (FC), relative frequency of citations (RFC), informant agreement ratio (IAR), fidelity level (FL), and informant consensus factor (FIC) were studied. In the current investigation, 146 species from 52 families and 108 genera were discovered to treat 79 diseases. Leguminosae and Apocynaceae were the dominant families (12 species each). The most frequently used life form was the herb and the plant part were the leaf. The majority were being harvested from natural resources. Most medicines were taken orally. The most frequently cited species are Moringa oleifera and Syzygium cumini. The illnesses were divided into 21 categories. The majority of the plants mentioned are utilised to increase human immunity and health. The principal ailment (general health) was revealed by two-way cluster analysis and PCA. The species Litsea decanensis, Phoebe paniculata, Commiphora caudata, etc., were new records for the Javadhu hills according to a comparison between the current study and previous local and regional research. Documenting novel ethnomedicinal species and their therapeutic applications will encourage more phytochemical and pharmacological research and may even result in the creation of new medications. Furthermore, the study's significant novelty is that principle component analysis and two-way cluster analysis clearly revealed that the species that are used to treat various diseases, as well as species that are closely associated with treating specific ailment categories, are distinct. Significantly, species recorded in this study rely on maintaining and improving general body health of humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajendran Silambarasan
- Department of R&D, Pankajakasthuri Herbal Research Foundation, Pankajakasthuri Ayurveda Medical College Campus, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Shan Sasidharan
- Department of R&D, Pankajakasthuri Herbal Research Foundation, Pankajakasthuri Ayurveda Medical College Campus, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Hareendran Nair J
- Department of R&D, Pankajakasthuri Herbal Research Foundation, Pankajakasthuri Ayurveda Medical College Campus, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Nishanth Kumar S
- Department of R&D, Pankajakasthuri Herbal Research Foundation, Pankajakasthuri Ayurveda Medical College Campus, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Aravind R
- Department of R&D, Pankajakasthuri Herbal Research Foundation, Pankajakasthuri Ayurveda Medical College Campus, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Akhila S. Nair
- Department of R&D, Pankajakasthuri Herbal Research Foundation, Pankajakasthuri Ayurveda Medical College Campus, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - K.T. Selavinayagam
- Jantho Memorial Educational Foundation, Kallathikulam Village, Eluvanoor Post, Kamuthi Taluk, Ramanathapuram District, 623605, Tamil Nadu, India
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Biswas P, Ghorai M, Mishra T, Gopalakrishnan AV, Roy D, Mane AB, Mundhra A, Das N, Mohture VM, Patil MT, Rahman MH, Jha NK, Batiha GES, Saha SC, Shekhawat MS, Radha, Kumar M, Pandey DK, Dey A. Piper longum L.: A comprehensive review on traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and health-promoting activities. Phytother Res 2022; 36:4425-4476. [PMID: 36256521 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Piper longum (family Piperaceae), commonly known as "long-pepper" or "Pippali" grows as a perennial shrub or as an herbaceous vine. It is native to the Indo-Malaya region and widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical world including the Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka, Middle-East, and America. The fruits are mostly used as culinary spice and preservatives and are also a potent remedy in various traditional medicinal systems against bronchitis, cough, cold, snakebite, and scorpion-sting and are also used as a contraceptive. Various bioactive-phytochemicals including alkaloids, flavonoids, esters, and steroids were identified from the plant extracts and essential oils from the roots and fruits were reported as antimicrobial, antiparasitic, anthelminthic, mosquito-larvicidal, antiinflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, anticancer, neuro-pharmacological, antihyperglycaemic, hepato-protective, antihyperlipidaemic, antiangiogenic, immunomodulatory, antiarthritic, antiulcer, antiasthmatic, cardioprotective, and anti-snake-venom agents. Many of its pharmacological properties were attributed to its antioxidative and antiinflammatory effects and its ability to modulate a number of signalling pathways and enzymes. This review comprehensively encompasses information on habit, distribution, ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of P. longum in relation to its medicinal importance and health benefits to validate the traditional claims supported by specific scientific experiments. In addition, it also discusses the safety and toxicity studies, application of green synthesis and nanotechnology as well as clinical trials performed with the plant also elucidating research gaps and future perspectives of its multifaceted uses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Protha Biswas
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Mimosa Ghorai
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Tulika Mishra
- Department of Botany, DDU Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Abilash Valsala Gopalakrishnan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Debleena Roy
- Department of Botany, Lady Brabourne College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | | | - Avinash Mundhra
- Department of Botany, Rishi Bankim Chandra College, Naihati, India
| | - Neela Das
- Department of Botany, Rishi Bankim Chandra College, Naihati, India
| | | | - Manoj Tukaram Patil
- Department of Botany, SNJB's KKHA Arts SMGL Commerce and SPHJ Science College Chandwad (Nashik) Maharashtra, Affiliated to Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Md Habibur Rahman
- Department of Global Medical Science, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, South Korea
| | - Niraj Kumar Jha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering & Technology (SET), Sharda University, Greater Noida, India.,Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied & Life Sciences (SALS), Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India.,Department of Biotechnology Engineering and Food Technology, Chandigarh University, Mohali, India
| | - Gaber El-Saber Batiha
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt
| | | | - Mahipal S Shekhawat
- Plant Biotechnology Unit, KM Government Institute for Postgraduate Studies and Research, Puducherry, India
| | - Radha
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Manoj Kumar
- Department of Botany, Lady Brabourne College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.,Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt.,Chemical and Biochemical Processing Division, ICAR - Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Devendra Kumar Pandey
- Department of Biotechnology, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India
| | - Abhijit Dey
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
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Sukumaran S, Mary Sujin R, Sathia Geetha V, Jeeva S. Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the Kani tribes of Pechiparai Hills, Western Ghats, India. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chnaes.2020.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Adhikari JN, Bhattarai BP, Rokaya MB, Thapa TB. Ethno-medicinal uses of vertebrates in the Chitwan-Annapurna Landscape, central Nepal. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0240555. [PMID: 33125389 PMCID: PMC7598503 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional knowledge on the use of animal products to maintain human health is important since time immemorial. Although a few studies reported food and medicinal values of different animals, a comprehensive ethno-medicinal study of vertebrates in Nepal is still lacking. Thus, present study is aimed at documenting the ethno-medicinal knowledge related to vertebrate fauna among different ethnic communities in the Chitwan-Annapurna Landscape, central Nepal. Data was collected by using semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed by using Use Value (UV), Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) and Fidelity level (FL). Results showed a total of 58 (53 wild and 5 domestic) species of vertebrate animals. They were used to treat 62 types human ailments. Four animals were also used for veterinary diseases and agriculture benefits. The most widely used species was Felis chaus (UV = 0.25) with 3 use-reports by 10 informants. Cardiovascular and dental problems had the highest ICF value (0.974) with cardiovascular problems having 351 use-reports for 10 animal species and dental problems having 77 use-reports for 3 animal species. The least ICF was found in ophthalmological problems (ICF = 0.833, use reports = 7 for 2 species). We concluded that the different animals were an important part of traditional medicine for the local people living in the Chitwan-Annapurna Landscape. However, the majority of animals and most likely to be threatened due to their uses. The present documented ethnozoological knowledge can be used in conservation and management of vertebrates so that they could be protected for future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jagan Nath Adhikari
