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Vardeman ET, Kennelly EJ, Vandebroek I. Haitian women in New York City use global food plants for women's health. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2024; 20:8. [PMID: 38217006 PMCID: PMC10785501 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-024-00648-1] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the availability of mainstream biomedical healthcare in New York City (NYC), community-based ethnomedicine practices remain a low-cost, culturally relevant treatment for many immigrants. Previous urban ethnobotany research in NYC has established that several Caribbean communities continue using medicinal plants for women's health after immigration. This study sought to address to what extent: (1) NYC Haitian women continue using medicinal plants for women's health after migration; (2) their plants and the conditions treated were similar to those identified in an earlier survey with NYC immigrants from the Dominican Republic. METHODS Through an ethnobotanical survey, 100 Haitian women living in NYC and born in Haiti were interviewed about their knowledge of medicinal plants for women's health conditions. Reported species were purchased based on local names in NYC Haitian stores and markets, vouchered, and identified. RESULTS Nearly all Haitian women (97%) reported using medicinal plants while living in Haiti. Most Haitian women continued using medicinal plants after coming to the USA (83%). The 14% decrease, although significant (z = 3.3; p = 0.001), was mainly due to logistical difficulties with sourcing plants after recent immigration. Popular medicinal plant species reported were primarily global food plants, re-emphasizing the intertwined food-medicine relationship in Caribbean diasporas. Comparison with data from NYC Dominicans identified childbirth and puerperium, gynecological infections, and vaginal cleansing as priority Haitian women's health concerns treated with plants. CONCLUSION Our findings support the global nature of Caribbean migrant plant pharmacopeia, predominantly centered around food plants and adapted to transnational urban settings. They underscore cultural diversity, dispelling the notion of one uniform traditional knowledge system labeled "Caribbean." The importance of preventative medicine for women's health, particularly the regular consumption of "healthy" foods or teas highlights the role food plants play in maintaining health without seeking treatment for a particular condition. Cross-cultural comparisons with other NYC Caribbean immigrants emphasize the importance of conducting ethnobotanical surveys to ground-truth plant use in the community. Such surveys can also identify culture-specific health priorities treated with these plants. Healthcare providers can leverage these insights to formulate culturally relevant and community-tailored healthcare strategies aligned with Haitian women's health beliefs and needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella T Vardeman
- The Institute of Economic Botany, The New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY, 10458, USA
- PhD Program in Biology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 5th Ave, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Lehman College, City University of New York, 250 Bedford Park Blvd W, Bronx, NY, 10468, USA
| | - Edward J Kennelly
- PhD Program in Biology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 5th Ave, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Lehman College, City University of New York, 250 Bedford Park Blvd W, Bronx, NY, 10468, USA
| | - Ina Vandebroek
- The Institute of Economic Botany, The New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY, 10458, USA.
- PhD Program in Biology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 5th Ave, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Department of Life Sciences and Caribbean Centre for Research in Bioscience (CCRIB), Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica.
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Bastidas-Bacca MA, Dayve-Bacca-Descance D, Guerra-Acosta ADS, Perea-Morera E, Díaz-Ariza LA, López-Álvarez D, Osorio-García AM. Ethnobotanical Insights: Qualitative Analysis of Medicinal Plants in Colón Putumayo for Traditional Knowledge Preservation. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3390. [PMID: 37836130 PMCID: PMC10574470 DOI: 10.3390/plants12193390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
The ancestral knowledge of the community of Colón Putumayo unfolds in several dimensions that allow us to recognise the ethnomedicinal properties of plants. The research focused on systematising ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal knowledge on the use of plants as alternatives for treating illnesses. A cross-sectional study was carried out through semi-structured questionnaires to 100 inhabitants of the community of Colón. We found 38 plant species catalogued in 18 botanical families where 10 species of medicinal plants were prioritised by the community for the treatment of illnesses. The use value (UV) evaluation showed that Chamaemelum nobile equals 0.18 compared to Cymbopogon citratus and Lippia alba with 0.04. The Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) for the cited medicinal use categories equivalent to 1.00 are for the treatment of six types of ailments, however, the plants can treat 16 types of ailments. The Fidelity Level (LF) found identified that four plants are used for the treatment of one type of ailment while three are used to alleviate several ailments. The local knowledge of the community of Colón Putumayo is linked to the ancestry of the territory, culture, and family farming practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maira Alejandra Bastidas-Bacca
- Grupo de Investigación de Recursos Naturales Amazónicos, Faculty of Engineering and Basic Sciences, Instituto Tecnológico del Putumayo, Colón 861040, Colombia; (M.A.B.-B.); (A.d.S.G.-A.)
| | | | - Adriana del Socorro Guerra-Acosta
- Grupo de Investigación de Recursos Naturales Amazónicos, Faculty of Engineering and Basic Sciences, Instituto Tecnológico del Putumayo, Colón 861040, Colombia; (M.A.B.-B.); (A.d.S.G.-A.)