- Central Department of Zoology, Institute of Science and Technology Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal
- Department of Zoology, Birendra Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University, Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal
| | - Bishnu Prasad Bhattarai
- Central Department of Zoology, Institute of Science and Technology Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Maan Bahadur Rokaya
- Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czech Republic
- Department of Biodiversity Research, Global Change Research Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tej Bahadur Thapa
- Central Department of Zoology, Institute of Science and Technology Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal
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Gerometta E, Grondin I, Smadja J, Frederich M, Gauvin-Bialecki A. A review of traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of the genus Indigofera. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2020; 253:112608. [PMID: 32004627 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.112608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Indigofera is the third-largest genus in the family of Fabaceae, with approximately 750 species. It is distributed across all tropical regions. Indigofera species are widely employed in traditional medicine all around the world, against many ailments. Thus, based on these medicinal properties, various investigations have been undertaken in order to appraise the pharmacological activities and the chemical composition of these species. A recent paper provides a summary of the phytochemistry and pharmacology of the genus Indigofera. Consequently, this review is a continuation of this previous study by updating some data and adding information about the phylogeny and traditional uses of the genus. AIM OF THE STUDY To provide an overview of the phylogeny, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicity of the genus Indigofera, and to identify the remaining gaps and thus supply a basis for further investigations. MATERIALS AND METHODS A review of the literature was performed by consulting scientific databases such as 'ScienceDirect', 'PubMed', 'Google Scholar' and 'SpringerLink' and using the keyword Indigofera. RESULTS Over 60 Indigofera species are reported in traditional medicine. The uses depend on the country and the species, but similarities have been noticed. Indeed, treatments of gastrointestinal disorders, inflammatory conditions and pain, skin ailments, and respiratory and infectious diseases are recurring. Phytochemical studies have led to the identification of more than 200 compounds, notably flavonoids and terpenoids. Many pharmacological activities have been demonstrated, particularly antimicrobial, cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activities, and thus allowed to assert most of the traditional uses of the genus. Some active compounds have been isolated and have shown remarkable therapeutic potential, like the alkaloid indirubin, which is currently being clinically trialed. CONCLUSIONS The data on the genus Indigofera are extensive, but gaps still remain. Indeed, some promising species have not been assessed for their phytochemistry and/or pharmacology and thus remain unexplored. Moreover, relatively few active compounds have been isolated and tested for their biological activity, and studies to explain their mechanism of action are nearly inexistent. Furthermore, some pharmacological studies have inappropriate methodologies that make the results difficult to interpret. Consequently, further in-depth and relevant research is required to supplement the knowledge on this wide-ranging genus and to confirm its reported therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Gerometta
- Laboratoire de Chimie des Substances Naturelles et des Sciences des Aliments, Faculté des Sciences et Technologies, Université de la Réunion, 15 Avenue René Cassin, BP 7151, St Denis Messag Cedex 9, La Réunion, 97 715, France.
| | - Isabelle Grondin
- Laboratoire de Chimie des Substances Naturelles et des Sciences des Aliments, Faculté des Sciences et Technologies, Université de la Réunion, 15 Avenue René Cassin, BP 7151, St Denis Messag Cedex 9, La Réunion, 97 715, France.
| | - Jacqueline Smadja
- Laboratoire de Chimie des Substances Naturelles et des Sciences des Aliments, Faculté des Sciences et Technologies, Université de la Réunion, 15 Avenue René Cassin, BP 7151, St Denis Messag Cedex 9, La Réunion, 97 715, France.
| | - Michel Frederich
- Université de Liège, Département de Pharmacie, Centre Interfacultaire de Recherche sur le Médicament (CIRM), Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie, Campus du Sart-Tilman, Quartier Hôpital, Avenue Hippocrate, 15 B36, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
| | - Anne Gauvin-Bialecki
- Laboratoire de Chimie des Substances Naturelles et des Sciences des Aliments, Faculté des Sciences et Technologies, Université de la Réunion, 15 Avenue René Cassin, BP 7151, St Denis Messag Cedex 9, La Réunion, 97 715, France.
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Mahomoodally MF, Protab K, Aumeeruddy MZ. Medicinal plants brought by Indian indentured immigrants: A comparative review of ethnopharmacological uses between Mauritius and India. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2019; 234:245-289. [PMID: 30658182 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Revised: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Mauritius is famous for its floricultural diversity and traditions practiced across the island by various ethnic groups. During the British rule in the 1835s, Indian indentured labourers migrated to Mauritius and played a very important role in shaping the Mauritian culture. They brought along their high heritage of traditional knowledge of certain medicinal herbs and spices. Nonetheless, there has been no comparative study to investigate whether these past traditional knowledge are still preserved in Mauritius and India. AIM OF THE STUDY To document and compare the traditional uses of medicinal herbs and spices brought by Indian indentured labourers with their current uses in Mauritius and India, and to review pharmacological studies of such plants. MATERIALS AND METHODS Locally published textbooks, research dissertations, and relevant records from the 'Mauritiana' section of the University of Mauritius library were scrutinised for possible early records of such herbs and spices brought by Indian indentured immigrants. Field trips and site visits to Mauritius Herbarium and The National Folk Museum were conducted to gather data on their traditional uses as practiced by the Indian indentured immigrants. A literature search was performed to gather the current ethnomedicinal uses of these plants in Mauritius and India using key databases such as ScienceDirect and PubMed, as well as thesis from local university website. Pharmacological studies on these plants were also reviewed in an attempt to compare the ethnomedicinal uses against reported ailments. RESULTS Indian labourers brought 18 medicinal plants for medicinal purposes as documented at the folk museum of Indian Immigration. Piper betle L., Azadirachta indica A. Juss., and Curcuma longa L. were common plants used by Indian indentured immigrants against a wide range of ailments. Data obtained from recent ethnomedicinal surveys revealed that A. indica and C. longa were the most traditionally used plants in India, while in Mauritius, C. longa was the most popular plant followed by Allium sativum L. and Ocimum tenuiflorum L. It was also found that all these plants are currently being used against a wide range of diseases in both countries. In addition, several studies have highlighted the pharmacological properties such as analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-pyretic, and anti-diabetic for some plants. CONCLUSION This investigation can be considered as a first attempt to document and compare traditional knowledge of medicinal plants brought by Indian immigrants. We observed that some of these knowledge are preserved and still practiced in Mauritius. It is anticipated that this study will revive the interest in safeguarding and promoting the ancestral knowledge on the uses of such plants.
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Esakkimuthu S, Mutheeswaran S, Elankani P, Pandikumar P, Ignacimuthu S. Quantitative analysis of medicinal plants used to treat musculoskeletal ailments by non-institutionally trained siddha practitioners of Virudhunagar district, Tamil Nadu, India. J Ayurveda Integr Med 2019; 12:58-64. [PMID: 31003860 PMCID: PMC8039335 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaim.2018.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Siddha is one of the traditional medical systems of India; previous ethnobotanical survey in Virudhunagar district indicated a high consensus for treating musculoskeletal ailments. Objectives This study was aimed to quantitatively document the medicinal plants used to treat musculoskeletal ailments by non-institutionally trained siddha practitioners of Virudhunagar district, Tamil Nadu, India. Materials and methods This work was the outcome of free-list interviews conducted among 45 informants between April 2016 and January 2017. Sampling sufficiency was assessed by plotting Shannon–Wiener's index and cumulative number of UR. Informant consensus was assessed using Informant Consensus Factor (Fic) and Informant Agreement Ratio (IAR). Results This study recorded the data regarding 116 plant species which were used to prepare 129 formulations; analysis of the data yielded 490 UR. Among these, 65.3% of UR dealt with internal applications and 34.6% dealt with external applications. In the case of internally used formulations, pain and general musculoskeletal ailments had high Fic values. In the case of externally used formulations, headache and pain had high Fic values. Conclusion Important species prescribed by the informants to treat various musculoskeletal ailments were: Azima tetracantha, Ricinus communis, Sesamum indicum, Moringa oleifera, Cardiospermum halicacabum (internal application), Calophyllum inophyllum, Justicia adhatoda, Curcuma longa, Calotropis gigantea, Zingiber officinale, Withania somnifera, Strychnos nux-vomica, Dodonaea viscosa (external application), Azadirachta indica, Clerodendrum phlomidis,Delonix elata, Pergularia daemia and Vitex negundo (internal and external applications). Robust studies on these local claims will help to improve the community healthcare and will yield some novel agents to treat musculoskeletal ailments. Siddha is one of major traditional medicinal systems of India. Non-institutional training is still major in siddha system of medicine. This survey documented the plants used to treat various musculoskeletal ailments. Though there were some scientific evidences; many local claims lack rigorous studies. Further studies will yield some useful clues for the management of various MSDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Esakkimuthu
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Nungambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600 034, India
| | - S Mutheeswaran
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Nungambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600 034, India
| | - P Elankani
- Siddha Clinical Research Unit, Government Siddha Medical College Campus, Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli, 627 002, India
| | - P Pandikumar
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Nungambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600 034, India.
| | - S Ignacimuthu
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Nungambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600 034, India
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Esakkimuthu S, Sylvester Darvin S, Mutheeswaran S, Gabriel Paulraj M, Pandikumar P, Ignacimuthu S, Al-Dhabi NA. A study on food-medicine continuum among the non-institutionally trained siddha practitioners of Tiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, India. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2018; 14:45. [PMID: 29954417 PMCID: PMC6025710 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-018-0240-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medicinal properties of the food species are one of the poorly documented and important areas of ethnopharmacology. The present survey quantitatively documented the medicinal foods prescribed by the non-institutionally trained siddha practitioners of Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu. METHODS Field work was carried out between December 2014 and April 2017 using a questionnaire. The illnesses mentioned by the informants were grouped as illness categories on the basis of emic perceptions. Sufficiency of sampling of this survey was assessed by plotting the cumulative number of UR and Shannon-Wiener's index. The indices such as informant consensus factor (FIC), Index of Agreement on Remedies (IAR), and Cultural Food Significance Index (CFSI) were calculated. RESULTS This study documented 165 medicinal foods used by 82 non-institutionally trained siddha practitioners of Tiruvallur district, and 73.93% of these preparations were plant based. Among the animal taxa, 82.05% were represented by fish taxa. The illness category gastrointestinal ailments is the majorly cited illness category treated with plant-based formulations. The illness categories viz., gastrointestinal ailments, hemorrhoids, and neural ailments had high consensus under the group of plant-based medicinal foods. In animal-based medicinal foods, kapha ailments had gained 23.07% of UR. The illness categories such as bone fractures, male reproductive ailments, blood ailments, and anabolic had high FIC values. CONCLUSIONS Deeper studies on different dietary cultures of India may help to derive better interpretations on food-medicine continuum. This study identified some important claims such as the use of citron, pomegranate and Solanum americanum (gastrointestinal ailments), Abutilon indicum, onions and elephant foot yam (hemorrhoids), Boerhavia diffusa (urinary ailments), Moringa oleifera (anemia), Aloe vera (gynecological ailments), Eclipta prostrata (liver ailments), ivy gourd (diabetes), citron (hypertension), Centella asiatica (psychological ailments), spade nose shark (lactogogue), reticulate whipray (wheezing and bronchitis), Katelysia opima (impotence), Indian squid (anemia), and Indian oil sardine (anabolic). More studies on these claims will help identify novel functional foods to add to the field of medical nutrition therapy, with traditional brand identity. Robust studies on the documentation of the traditional knowledge on marine resources will yield a good database for various stakeholders and policy makers.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Esakkimuthu
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600034 India
| | - S. Sylvester Darvin
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600034 India
| | - S. Mutheeswaran
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600034 India
| | - M. Gabriel Paulraj
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600034 India
| | - P. Pandikumar
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600034 India
| | - S. Ignacimuthu
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600034 India
- International Scientific Partnership Programme, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451 Saudi Arabia
| | - N. A. Al-Dhabi
- Addiriyah Chair for Environmental Studies, College of Science, King Saud University, 2455, Riyadh, 11451 Saudi Arabia