| | - Erika Perea-Morera
- Grupo de Investigación en Agroecología, Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Colombia—Sede Palmira, Palmira 763533, Colombia;
| | - Lucia Ana Díaz-Ariza
- Grupo de Investigación en Agricultura Biológica, Biology Department, Sede Bogotá, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá DC 110231, Colombia;
| | - Diana López-Álvarez
- Grupo de Investigación en Diversidad Biológica, Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Colombia—Sede Palmira, Palmira 763533, Colombia;
| | - Ana Milena Osorio-García
- Grupo de Investigación en Agricultura Biológica, Biology Department, Sede Bogotá, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá DC 110231, Colombia;
- Grupo de Investigación en Diversidad Biológica, Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Colombia—Sede Palmira, Palmira 763533, Colombia;
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Aguilar-Peña M, Blandón MFT, García-Perdomo HA. [Intercultural health and the indigenous health model]. Rev Salud Publica (Bogota) 2023; 22:463-467. [PMID: 36753247 DOI: 10.15446/rsap.v22n4.87320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The indigenous population has lower living conditions reflected in higher morbidity and mortality despite the coverage of the Health System, so it is important to know the causes of these differences. For this, Interculturality is used as a bridge between western culture and indigenous culture. In this meeting of knowledge, the indigenous health model is identified as a cultural response to the need to maintain health and treat disease, a hierarchically organized model in which the health of the individual also depends on their habits, on harmony with nature, the spirit, the gods and their community. Until recently, this model had been undervalued by the scientific community, but thanks to studies in Interculturality, it is known that health must also be intercultural and that public policies must include it in order to obtain the expected results in the target community. To make these public policies a reality, there must be a will and a political agenda, an adequate structure in the health services and training of health professionals in interculturality from their technical, technological, professional and postgraduate studies. These public policies must contain training, use of the local indigenous language, food and equipment with traditional elements, respectful dialogue with traditional doctors, humanized care, among others. This provides quality health care that is respectful of cultural differences to the entire population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - María F Tobar Blandón
- MT: TO. M. Sc. Salud Pública. Ph.D. (c) Salud Pública. Esp. Administración en Salud. Escuela de Salud Pública. Cali, Colombia.
| | - Herney A García-Perdomo
- HG: MD. Esp. Urología. M. Sc. Epidemiología Clínica. Ph. D. Educación. Ph. D. Medicina Clínica y Salud Pública. Ph. D. Ciencias Biomédicas. Departamento de Cirugía/Urología. Escuela de Medicina. Universidad del Valle. Cali, Colombia.
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Winkiel MJ, Chowański S, Słocińska M. Anticancer activity of glycoalkaloids from Solanum plants: A review. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:979451. [PMID: 36569285 PMCID: PMC9767987 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.979451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is still one of the main causes of death worldwide. For this reason, new compounds that have chemotherapeutic potential have been identified. One such group of substances is Solanaceae glycoalkaloids (GAs). They are natural compounds produced by plants widely used in traditional medicine for healing many disorders. Among others, GAs exhibit significant antitumor properties, for example, a strong inhibitory effect on cancer cell growth. This activity can result in the induction of tumor cell apoptosis, which can occur via different molecular pathways. The molecular mechanisms of the action of GAs are the subject of intensive research, as improved understanding could lead to the development of new cancer therapies. The genetic basis for the formation of neoplasms are mutations in protooncogenes, suppressors, and apoptosis-controlling and repair genes; therefore, substances with antineoplastic properties may affect the levels of their expression or the levels of their expression products. Therapeutic compounds can be applied separately or in combination with other drugs to increase the efficiency of cancer therapy; they can act on the cell through various mechanisms at different stages of carcinogenesis, inducing the process of apoptosis, blocking cell proliferation and migration, and inhibiting angiogenesis. This review summarizes the newest studies on the anticancer properties of solanine (SN), chaconine (CH), solasonine (SS), solamargine (SM), tomatine (TT) and their extracts from Solanum plants.
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Ampomah IG, Malau-Aduli BS, Seidu AA, Malau-Aduli AEO, Emeto TI. Perceptions and Experiences of Orthodox Health Practitioners and Hospital Administrators towards Integrating Traditional Medicine into the Ghanaian Health System. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:11200. [PMID: 34769719 PMCID: PMC8582872 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182111200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
The government of Ghana has been piloting traditional medicine (TM) integration in 17 health facilities across the country. However, the nature of current practice of integrated healthcare has not been thoroughly explored. This paper sought to explore the experiences and recommendations of orthodox health practitioners and hospital administrators in the Ashanti region regarding the practice of integrated healthcare in Ghana. The study adopted a qualitative, phenomenological approach involving 22 interviews. Purposive sampling technique was used in selecting study participants. Framework analysis was used to draw on the experiences of participants relating to TM integration. Participants were knowledgeable about the existence of integrated health facilities and stated that TM integration has created options in health services. However, participants deemed the integrated system ineffective and attributed the inefficiency to poor processing and certification of TM products, opposition of medical doctors to TM usage, absence of a protocol to guide the integration process, and inadequate publicity. Professional training of TM practitioners and inclusion of TM in medical school curriculum could improve collaboration between the health practitioners. Future research should focus on assessing the opinions and involvements of TM practitioners regarding the integration of traditional therapies into national health systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene G. Ampomah
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia; (I.G.A.); (A.-A.S.); (A.E.O.M.-A.)
- Department of Population and Health, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast P.O. Box UC 182, Ghana
| | - Bunmi S. Malau-Aduli
- College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia;
| | - Abdul-Aziz Seidu
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia; (I.G.A.); (A.-A.S.); (A.E.O.M.-A.)
- Department of Population and Health, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast P.O. Box UC 182, Ghana
| | - Aduli E. O. Malau-Aduli
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia; (I.G.A.); (A.-A.S.); (A.E.O.M.-A.)
| | - Theophilus I. Emeto
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia; (I.G.A.); (A.-A.S.); (A.E.O.M.-A.)