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Chellappandian M, Saravanan M, Pandikumar P, Harikrishnan P, Thirugnanasambantham K, Subramanian S, Hairul-Islam V, Ignacimuthu S. Traditionally practiced medicinal plant extracts inhibit the ergosterol biosynthesis of clinically isolated dermatophytic pathogens. J Mycol Med 2018; 28:143-149. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mycmed.2017.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Revised: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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Sureshkumar J, Silambarasan R, Ayyanar M. An ethnopharmacological analysis of medicinal plants used by the Adiyan community in Wayanad district of Kerala, India. Eur J Integr Med 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eujim.2017.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Savithramma N, Yugandhar P, Devi PS, Ankanna S, Suhrulatha D, Prasad KS, Ranjani R, Nagaraju N, Chetty KM. Documentation of ethnomedicinal information and antimicrobial validation of Thespesia populnea used by Yanadi tribe of Ganugapenta village, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, India. JOURNAL OF COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE RESEARCH 2017; 6:158-169. [PMID: 28512597 PMCID: PMC5429075 DOI: 10.5455/jice.20170330010555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AIM This study aimed to document the traditional knowledge of medicinal plants and antimicrobial validation of Thespesia populnea used by Yanadi tribe of Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was mainly focused on documentation of medicinal plants used by Yanadi tribe to treat different diseases with a standard questionnaire. These plants were cross-checked in Dr. Dukes Database and available literature to know the significance of this tribe on medicinal knowledge. Among the documented plants, T. populnea was selected for antimicrobial activity with disc diffusion assay. RESULTS Among the documented medicinal plants, herbs were the most utilized plants, followed by leaf part of the plants; paste form of medicinal preparation was the dominant one among the mode of preparations and oral administration was generally followed by this tribe. When checked these plants in Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Database most of the medicinal plants were matched at least one medicinal use and most of them were correlated with existing literature. In antimicrobial activity, the microbial pathogens Klebsiella pneumonia among bacteria and Rhizopus arrhizus among fungi were most susceptible to methanol extract of T. populnea. CONCLUSION From this study, we conclude that the preparation and dosage of the medicines by Yanadi tribe of this area is unique and the correlation of medicinal data with Duke's Database and existing literature reveals high medicinal significance of claimed data of this tribe and potential inhibitory activity of T. populnea could be studied further to isolate effective antimicrobial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataru Savithramma
- Department of Botany, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Pulicherla Yugandhar
- Department of Botany, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | | | - Sade Ankanna
- Department of Botany, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Damai Suhrulatha
- Department of Microbiology, Sri Padmavathi Mahila University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Koya Siva Prasad
- Department of Botany, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Ramakrishanan Ranjani
- Department of Virology, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Nagoji Nagaraju
- Department of Botany, Sri Venkateswara Arts College, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
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Sundarrajan S, Arumugam M. Documentation of traditional Siddha medicines for skin diseases from Katpadi taluk, Vellore District, Tamil Nadu, India. Eur J Integr Med 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eujim.2016.08.163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Esakkimuthu S, Mutheeswaran S, Arvinth S, Paulraj MG, Pandikumar P, Ignacimuthu S. Quantitative ethnomedicinal survey of medicinal plants given for cardiometabolic diseases by the non-institutionally trained siddha practitioners of Tiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, India. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2016; 186:329-342. [PMID: 27090346 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2016.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Revised: 04/09/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOBOTANICAL RELEVANCE The burden of cardiometabolic diseases such as dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, hypertension, visceral obesity and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases and the use of traditional medicine for the management of such diseases are high in India; hence there is a need to document and analyze such therapies. AIM OF THE STUDY This study documented and analyzed the medicinal plants prescribed for cardiometabolic diseases by the non-institutionally trained siddha practitioners of Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu, India. METHODOLOGY The field survey was conducted between December 2014 to November 2015. Successive free listing assisted with field-walks was used to interview the informants. After assessing the sampling sufficiency using rarefaction curve analysis, indices such as Informant Consensus Factor (Fic) and Index of Agreement on Remedies (IAR) were calculated for the data. The indicators of informant's medicinal plant knowledge such as Shannon's index, equitability index, etc., were regressed with the demographic profile of the informants. RESULTS For this study 70 non-institutionally trained Siddha medical practitioners were approached; the data from 36 practitioners who were treating cardiometabolic diseases were documented. This study recorded the use of 188 species which were used to prepare 368 formulations to treat illnesses categorized under cardiometabolic diseases. In this, 53.04% claims were singletons. Regression analysis showed that single species dominance was reduced and the diversity of medicinal plants was increased with the increase in the age and experience. Increase in the years of formal education increased the equitability in the uses. The plants such as Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (cardiovascular diseases), Allium sativum L. (dyslipidemia), Cuminum cyminum L. (hypertension), Macrotyloma uniflorum Verdc. (obesity) and Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (type 2 diabetes) were the highly cited medicinal plants. CONCLUSION This survey has identified the plants most commonly used by Siddha practitioners of Tiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, India for cardiometabolic diseases. The prevalence of chronic, non-communicable metabolic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension and obesity are increasing worldwide due to the rapid changes in the lifestyle. These ailments require a life-long care and in such instances, people tend to use complementary therapies in most cases, alongside with conventional therapies. In view of the high use of traditional therapies for treating cardiometabolic illnesses, this study supports the need for more research to evaluate the potential benefits of the treatments and to identify any safety concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Esakkimuthu
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600034, India
| | - S Mutheeswaran
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600034, India
| | - S Arvinth
- Department of Botany, PSG College of Arts & Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641 014, India
| | - M Gabriel Paulraj
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600034, India
| | - P Pandikumar
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600034, India.