- World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Vector-Borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia
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Dutta T, Anand U, Saha SC, Mane AB, Prasanth DA, Kandimalla R, Proćków J, Dey A. Advancing urban ethnopharmacology: a modern concept of sustainability, conservation and cross-cultural adaptations of medicinal plant lore in the urban environment. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coab073. [PMID: 34548925 PMCID: PMC8448427 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The discipline 'urban ethnopharmacology' emerged as a collection of traditional knowledge, ancient civilizations, history and folklore being circulated since generations, usage of botanical products, palaeobotany and agronomy. Non-traditional botanical knowledge increases the availability of healthcare and other essential products to the underprivileged masses. Intercultural medicine essentially involves 'practices in healthcare that bridge indigenous medicine and western medicine, where both are considered as complementary'. A unique aspect of urban ethnopharmacology is its pluricultural character. Plant medicine blossomed due to intercultural interactions and has its roots in major anthropological events of the past. Unani medicine was developed by Khalif Harun Al Rashid and Khalif Al Mansur by translating Greek and Sanskrit works. Similarly, Indo-Aryan migration led to the development of Vedic culture, which product is Ayurveda. Greek medicine reached its summit when it travelled to Egypt. In the past few decades, ethnobotanical field studies proliferated, especially in the developed countries to cope with the increasing demands of population expansion. At the same time, sacred groves continued to be an important method of conservation across several cultures even in the urban aspect. Lack of scientific research, validating the efficiency, messy applications, biopiracy and slower results are the main constrains to limit its acceptability. Access to resources and benefit sharing may be considered as a potential solution. Indigenous communities can copyright their traditional formulations and then can collaborate with companies, who have to provide the original inventors with a fair share of the profits since a significant portion of the health economy is generated by herbal medicine. Search string included the terms 'Urban' + 'Ethnopharmacology', which was searched in Google Scholar to retrieve the relevant literature. The present review aims to critically analyse the global concept of urban ethnopharmacology with the inherent plurality of the cross-cultural adaptations of medicinal plant use by urban people across the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tusheema Dutta
- Ethnopharmacology and Natural Product Research Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, 86/1 College Street, Kolkata, 700073, West Bengal, India
| | - Uttpal Anand
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel
| | - Suchismita Chatterjee Saha
- Department of Zoology, Nabadwip Vidyasagar College (Affiliated to the University of Kalyani), Nabadwip, West Bengal, 741302, India
| | - Abhijit Bhagwan Mane
- Department of Zoology, Dr. Patangrao Kadam Mahavidyalaya, Sangli, (Affiliated to Shivaji University of Kolhapur), Maharashtra, 416308, India
| | - Dorairaj Arvind Prasanth
- Department of Microbiology, School of Biosciences, Periyar University, Salem, 636011, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Ramesh Kandimalla
- CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Uppal Road, Tarnaka, Hyderabad, 500007, Telangana, India
- Department of Biochemistry, Kakatiya Medical College, Warangal, 506007, Telangana, India
| | - Jarosław Proćków
- Department of Plant Biology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kożuchowska 5b, 51-631 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Abhijit Dey
- Ethnopharmacology and Natural Product Research Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, 86/1 College Street, Kolkata, 700073, West Bengal, India
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Vardeman E, Vandebroek I. Caribbean Women's Health and Transnational Ethnobotany. ECONOMIC BOTANY 2021; 76:205-226. [PMID: 34522053 PMCID: PMC8432280 DOI: 10.1007/s12231-021-09526-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Caribbean Women's Health and Transnational Ethnobotany. Immigrants from the Dominican Republic (DR) and Haiti are among the top foreign-born communities in New York City (NYC). As people migrate to new countries, they bring their ethnomedical beliefs and practices, and adapt their plant pharmacopoeias. Haiti and the DR share a flora on the island of Hispaniola. In NYC, the flora is limited to what is available in the city. We selected plants for future laboratory research based on ethnobotanical data from two surveys among Dominicans in the DR and NYC, and a Haitian literature review. In both Dominican datasets, gynecological infections were the top women's health condition treated with plants. We identified 10 species for this purpose reported by Dominicans that are also known medicines in Haitian culture, although not yet documented for women's health. Plants for gynecological infections potentially cause dysbiosis of the vaginal microbiota, and may increase rather than prevent disease. There is a public health need to assess traditional medicines for their ability to inhibit pathogenic bacteria, while causing minimal disruption to the vaginal flora. Several species are known antibacterials, but remain to be tested for their efficacy. These results also provide a foundation for a planned ethnobotanical survey among NYC Haitian women. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12231-021-09526-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella Vardeman
- The New York Botanical Garden, Institute of Economic Botany, 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10458 USA
- City University of New York, Graduate Center, 365 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016 USA
| | - Ina Vandebroek
- The New York Botanical Garden, Institute of Economic Botany, 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10458 USA
- City University of New York, Graduate Center, 365 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016 USA
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Munroe D, Moore MA, Bonnet JP, Rastorguieva K, Mascaro JS, Craighead LW, Haack CI, Quave CL, Bergquist SH. Development of Culinary and Self-Care Programs in Diverse Settings: Theoretical Considerations and Available Evidence. Am J Lifestyle Med 2021; 16:672-683. [DOI: 10.1177/15598276211031493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Culinary-based self-care programs are innovative and increasingly utilized models for catalyzing behavior change and improving health and well-being. The content, duration, and delivery of existing programs vary considerably. Between January and August 2019, we developed a teaching kitchen and self-care curriculum, which was administered as part of a year-long worksite well-being program to employees at an academic healthcare system. The curriculum domains included culinary skills, nutrition, physical activity, yoga, stress management, mindful eating, and ethnobotany. An informal systematic literature search was performed to assemble and evaluate key principles and practices related to self-care domains, learning methodologies, and programmatic design considerations. Here, we provide a qualitative summary of the evidence-informed development of the curriculum intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique Munroe
- American University of Integrated Sciences, St. Michael, Barbado (DM); Department of Family and Preventive Medicine; Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (MAM, JPB, JSM); Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA, USA (KR); Department of Psychology (LWC); Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (CIH); Department of Dermatology, Emory University (CLQ); and Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (SHB)
| | - Miranda A. Moore
- American University of Integrated Sciences, St. Michael, Barbado (DM); Department of Family and Preventive Medicine; Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (MAM, JPB, JSM); Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA, USA (KR); Department of Psychology (LWC); Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (CIH); Department of Dermatology, Emory University (CLQ); and Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (SHB)
| | - Jonathan P. Bonnet