| | - S Ignacimuthu
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600034, India; Visiting Professor Programme, Deanship of Scientific Research, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
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Silambarasan R, Ayyanar M. An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in Palamalai region of Eastern Ghats, India. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2015; 172:162-78. [PMID: 26068426 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2015.05.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Revised: 05/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/29/2015] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE During the last few decades there has been an increasing interest in the study of medicinal plants with their traditional use and related pharmacological research all over the World. This paper enumerated folk medicinal plants used by Malayali tribal people in an unexplored and biodiversity rich region of Eastern Ghats in southern India. AIM OF STUDY The aim of this study is to collect and identify the plants used in medicinal therapy by the local people and professional traditional healers with quantitative analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS An ethnobotanical survey was carried out during January to December 2014 among the Malayali tribal people in four villages of Palamalai region in Eastern Ghats, India. The information was obtained through open and semi-structured face-to-face interviews with the local knowledgeable people and professional traditional healers. The statistical analysis, use value, family use value, informants' consensus factor, fidelity level, frequency of citation, relative frequency citation and informants' agreements ratio were calculated for the quantitative study of ethnomedicinal data. RESULTS A total of 118 plant species belonging to 95 genera and 55 families dominated by the families like Leguminosae, Asteraceae and Lamiaceae were enumerated with detailed information on parts used, method of preparation, mode of administration and ailments treated. Leaves were mostly used plant part and predominantly used herbal preparations were decoction and paste. Moringa oleifera Lam. was reported by all the interviewed informants and gives the highest UV of 3.9 with 78 use reports due to its diverse medicinal uses. CONCLUSION The present study demonstrated the need for importance of documenting the traditional knowledge of forest dwelling people. As a result of the study, Abutilon indicum (L.) Sweet., Andrographis echioides (L.f.) Nees., Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst., Canarium strictum Roxb., Centella asiatica (L.) Urban., Senna auriculata (L.) Roxb. and Tribulus terrestris (L.) were recommended for further ethnopharmacological studies since these plants were recorded with high UV, IAR, RFC and FL values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajendran Silambarasan
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, A.V.V.M Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi-613503, Thanjavur, India
| | - Muniappan Ayyanar
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, A.V.V.M Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi-613503, Thanjavur, India.
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Feng Y, Sun C, Omari-Siaw E, Zhu Y, Tong S, Wan J, Yu J, Xu X. An efficientin vitroandin vivoHPLC method for hydnocarpin in nanomicelles formulation. Biomed Chromatogr 2015; 30:432-9. [DOI: 10.1002/bmc.3566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2015] [Revised: 06/25/2015] [Accepted: 07/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yingshu Feng
- Center for Nano Drug/Gene Delivery and Tissue Engineering, School of Pharmacy; Jiangsu University; Zhenjiang 212013 China
| | - Congyong Sun
- Center for Nano Drug/Gene Delivery and Tissue Engineering, School of Pharmacy; Jiangsu University; Zhenjiang 212013 China
| | - Emmanuel Omari-Siaw
- Center for Nano Drug/Gene Delivery and Tissue Engineering, School of Pharmacy; Jiangsu University; Zhenjiang 212013 China
| | - Yuan Zhu
- Center for Nano Drug/Gene Delivery and Tissue Engineering, School of Pharmacy; Jiangsu University; Zhenjiang 212013 China
| | - Shanshan Tong
- Center for Nano Drug/Gene Delivery and Tissue Engineering, School of Pharmacy; Jiangsu University; Zhenjiang 212013 China
| | - Jinyi Wan
- Center for Nano Drug/Gene Delivery and Tissue Engineering, School of Pharmacy; Jiangsu University; Zhenjiang 212013 China
| | - Jiangnan Yu
- Center for Nano Drug/Gene Delivery and Tissue Engineering, School of Pharmacy; Jiangsu University; Zhenjiang 212013 China
| | - Ximing Xu
- Center for Nano Drug/Gene Delivery and Tissue Engineering, School of Pharmacy; Jiangsu University; Zhenjiang 212013 China
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Thanikachalam S, Harivanzan V, Mahadevan MV, Murthy JSN, Anbarasi C, Saravanababu CS, Must A, Baliga RR, Abraham WT, Thanikachalam M. Population Study of Urban, Rural, and Semiurban Regions for the Detection of Endovascular Disease and Prevalence of Risk Factors and Holistic Intervention Study: Rationale, Study Design, and Baseline Characteristics of PURSE-HIS. Glob Heart 2015; 10:281-9. [PMID: 26014656 DOI: 10.1016/j.gheart.2014.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2014] [Accepted: 11/11/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
We designed and implemented the PURSE-HIS (Population Study of Urban, Rural and Semiurban Regions for the Detection of Endovascular Disease and Prevalence of Risk Factors and Holistic Intervention Study) to understand the prevalence and progression of subclinical and overt endovascular disease (EVD) and its risk factors in urban, semiurban, and rural communities in South India. The study is also designed to generate clinical evidence for effective, affordable, and sustainable community-specific intervention strategies to control risks factors for EVD. As of June 2012, 8,080 (urban: 2,221; semiurban: 2,821; rural: 3,038) participants >20 years of age were recruited using 2-stage cluster sampling. Baseline measurements included standard cardiovascular disease risk factors, sociodemographic factors, lifestyle habits, psychosocial factors, and nutritional assessment. Fasting blood samples were assayed for putative biochemical risk factors and urine samples for microalbuminuria. All nondiabetic participants underwent oral glucose tolerance test with blood and urine samples collected every 30 min for 2 h. Additional baseline measurements included flow-mediated brachial artery endothelial vasodilation, assessment of carotid intimal medial wall thickness using ultrasonography, screening for peripheral vascular disease using ankle and brachial blood pressures, hemodynamic screening using a high-fidelity applanation tonometry to measure central blood pressure parameters, and aortic pulse wave velocity. To assess prevalence of coronary artery disease, all participants underwent surface electrocardiography and documentation of ventricular wall motion abnormality and function using echocardiography imaging. To detect subclinical lesions, all eligible participants completed an exercise treadmill test. Prospectively, the study will assess progression of subclinical and overt EVD, including risk factor-outcome relation differences across communities. The study will also evaluate community-specific EVD prevention using traditional Indian system of medicine versus recognized allopathic (mainstream) systems of medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - J S N Murthy
- Cardiac Care Centre, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, India
| | | | | | - Aviva Must
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ragavendra R Baliga
- Wexner Medical Center, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - William T Abraham
- Wexner Medical Center, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Columbus, OH, USA