- American University of Integrated Sciences, St. Michael, Barbado (DM); Department of Family and Preventive Medicine; Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (MAM, JPB, JSM); Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA, USA (KR); Department of Psychology (LWC); Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (CIH); Department of Dermatology, Emory University (CLQ); and Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (SHB)
| | - Krystyna Rastorguieva
- American University of Integrated Sciences, St. Michael, Barbado (DM); Department of Family and Preventive Medicine; Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (MAM, JPB, JSM); Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA, USA (KR); Department of Psychology (LWC); Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (CIH); Department of Dermatology, Emory University (CLQ); and Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (SHB)
| | - Jennifer S. Mascaro
- American University of Integrated Sciences, St. Michael, Barbado (DM); Department of Family and Preventive Medicine; Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (MAM, JPB, JSM); Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA, USA (KR); Department of Psychology (LWC); Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (CIH); Department of Dermatology, Emory University (CLQ); and Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (SHB)
| | - Linda W. Craighead
- American University of Integrated Sciences, St. Michael, Barbado (DM); Department of Family and Preventive Medicine; Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (MAM, JPB, JSM); Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA, USA (KR); Department of Psychology (LWC); Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (CIH); Department of Dermatology, Emory University (CLQ); and Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (SHB)
| | - Carla I. Haack
- American University of Integrated Sciences, St. Michael, Barbado (DM); Department of Family and Preventive Medicine; Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (MAM, JPB, JSM); Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA, USA (KR); Department of Psychology (LWC); Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (CIH); Department of Dermatology, Emory University (CLQ); and Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (SHB)
| | - Cassandra L. Quave
- American University of Integrated Sciences, St. Michael, Barbado (DM); Department of Family and Preventive Medicine; Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (MAM, JPB, JSM); Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA, USA (KR); Department of Psychology (LWC); Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (CIH); Department of Dermatology, Emory University (CLQ); and Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (SHB)
| | - Sharon H. Bergquist
- American University of Integrated Sciences, St. Michael, Barbado (DM); Department of Family and Preventive Medicine; Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (MAM, JPB, JSM); Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA, USA (KR); Department of Psychology (LWC); Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (CIH); Department of Dermatology, Emory University (CLQ); and Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (SHB)
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Medicinal Plants for Rich People vs. Medicinal Plants for Poor People: A Case Study from the Peruvian Andes. PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10081634. [PMID: 34451679 PMCID: PMC8401908 DOI: 10.3390/plants10081634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Traditional knowledge (TK) of medicinal plants in cities has been poorly studied across different inhabitants' socioeconomic sectors. We studied the small city of Chachapoyas (~34,000 inhabitants) in the northern Peruvian Andes. We divided the city into three areas according to the socio-economic characteristics of its inhabitants: city center (high), intermediate area (medium), and city periphery (low). We gathered information with 450 participants through semi-structured interviews. Participants of the city periphery showed a higher TK of medicinal plants than participants of the intermediate area, and the latter showed a higher TK than participants of the city center. The acquisition of medicinal plants was mainly through their purchase in markets across the three areas, although it was particularly relevant in the city center (94%). Participants of all socioeconomic levels widely used the same medicinal plants for similar purposes in Chachapoyas, which is likely based on a common Andean culture that unites their TK. However, participants with the lowest socioeconomic level knew and used more plants for different medicinal uses, indicating the necessity of these plants for their livelihoods. City markets with specialized stores that commercialize medicinal plants are key to preserve the good health of poor and rich people living in Andean cities and societies.
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McAlvay AC, Armstrong CG, Baker J, Elk LB, Bosco S, Hanazaki N, Joseph L, Martínez-Cruz TE, Nesbitt M, Palmer MA, Priprá de Almeida WC, Anderson J, Asfaw Z, Borokini IT, Cano-Contreras EJ, Hoyte S, Hudson M, Ladio AH, Odonne G, Peter S, Rashford J, Wall J, Wolverton S, Vandebroek I. Ethnobiology Phase VI: Decolonizing Institutions, Projects, and Scholarship. J ETHNOBIOL 2021. [DOI: 10.2993/0278-0771-41.2.170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alex C. McAlvay
- Institute of Economic Botany, The New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10458
| | | | - Janelle Baker
- Anthropology, Athabasca University, Athabasca, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Samantha Bosco
- 5 Horticulture Section, School of Integrated Plant Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Natalia Hanazaki
- Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Leigh Joseph
- 7 School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, BC, Canada
| | | | - Mark Nesbitt
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
| | - Meredith Alberta Palmer
- Science and Technology Studies Department, American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | | | - Jane Anderson
- Equity for Indigenous Research and Innovation Coordinating Hub, Anthropology and Museum Studies, New York University, New York, New York
| | - Zemede Asfaw
- Department of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Israel T. Borokini
- Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology Graduate Program, Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada
| | - Eréndira Juanita Cano-Contreras
- Centro de Investigaciones Multidisciplinarias sobre Chiapas y la Frontera Sur, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Chiapas, México
| | - Simon Hoyte
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maui Hudson
- Te Kotahi Research Institute, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Ana H. Ladio
- INIBIOMA (CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue), San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
| | | | - Sonia Peter
- 20 Biocultural Education and Research Programme, St. James, Barbados
| | - John Rashford
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Jeffrey Wall
- Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Steve Wolverton
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
| | - Ina Vandebroek
- Institute of Economic Botany, The New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10458
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Chassagne F, Samarakoon T, Porras G, Lyles JT, Dettweiler M, Marquez L, Salam AM, Shabih S, Farrokhi DR, Quave CL. A Systematic Review of Plants With Antibacterial Activities: A Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Perspective. Front Pharmacol 2021; 11:586548. [PMID: 33488385 PMCID: PMC7821031 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.586548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Antimicrobial resistance represents a serious threat to human health across the globe. The cost of bringing a new antibiotic from discovery to market is high and return on investment is low. Furthermore, the development of new antibiotics has slowed dramatically since the 1950s’ golden age of discovery. Plants produce a variety of bioactive secondary metabolites that could be used to fuel the future discovery pipeline. While many studies have focused on specific aspects of plants and plant natural products with antibacterial properties, a comprehensive review of the antibacterial potential of plants has never before been attempted. Objectives: This systematic review aims to evaluate reports on plants with significant antibacterial activities. Methods: Following the PRISMA model, we searched three electronic databases: Web of Science, PubMed and SciFinder by using specific keywords: “plant,” “antibacterial,” “inhibitory concentration.” Results: We identified a total of 6,083 articles published between 1946 and 2019 and then reviewed 66% of these (4,024) focusing on articles published between 2012 and 2019. A rigorous selection process was implemented using clear inclusion and exclusion criteria, yielding data on 958 plant species derived from 483 scientific articles. Antibacterial activity is found in 51 of 79 vascular plant orders throughout the phylogenetic tree. Most are reported within eudicots, with the bulk of species being asterids. Antibacterial activity is not prominent in monocotyledons. Phylogenetic distribution strongly supports the concept of chemical evolution across plant clades, especially in more derived eudicot families. The Lamiaceae, Fabaceae and Asteraceae were the most represented plant families, while Cinnamomum verum, Rosmarinus vulgaris and Thymus vulgaris were the most studied species. South Africa was the most represented site of plant collection. Crude extraction in methanol was the most represented type of extraction and leaves were the main plant tissue investigated. Finally, Staphylococcus aureus was the most targeted pathogenic bacteria in these studies. We closely examine 70 prominent medicinal plant species from the 15 families most studied in the literature. Conclusion: This review depicts the current state of knowledge regarding antibacterials from plants and provides powerful recommendations for future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Chassagne
- Center for the Study of Human Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | | | - Gina Porras
- Center for the Study of Human Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - James T Lyles
- Center for the Study of Human Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Micah Dettweiler
- Department of Dermatology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Lewis Marquez
- Molecular and Systems Pharmacology Program, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Akram M Salam
- Molecular and Systems Pharmacology Program, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Sarah Shabih
- Center for the Study of Human Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | | | - Cassandra L Quave
- Center for the Study of Human Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Emory University Herbarium, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Department of Dermatology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Molecular and Systems Pharmacology Program, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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Principle of Hot and Cold and Its Clinical Application in Latin American and Caribbean Medicines. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1343:57-83. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-80983-6_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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13
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Peprah P, Agyemang-Duah W, Arimiyaw AW, Morgan AK, Nachibi SU. Removing barriers to healthcare through an intercultural healthcare system: Focus group evidence. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE-JIM 2020; 19:29-35. [PMID: 33288486 DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2020.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Barriers to healthcare in Ghana are multifaceted. Many people, including patients and providers, face them at different levels. To address these barriers, there is a need to explore the role of an intercultural healthcare system. This paper explores and provides the first evidence on ways through which an intercultural healthcare system can reduce the sociocultural and economic barriers to healthcare in Ghana. METHODS Focus group discussions with 35 participants comprising 17 healthcare users, 11 formal healthcare providers and 7 alternative healthcare providers were conducted to gather data. Thematic analyses were performed on the transcribed data and presented based on a posteriori inductive reduction approach. RESULTS Findings reveal that an intercultural healthcare system in Ghana can help reduce barriers to healthcare, especially cultural, social and economic barriers, by fostering an enhanced relationship between culture and healthcare, promoting affordable healthcare and promoting effective communication between healthcare providers and users. Weak institutional support, lack of strong political will and commitment, lack of training to meet standards of practice, poor registration and regulatory measures, and lack of universal acceptance inhibit implementation of an intercultural healthcare system in Ghana. CONCLUSION The support for intercultural healthcare system and the agreement on its perceived ability to reduce social, cultural and economic healthcare barriers for service users offer an opportunity for policymakers to demonstrate a stronger political will and improved commitment for effective education and training, enforcement of regulatory measures, inclusion of intercultural healthcare in medical school curricula across the country, and community engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prince Peprah
- Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia.
| | - Williams Agyemang-Duah
- Department of Planning, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi 233, Ghana
| | - Abdul Wahid Arimiyaw
- Department of Geography and Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi 233, Ghana
| | - Anthony Kwame Morgan
- Department of Geography and Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi 233, Ghana
| | - Stephen Uwumbordo Nachibi
- Department of Geography and Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi 233, Ghana
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14
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Tareau MA, Bonnefond A, Palisse M, Odonne G. Phytotherapies in motion: French Guiana as a case study for cross-cultural ethnobotanical hybridization. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2020; 16:54. [PMID: 32938478 PMCID: PMC7493365 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-020-00404-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND French Guiana is characterized by a very multicultural population, made up of formerly settled groups (Amerindians, Maroons, Creoles) and more recent migrants (mostly from Latin America and the Caribbean). It is the ideal place to try to understand the influence of intercultural exchanges on the composition of medicinal floras and the evolution of phytotherapies under the effect of cross-culturalism. METHODS A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods was used. Semi-directive interviews were conducted in 12 localities of French Guiana's coast between January 2016 and June 2017, and the responses to all closed questions collected during the survey were computerized in an Excel spreadsheet to facilitate quantitative processing. Herbarium vouchers were collected and deposited at the Cayenne Herbarium to determine Linnaean names of medicinal species mentioned by the interviewees. A list of indicator species for each cultural group considered was adapted from community ecology to this ethnobiological context, according to the Dufrêne-Legendre model, via the "labdsv" package and the "indval" function, after performing a redundancy analysis (RDA). RESULTS A total of 205 people, belonging to 15 distinct cultural groups, were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. A total of 356 species (for 106 botanical families) were cited. We observed that pantropical and edible species hold a special place in these pharmacopeias. If compared to previous inventories, 31 recently introduced species can be counted. Furthermore, this study shows that the majority of the plants used are not specific to a particular group but shared by many communities. However, despite this obvious cross-culturalism of medicinal plants between the different cultural communities of French Guiana, divergent trends nevertheless appear through the importance of 29 indicator/cultural keystone species in 10 cultural groups. Finally, we have emphasized that the transmission of herbal medicine's knowledge in French Guiana is mainly feminine and intra-cultural. CONCLUSION French Guianese medicinal flora is undoubtedly related to the multiple cultures that settled this territory through the last centuries. Cultural pharmacopeias are more hybrid than sometimes expected, but cultural keystone species nevertheless arise from a common background, allowing to understand, and define, the relationships between cultural groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- M-A Tareau
- LEEISA (Laboratoire Ecologie, Evolution, Interactions des Systèmes Amazoniens), CNRS, Université de Guyane, IFREMER, 97300, Cayenne, French Guiana.