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Prabhu S, Vijayakumar S, Yabesh JEM, Ravichandran K, Sakthivel B. Documentation and quantitative analysis of the local knowledge on medicinal plants in Kalrayan hills of Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu, India. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2014; 157:7-20. [PMID: 25240590 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2014] [Revised: 08/23/2014] [Accepted: 09/09/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The aim of the present study was to document the medicinal plants by the traditional medical practitioners from Kalrayan hills of Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu, India. Quantitatively analyses of the data were made to acquire some useful leads for further studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS Successive free listing was the method adopted for the interview. In this study, 54 traditional healer medical practitioners were included and their knowledge on medicinal plants was gathered. The data were assessed with the help of two indices viz., informant consensus factor (Fic) and Informant Agreement on Remedies (IAR). RESULTS The present survey is in accordance with some of the aspects of our previous surveys. Regarding the demography of the informants, it exhibited unevenness in male-female ratio and majority of the informants were poorly educated. Practicing this system of medicine as part time job by majority of the informants might indicate the reduced social status of this medicinal system. The present study had recorded the usage of 81 species, which in turn yielded 1073 use reports. The major illness category 'aphrodisiac, hair care and endocrinal disorders' hold a high Fic values. Among the other illness categories, gastro-intestinal ailments, genito-urinary ailments and dermatological infection ailments have a high percentage of use reports. Eye ailments, general health, kapha ailments, psychological ailments and skeleton muscular system ailments were the other illness categories with high Fic values. Some of the claims viz., Argyrolobium roseum (aphrodisiac ailments), Rosa brunonii (eye ailments) Hibiscus surattensis (dermatological infections ailments), Bauhinia variegata (neurology Ailments), Cotinus coggygria (circulatory system/cardiovascular ailments) and Uvaria narum (gastro-intestinal ailments) which have relatively high consensus can be taken up for further biomedical studies, since no substantial studies have been conducted on them. CONCLUSION Based on the results of our present study, we have highlighted some claims which are at high use in the study area but having little scientific support. Studies on such claims will provide scientific base to some extent which in turn will be useful to improve the health of indigenous people.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Prabhu
- PG and Research Department of Botany and Microbiology, AVVM Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous) Poondi, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - S Vijayakumar
- PG and Research Department of Botany and Microbiology, AVVM Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous) Poondi, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - J E Morvin Yabesh
- PG and Research Department of Botany and Microbiology, AVVM Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous) Poondi, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - K Ravichandran
- PG and Research Department of Physics, AVVM Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous) Poondi, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - B Sakthivel
- PG and Research Department of Physics, AVVM Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous) Poondi, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India
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Mahomoodally MF, Muthoorah LD. An ethnopharmacological survey of natural remedies used by the Chinese community in Mauritius. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed 2014; 4:S387-99. [PMID: 25183116 DOI: 10.12980/apjtb.4.2014c775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/10/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To collect, preserve and document primary ethnopharmacological information on common natural remedies (NRs) used by the Chinese community to treat and/or manage common diseases in Mauritius, a tropical multicultural island in the Indian Ocean. METHODS Face-to-face interviews were carried out with 52 key Chinese informants using a semi-structured questionnaire. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, namely, the informant consensus factor (FIC), the use value, the fidelity level, the index of agreement on remedies and the relative importance were calculated. RESULTS Plants (61) and animal species (17), belonging to 43 and 9 families respectively, constituted the exploited flora and fauna by the Chinese community. Based on the FIC the main categories of plants used were employed against injury and poisons due to external causes (FIC=0.97), diseases of the respiratory system (FIC=0.96), diseases of the eye and adnexa (FIC=0.95), undefined pains or illness (FIC=0.95), diseases during the postpartum period, diseases of the digestive system and diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (FIC=0.94 each). For zootherapy, diseases of the circulatory system, diseases of the eye and adnexa, diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue and endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases had total consensus (FIC=1.00). CONCLUSIONS It was found that the Chinese community of Mauritius still relies, to a great extent, on NRs which need to be preserved and used sustainably. Nonetheless, further research is needed to probe the possible active constituents that could be the basis of an evidence-based investigation to discover new drugs.
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Mootoosamy A, Mahomoodally MF. A quantitative ethnozoological assessment of traditionally used animal-based therapies in the tropical island of Mauritius. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2014; 154:847-57. [PMID: 24824877 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2014] [Revised: 04/30/2014] [Accepted: 05/02/2014] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE There is currently a dearth of documentation on the use of animal-based therapies (ABT) in Mauritius. This study was therefore designed to gather primary folk knowledge on the different ABT used by Mauritians. Failure to document such knowledge can results in losses in both the use of such remedies and in the scientific documentation of the cultural traditions of animals used in the treatment and/or management of human diseases. The aim of the study is to collect, analyze, document and disseminate ABT from the tropical island of Mauritius used against common human ailments. METHODS Data was collected following interviews from key informants (n=126) and reported diseases and health complications were classified in 14 categories. Eight quantitative indexes such as informant consensus factor (FIC), fidelity level (FL), relative frequency of citation (RFC), relative importance (RI), cultural importance index (CII), index of agreement on remedies (IAR), cultural agreement index (CAI) and ethnofaunistic index (EFI) were used to analyze the reported animal species. RESULTS A total of 31 animal species belonging to 12 taxonomic groups were documented to be used in traditional medicine by Mauritians. ABT were prepared from whole animals or their body parts or products extracted from them such as: butter, meat, milk, bones, horn, musk, skin, fin, honey, mucus, eggs and legs. The most encountered taxonomic group was Actinopterygii (7 species). According to EFI, 3.34% of the indigenous fauna in Mauritius were used in the treatment and/or management of different ailments. The highest FIC value (0.98) was cited for endocrine, nutritional and metabolic disorders which included diabetes and gangrene. Rattus rattus scored the highest FL (100%) for the ailment category injury and poisons of external cause; Bos taurus had the highest RI value (2.00) due to its versatility, had the highest frequency of citation (RFC=0.49), the highest cultural importance (CII=0.84) and the highest CAI value (0.77). According to IAR, Salmo salar (IAR=1.00) had the highest agreement among the informants for being used for the same medicinal purpose. Furthermore, no side effects have been reported from the use of ABT. CONCLUSIONS Our study revealed that Mauritians possesses valuable knowledge on a plethora of ABT. It is believed that the present documentation will serve to record this vanishing knowledge before it is eroded completely from the island and to the scientific community. It is also anticipated that the present documentation will be fundamental to protect traditional knowledge, for the conservation and sustainable use of the rich biodiversity of Mauritius for future generations and to ensure Mauritius׳s sovereign rights over its genetic resources and utilization by first documenting them. In addition, further experimental investigations are required to elucidate the pharmacological properties of the reported medicinal fauna of Mauritius.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anushka Mootoosamy
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Mauritius
| | - M Fawzi Mahomoodally
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Mauritius.
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Upadhya V, Hegde HV, Bhat S, Kholkute SD. Non-codified traditional medicine practices from Belgaum Region in Southern India: present scenario. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2014; 10:49. [PMID: 24934868 PMCID: PMC4084578 DOI: 10.1186/1746-4269-10-49] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2013] [Accepted: 05/25/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traditional medicine in India can be classified into codified (Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy) and non-codified (folk medicine) systems. Both the systems contributing equally to the primary healthcare in India. The present study is aimed to understand the current scenario of medicinal practices of non-codified system of traditional medicine in Belgaum region, India. METHODS The study has been conducted as a basic survey of identified non-codified traditional practitioners by convenience sampling with semi structured, open ended interviews and discussions. The learning process, disease diagnosis, treatment, remuneration, sharing of knowledge and socio-demographic data was collected, analysed and discussed. RESULTS One hundred and forty traditional practitioners were identified and interviewed for the present study. These practitioners are locally known as "Vaidya". The study revealed that the non-codified healthcare tradition is practiced mainly by elderly persons in the age group of 61 years and above (40%). 73% of the practitioners learnt the tradition from their forefathers, and 19% of practitioners developed their own practices through experimentation, reading and learning. 20% of the practitioners follow distinctive "Nadi Pariksha" (pulse examination) for disease diagnosis, while others follow bodily symptoms and complaints. 29% of the traditional practitioners do not charge anything, while 59% practitioners receive money as remuneration.Plant and animal materials are used as sources of medicines, with a variety of preparation methods. The preference ranking test revealed higher education and migration from villages are the main reasons for decreasing interest amongst the younger generation, while deforestation emerged as the main cause of medicinal plants depletion. CONCLUSION Patrilineal transfer of the knowledge to younger generation was observed in Belgaum region. The observed resemblance in disease diagnosis, plant collection and processing between non-codified traditional system of medicine and Ayurveda require further methodical studies to establish the relationship between the two on a more objective basis. However, the practice appears to be at crossroads with threat of extinction, because of non-inheritance of the knowledge and non-availability of medicinal plants. Hence conservation strategies for both knowledge and resources at societal, scientific and legislative levels are urgently required to preserve the traditional wisdom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinayak Upadhya
- Regional Medical Research Centre, Indian Council of Medical Research, Nehru Nagar, Belgaum 590010, India
| | - Harsha V Hegde
- Regional Medical Research Centre, Indian Council of Medical Research, Nehru Nagar, Belgaum 590010, India
| | - Shripad Bhat
- Regional Medical Research Centre, Indian Council of Medical Research, Nehru Nagar, Belgaum 590010, India
| | - Sanjiva D Kholkute
- Regional Medical Research Centre, Indian Council of Medical Research, Nehru Nagar, Belgaum 590010, India
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Sahoo MR, Dhanabal SP, Jadhav AN, Reddy V, Muguli G, Babu UV, Rangesh P. Hydnocarpus: an ethnopharmacological, phytochemical and pharmacological review. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2014; 154:17-25. [PMID: 24732111 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2013] [Revised: 03/13/2014] [Accepted: 03/13/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The genus Hydnocarpus (Flacourtiaceae) includes forty species that are spread across the globe. In the Indian System of Medicine, Hydnocarpus pentandrus (Buch.-Ham.) Oken. is primarily used for treating leprosy and other skin disorders. It is known as "Chaulmoogra" and is also used to treat other indications including constipation, inflammation, blood disorders, and worm infestations. Various species of Hydnocarpus are also used in traditional medicine in China, Thailand, Malaysia, and Myanmar for several skin disorders. To assess the therapeutic potential of species from the Hydnocarpus genus and to determine future avenues for research. METHODS All relevant scientific literature published up to the end of December 2013 was retrieved via a library and electronic search (SciFinder, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar). Manual searches of traditional books like to ancient classics, including Vaidya Yoga Ratnavali, Siddha Materia Medica, and contemporary references including The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India and The Ayurveda Formulary, were also performed. RESULTS Seed oil from species of the Hydnocarpus genus is used for medicinal purposes, predominantly for various skin disorders. This oil is reported to contain a characteristic class of compounds known as cyclopentenyl fatty acids. Furthermore, seeds of this genus are reported to contain triglycerides of fatty acids, sterols, flavonoids, and flavonolignans. Hydnocarpin, a flavonolignan, is reported to potentiate antimicrobial and anticancer activity. The extracts and compounds isolated from this plant show a wide spectrum of pharmacological properties, including antibacterial, antileprotic, antitubercular, antipsoriatic, antirheumatic, hypolipidemic, antidiabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. The antileprotic activity is postulated to be due to the cyclopentenyl fatty acids present in the seed oil. CONCLUSION Flavonolignans have an interesting chemical motif, and hydnocarpin and its congeners should be investigated for their activities and the mechanism underlying these activities. Multi-drug-resistant microbes are on the increase, and the possible inhibitory effect of these compounds when used with current antimicrobials should also be evaluated. Furthermore, unique cyclopentenyl fatty acids should also be investigated to understand the exact mechanism of action underlying antileprotic activity. Additional in depth phytochemical investigations of seed oil and extracts are required to tap the true potential of species from the Hydnocarpus genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manas Ranjan Sahoo
- The Himalaya Drug Company, Makali, Tumkur Road, Bangalore 562 123, India
| | - S P Dhanabal
- Dept. of PhytoPharmacy and Phytomedicine, JSS College of Pharmacy, Post Box No. 20, Rocklands, Ootacamund, Dist. Nilgiri, Tamil Nadu 643001, India.