| | | | - M Palisse
- LEEISA (Laboratoire Ecologie, Evolution, Interactions des Systèmes Amazoniens), CNRS, Université de Guyane, IFREMER, 97300, Cayenne, French Guiana
| | - G Odonne
- LEEISA (Laboratoire Ecologie, Evolution, Interactions des Systèmes Amazoniens), CNRS, Université de Guyane, IFREMER, 97300, Cayenne, French Guiana
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15
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Vandebroek I, Pieroni A, Stepp JR, Hanazaki N, Ladio A, Alves RRN, Picking D, Delgoda R, Maroyi A, van Andel T, Quave CL, Paniagua-Zambrana NY, Bussmann RW, Odonne G, Abbasi AM, Albuquerque UP, Baker J, Kutz S, Timsina S, Shigeta M, Oliveira TPR, Hurrell JA, Arenas PM, Puentes JP, Hugé J, Yeşil Y, Pierre LJ, Olango TM, Dahdouh-Guebas F. Reshaping the future of ethnobiology research after the COVID-19 pandemic. NATURE PLANTS 2020; 6:723-730. [PMID: 32572213 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-020-0691-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ina Vandebroek
- Institute of Economic Botany, The New York Botanical Garden, The Bronx, NY, USA.
| | | | | | | | - Ana Ladio
- Universidad Nacional del Comahue-CONICET, INIBIOMA, Bariloche, Argentina
| | | | - David Picking
- The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston, Jamaica
| | - Rupika Delgoda
- The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston, Jamaica
| | - Alfred Maroyi
- University of Fort Hare, Medicinal Plants and Economic Development (MPED) Research Centre, Alice, South Africa
| | | | - Cassandra L Quave
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Rainer W Bussmann
- Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany and Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Guillaume Odonne
- LEEISA (Laboratoire Ecologie, Evolution, Interactions des Systèmes Amazoniens), CNRS, Université de Guyane, IFREMER, Cayenne, French Guiana
| | - Arshad Mehmood Abbasi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Pakistan
| | - Ulysses Paulino Albuquerque
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Social-Ecological Systems, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | | | - Susan Kutz
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Shrabya Timsina
- The Forest School at the Yale School of the Environment, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Masayoshi Shigeta
- Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | | | - Julio A Hurrell
- Laboratorio de Etnobotánica y Botánica Aplicada (LEBA), CONICET, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Patricia M Arenas
- Laboratorio de Etnobotánica y Botánica Aplicada (LEBA), CONICET, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Jeremias P Puentes
- Laboratorio de Etnobotánica y Botánica Aplicada (LEBA), CONICET, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Jean Hugé
- Open University of the Netherlands, Heerlen, the Netherlands
| | - Yeter Yeşil
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Laurent Jean Pierre
- Saint Lucia Archaeological and Historical Society (SLAHS), Castries, Saint Lucia
| | | | - Farid Dahdouh-Guebas
- Department of (Organism) Biology, Systems Ecology and Resource Management, Free University of Brussels ULB-VUB, Brussels, Belgium
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Lima CMDS, Fujishima MAT, dos Santos BÉF, Lima BDP, Mastroianni PC, de Sousa FFO, da Silva JO. Phytopharmacovigilance in the Elderly: Highlights from the Brazilian Amazon. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE : ECAM 2019; 2019:9391802. [PMID: 30854018 PMCID: PMC6378030 DOI: 10.1155/2019/9391802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Revised: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 01/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Practices described as traditional medicine may coexist with formalized, science-based medicine. In this context, the present study aimed to verify the profile of the elderly who consumed herbal medicines concomitantly with medications and to identify suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in the Brazilian Amazon (Macapá, Amapá). The study was carried out in two steps: a cross-sectional study (structured questionnaire) and a clinical study (pharmacotherapeutic follow-up). Out of 208 participants, 78.8% were female with age between 60 and 69 years (58.7%), 59.1% used herbal medicines concurrently with medications, and 40.9% did not report use of herbal medicine. Losartan was the most used medication, and Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E. Br was the most common herbal medicine used. The total prevalence of suspected ADRs, among the elderly who answered the structured questionnaire, was 41.3%, with 27.4% being in the elderly who used herbal medicines and medications, and 13.9% being in the elderly who used only medications. Meanwhile, the total prevalence of suspected ADRs was 71.0% among the elderly patients who underwent pharmacotherapeutic follow-up, 60.5% in elderly who used herbal medicines and medications, and 10.5% in elderly who used only medications. The most reported ADR symptoms were related to disorders that affect the nervous system (38.4%) in the structured questionnaire and related to digestive disorders (36.4%) in the pharmacotherapeutic follow-up. The probability associated with the occurrence of a given ADR in the face of a set of demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical variables was estimated; the results showed that, in the studied population, only sex (p = 0.030) had an influence on the occurrence of ADR. The prevalence of ADRs with probable causality was high in this study population, but it was only sex-related, although more prevalent in the elderly who consume herbal medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Miranda de Sousa Lima
- Toxicology Laboratory, Pharmacy Course, Departament of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Juscelino Kubitschek Highway, KM-02, Jardim Marco Zero, ZIP Code: 68.903-419, Macapá - AP, Brazil
| | - Mayara Amoras Teles Fujishima
- Toxicology Laboratory, Pharmacy Course, Departament of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Juscelino Kubitschek Highway, KM-02, Jardim Marco Zero, ZIP Code: 68.903-419, Macapá - AP, Brazil
| | - Bráulio Érison França dos Santos
- Medicine Course, Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Juscelino Kubitschek Highway, KM-02, Jardim Marco Zero, ZIP Code: 68.903-419, Macapá - AP, Brazil
| | - Bruno de Paula Lima
- Medicine Course, Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Juscelino Kubitschek Highway, KM-02, Jardim Marco Zero, ZIP Code: 68.903-419, Macapá - AP, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Carvalho Mastroianni
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University Paulista Julio Mesquita Filho, Araraquara, Rodovia Araraquara-Jaú KM 01, Machados, ZIP Code: 14800-901, SP, Brazil
| | - Francisco Fábio Oliveira de Sousa
- Quality Control and Bromatology Laboratory, Pharmacy Course, Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Juscelino Kubitschek Highway, KM-02, Jardim Marco Zero, ZIP Code: 68.903-419, Macapá - AP, Brazil
| | - Jocivânia Oliveira da Silva
- Toxicology Laboratory, Pharmacy Course, Departament of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Juscelino Kubitschek Highway, KM-02, Jardim Marco Zero, ZIP Code: 68.903-419, Macapá - AP, Brazil
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Gyasi RM, Poku AA, Boateng S, Amoah PA, Mumin AA, Obodai J, Agyemang-Duah W. Integration for coexistence? Implementation of intercultural health care policy in Ghana from the perspective of service users and providers. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE-JIM 2018; 15:44-55. [PMID: 28088259 DOI: 10.1016/s2095-4964(17)60312-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In spite of the World Health Organization's recommendations over the past decades, Ghana features pluralistic rather than truly integrated medical system. Policies about the integration of complementary medicine into the national health care delivery system need to account for individual-level involvement and cultural acceptability of care rendered by health care providers. Studies in Ghana, however, have glossed over the standpoint of the persons of the illness episode about the intercultural health care policy framework. This paper explores the health care users, and providers' experiences and attitudes towards the implementation of intercultural health care policy in Ghana. METHODS In-depth interviews, augmented with informal conversations, were conducted with 16 health service users, 7 traditional healers and 6 health professionals in the Sekyere South District and Kumasi Metropolis in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Data were thematically analysed and presented based on the a posteriori inductive reduction approach. RESULTS Findings reveal a widespread positive attitude to, and support for integrative medical care in Ghana. However, inter-provider communication in a form of cross-referrals and collaborative mechanisms between healers and health professionals seldom occurs and remains unofficially sanctioned. Traditional healers and health care professionals are skeptical about intercultural health care policy mainly due to inadequate political commitment for provider education. The medical practitioners have limited opportunity to undergo training for integrative medical practice. We also find a serious mistrust between the practitioners due to the "diversity of healing approaches and techniques." Weak institutional support, lack of training to meet standards of practice, poor registration and regulatory measures as well as negative perception of the integrative medical policy inhibit its implementation in Ghana. CONCLUSION In order to advance any useful intercultural health care policy in Ghana, the government's total commitment in informed training and provider education, enforcement of regulatory instrument and improved community engagement is needed. Evidence-based incorporation of traditional medical therapies into clinical practice will provide safer, faster and more effective health care for the underserved and resource-poor, particularly in the rural areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Razak Mohammed Gyasi
- Department of Sociology and Social Policy, Faculty of Social Sciences, Lingnan University, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Geography and Rural Development, Faculty of Social Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Adjoa Afriyie Poku
- Department of Geography Education, Faculty of Social Science Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana
| | - Simon Boateng
- Department of Geography and Rural Development, Faculty of Social Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Padmore Adusei Amoah
- Department of Sociology and Social Policy, Faculty of Social Sciences, Lingnan University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Alhassan Abdul Mumin
- Department of Geography and Rural Development, Faculty of Social Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Jacob Obodai
- Department of Planning and Development, Christian Service University College, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Williams Agyemang-Duah
- Department of Geography and Rural Development, Faculty of Social Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
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Hitziger M, Berger Gonzalez M, Gharzouzi E, Ochaíta Santizo D, Solis Miranda R, Aguilar Ferro AI, Vides-Porras A, Heinrich M, Edwards P, Krütli P. Patient-centered boundary mechanisms to foster intercultural partnerships in health care: a case study in Guatemala. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2017; 13:44. [PMID: 28789670 PMCID: PMC5549296 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-017-0170-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/23/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Up to one half of the population in Africa, Asia and Latin America has little access to high-quality biomedical services and relies on traditional health systems. Medical pluralism is thus in many developing countries the rule rather than the exception, which is why the World Health Organization is calling for intercultural partnerships to improve health care in these regions. They are, however, challenging due to disparate knowledge systems and lack of trust that hamper understanding and collaboration. We developed a collaborative, patient-centered boundary mechanism to overcome these challenges and to foster intercultural partnerships in health care. To assess its impact on the quality of intercultural patient care in a medically pluralistic developing country, we conducted and evaluated a case study. METHODS The case study took place in Guatemala, since previous efforts to initiate intercultural medical partnerships in this country were hampered by intense historical and societal conflicts. It was designed by a team from ETH Zurich's Transdisciplinarity Lab, the National Cancer Institute of Guatemala, two traditional Councils of Elders and 25 Mayan healers from the Kaqchikel and Q'eqchi' linguistic groups. It was implemented from January 2014 to July 2015. Scientists and traditional political authorities collaborated to facilitate workshops, comparative diagnoses and patient referrals, which were conducted jointly by biomedical and traditional practitioners. The traditional medical practices were thoroughly documented, as were the health-seeking pathways of patients, and the overall impact was evaluated. RESULTS The boundary mechanism was successful in discerning barriers of access for indigenous patients in the biomedical health system, and in building trust between doctors and healers. Learning outcomes included a reduction of stereotypical attitudes towards traditional healers, improved biomedical procedures due to enhanced self-reflection of doctors, and improved traditional health care due to refined diagnoses and adapted treatment strategies. In individual cases, the beneficial effects of traditional treatments were remarkable, and the doctors continued to collaborate with healers after the study was completed. Comparison of the two linguistic groups illustrated that the outcomes are highly context-dependent. CONCLUSIONS If well adapted to local context, patient-centered boundary mechanisms can enable intercultural partnerships by creating access, building trust and fostering mutual learning, even in circumstances as complex as those in Guatemala. Creating multilateral patient-centered boundary mechanisms is thus a promising approach to improve health care in medically pluralistic developing countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Hitziger