| | - Atul N Jadhav
- The Himalaya Drug Company, Makali, Tumkur Road, Bangalore 562 123, India
| | - Vishali Reddy
- Dept. of PhytoPharmacy and Phytomedicine, JSS College of Pharmacy, Post Box No. 20, Rocklands, Ootacamund, Dist. Nilgiri, Tamil Nadu 643001, India
| | - Ganesh Muguli
- The Himalaya Drug Company, Makali, Tumkur Road, Bangalore 562 123, India
| | - U V Babu
- The Himalaya Drug Company, Makali, Tumkur Road, Bangalore 562 123, India
| | - Paramesh Rangesh
- The Himalaya Drug Company, Makali, Tumkur Road, Bangalore 562 123, India
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Mutheeswaran S, Pandikumar P, Chellappandian M, Ignacimuthu S, Duraipandiyan V, Logamanian M. Consensus analysis of sastric formulations used by non-institutionally trained siddha medical practitioners of Virudhunagar and Tirunelveli districts of Tamil Nadu, India. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2014; 153:290-6. [PMID: 24583102 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.02.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2013] [Revised: 02/18/2014] [Accepted: 02/18/2014] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Siddha system of traditional medicine has been practiced in Tamil Nadu. This system of medicine has a high number of non-institutionally trained practitioners but studies on their traditional medicinal knowledge are not adequate. The present study is aimed to document and analyze the sastric (traditional) formulations used by the non-institutionally trained siddha medical practitioners in Virudhunagar and Tirunelveli districts of Tamil Nadu, India. METHODS After obtaining prior informed consent, interviews were conducted with 115 non-institutionally trained siddha medical practitioners about the sastric formulations used by them for the treatment. Successive free listing method was adopted to collect the data and the data were analyzed by calculating Informant Consensus Factor (Fic) and Informant Agreement Ratio (IAR). RESULTS The study documented data regarding 194 sastric formulations and they were classified into plant, mineral and animal based formulations. Quantitative analysis showed that 62.5% of the formulations were plant based, while the mineral based formulations had a high mean number of citations and versatile uses. Gastrointestinal (12.0%), kapha (11.3%) and dermatological (10.8%) ailments had a high percentage of citations. Jaundice had a high Fic value (0.750) followed by the dermatological ailments. The illness categories with high Fic values under each type of formulation were as follows: jaundice, aphrodisiac and urinary ailments (plant based); jaundice, cuts & wounds and dermatological ailments (mineral based); and hemorrhoids, kapha ailments and heart ailments (animal based formulations). The scientific studies conducted with important formulations under each illness category are discussed. CONCLUSION The present study indicated the importance of some illnesses over the others and inclusion of new illnesses under each formulation. The ingredients used to prepare these formulations have shown varying degrees of scientific evidence; generally limited studies were available on the efficacy of them as formulations. Further in-depth studies on the formulations with high IAR value and Fic value of illness categories will be helpful to improve health status of the people.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Mutheeswaran
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Nungambakkam, Chennai- 600034, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - P Pandikumar
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Nungambakkam, Chennai- 600034, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - M Chellappandian
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Nungambakkam, Chennai- 600034, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - S Ignacimuthu
- Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Nungambakkam, Chennai- 600034, Tamil Nadu, India; Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
| | - V Duraipandiyan
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - M Logamanian
- Department of Noi Nadal, National Institute of Siddha, Tambaram Sanatorium, Chennai 600047, Tamil Nadu, India
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Mixed Methods in CAM Research: A Systematic Review of Studies Published in 2012. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2013; 2013:187365. [PMID: 24454489 PMCID: PMC3881584 DOI: 10.1155/2013/187365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2013] [Accepted: 10/20/2013] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Background. Mixed methods research uses qualitative and quantitative methods together in a single study or a series of related studies. Objectives. To review the prevalence and quality of mixed methods studies in complementary medicine. Methods. All studies published in the top 10 integrative and complementary medicine journals in 2012 were screened. The quality of mixed methods studies was appraised using a published tool designed for mixed methods studies. Results. 4% of papers (95 out of 2349) reported mixed methods studies, 80 of which met criteria for applying the quality appraisal tool. The most popular formal mixed methods design was triangulation (used by 74% of studies), followed by embedded (14%), sequential explanatory (8%), and finally sequential exploratory (5%). Quantitative components were generally of higher quality than qualitative components; when quantitative components involved RCTs they were of particularly high quality. Common methodological limitations were identified. Most strikingly, none of the 80 mixed methods studies addressed the philosophical tensions inherent in mixing qualitative and quantitative methods. Conclusions and Implications. The quality of mixed methods research in CAM can be enhanced by addressing philosophical tensions and improving reporting of (a) analytic methods and reflexivity (in qualitative components) and (b) sampling and recruitment-related procedures (in all components).
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Mootoosamy A, Fawzi Mahomoodally M. Ethnomedicinal application of native remedies used against diabetes and related complications in Mauritius. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2013; 151:413-444. [PMID: 24231070 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.10.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2013] [Revised: 10/27/2013] [Accepted: 10/27/2013] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Notoriously, the tropical island of Mauritius has one of the highest prevalence of diabetes worldwide and the economic burden associated with it is alarming. The use of native remedies (NRs) is well anchored in the local culture and it continues to be the cornerstone of therapy for diabetic patients. However, there is currently a dearth of updated primary data on NRs used by Mauritians against diabetes and diabetes related complications (DRCs). This study was therefore designed to record, analyze and document orally transmitted ethnopharmacological knowledge from diabetic patients and traditional medicine practitioners (TMPs) in Mauritius concerning NRs commonly used against diabetes and DRCs which might open new avenues to initiate novel antidiabetic drugs discovery. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data was collected following interviews from diabetic patients (n=328) and TMPs (n=20). Eleven quantitative indexes, namely informant consensus factor (FIC), fidelity level (FL), use value (UV), relative frequency of citation (RFC), relative importance (RI), cultural importance index (CII), index of agreement on remedies (IAR), cultural agreement index (CAI), quality use value (QUV), quality use agreement value (QUAV) and ethnobotanicity index (EI) were calculated. Statistical analysis such as Pearson correlation and Chi-squared test were performed to determine any association. RESULTS A total of 111 plant species distributed over 56 families, 30 polyherbal formulations and 16 animal species were documented to be traditionally used against diabetes and DRCs. For the first time 8 endemic plants have been recorded to be used against diabetes and DRCs from Mauritius. The most encountered medicinal plant family was Asteraceae. According to the EI, 16.2% of the native plants in Mauritius were used against diabetes and DRCs. As far as we know, Vangueria madagascariensis, Apium graveolens, Petroselinum crispum and Rubus alceifolius with high RFC values are recorded against diabetes and DRCs for the first time. Sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, income, religious belief, education and residence) were found to significantly (p<0.05) influence the use of NRs. The average FIC for all ailments for plant and animal products were 0.94 and 0.87 respectively. Bryophyllum pinnatum, a native plant to Mauritius scored a high FL value (100%) used against diabetic neuropathy, Allium sativum had the highest RI value (2.00) due to its versatility, Aloe vera had the highest RFC (0.61), the CII (0.640) and the highest CAI value (0.635), Psidium guajava had the highest QUAV (0.961) which indicates its high bioactivity and Allium cepa was reported as the most effective plant species (QUV=0.965). According to UV, the most important species was Morinda citrifolia (1.21). Panoply of animal products were reported whereby fish (39.7%) was recorded as the most utilised zootherapy and Salmo salar scored the highest FL (100%) for diabetes. Some animal species (n=14) not previously documented against diabetes and DRCs are reported in the present study. CONCLUSION Our present investigation revealed that the use of NRs constitutes the common legacy of Mauritians and despite the penetration of allopathic medicine; NRs continue to play a crucial role in the primary health care system of Mauritius. To this effect, it is of uttermost importance to record this knowledge before it disappears. In addition, further experimental investigations are required to elucidate the pharmacological properties of the reported medicinal flora and fauna of Mauritius.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anushka Mootoosamy
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius, Reduit 230, Mauritius
| | - M Fawzi Mahomoodally
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius, Reduit 230, Mauritius.
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