- Section of Epidemiology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 270, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Eduardo Gharzouzi
- Surgical Oncologist, Head of Education and Research, Instituto de Cancerología, 6a Avenida 6-58 Zona 11, 01011 Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - Daniela Ochaíta Santizo
- Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, 18 Avenida 11-95, Zona 15,V.H. III, Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - Regina Solis Miranda
- Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, 10 Avenida 7-62, Zona 1, Guatemala, Guatemala
| | | | - Ana Vides-Porras
- Department of Anthropology, University of Wyoming, 25 Calle 13-55 Zona 16. Ensenada de San Isidro Casa 19D, Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - Michael Heinrich
- Research Cluster Biodiversity and Medicines/Centre for Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy, UCL School of Pharmacy, London, WC1N 1AX UK
| | - Peter Edwards
- Singapore-ETH Centre, 1 CREATE Way, #06-01 CREATE Tower, Singapore, 138602 Singapore
| | - Pius Krütli
- ETH Zurich, TdLab, Universitätsstrasse 22, CHN, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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Brilhante RSN, Sales JA, Pereira VS, Castelo-Branco DDSCM, Cordeiro RDA, de Souza Sampaio CM, de Araújo Neto Paiva M, Santos JBFD, Sidrim JJC, Rocha MFG. Research advances on the multiple uses of Moringa oleifera : A sustainable alternative for socially neglected population. ASIAN PAC J TROP MED 2017; 10:621-630. [DOI: 10.1016/j.apjtm.2017.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2016] [Revised: 04/15/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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Zank S, Hanazaki N. The coexistence of traditional medicine and biomedicine: A study with local health experts in two Brazilian regions. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0174731. [PMID: 28414735 PMCID: PMC5393556 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the combined use of traditional medicine and biomedicine by local experts in Chapada do Araripe communities (Ceará State) and maroon communities (Santa Catarina State), Brazil. The objective was to understand the perception of local health specialists regarding the number of healers, demand for healers and use of medicinal plants, and the dependence of different environments to obtain such plants. We also aimed to understand the role of medicinal plants to treat different categories of diseases and if there is a complementary use of medicinal plants and allopathic biomedicine, according to the context of each group. The research was conducted with local health specialists that answered structured interviews, created free lists and participated in guided tours to collect cited plants. Sixty-six local health specialists were identified in the Araripe communities and 22 specialists in the maroon communities. In the maroon communities, a greater number of specialists thought there was a decrease in the number and demand for healers, as well as the use of medicinal plants, due to changes in traditional livelihoods, since they are located in a region where the effects of the modernization were more intense. In the Chapada do Araripe communities the specialists knew more plants extracted from native vegetation, whereas in the maroon communities cultivated plants were better known, which may reflect the environmental conditions and the history of each region. Medicinal plants are preferred to treat simpler health problems that do not require medical care, such as gastrointestinal problems, general pain, flues and colds. The biomedicine is used principally for problems with blood pressure, general pains and endocrine and nutritional diseases. Even with the particularities of each region, in general the use of medicinal plants and biomedicines occurred in a complementary form in both regions; however, this coexistence may result from these different contexts. This study also found that there was knowledge and appreciation for traditional health practices in both regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Zank
- Laboratory of Human Ecology and Ethnobotany, Department of Ecology and Zoology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Trindade, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| | - Natalia Hanazaki
- Laboratory of Human Ecology and Ethnobotany, Department of Ecology and Zoology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Trindade, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
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Ceuterick M, Vandebroek I. Identity in a medicine cabinet: Discursive positions of Andean migrants towards their use of herbal remedies in the United Kingdom. Soc Sci Med 2017; 177:43-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2016] [Revised: 01/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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Van't Klooster C, van Andel T, Reis R. Patterns in medicinal plant knowledge and use in a Maroon village in Suriname. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2016; 189:319-30. [PMID: 27215681 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2016.05.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Revised: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/19/2016] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Traditional medicine plays an important role in the primary health care practices of Maroons living in the interior of Suriname. Large numbers of medicinal plants are employed to maintain general health and cure illnesses. Little is known, however, on how knowledge of herbal medicine varies within the community and whether plant use remains important when modern health care becomes available. AIM OF THE STUDY To document the diversity in medicinal plant knowledge and use in a remote Saramaccan Maroon community and to assess the importance of medicinal plants vis a vis locally available modern healthcare. We hypothesized that ailments which could be treated by the village health center would be less salient in herbal medicine reports. METHODS During three months fieldwork in the Saramaccan village of Pikin Slee, ethnobotanical data were collected by means of participant observations, voucher collections and 27 semi-structured interviews and informal discussions with 20 respondents. To test whether knowledge of medicinal plant species was kept within families, we performed a Detrended Correspondence Analysis. RESULTS In total, 110 medicinal plant species were recorded, with 302 health use reports and 72 uses, mostly related to general health concerns (42%), diseases of the digestive system (10%), musculoskeletal system and fever (each 7%). Bathing was the most important mode of application. Most health use reports related to cure (58%) and health promotion (39%), while disease prevention played a minor role. Traditional medicine not only treated cultural illnesses, but also health concerns that could be treated with locally available modern medicines. Knowledge of medicinal plant species is not strictly kept within families, but also shared with friends. Certain recipes and applications, however, may be specific family knowledge. CONCLUSION Medicinal plants play a very important role in the daily lives of the Pikin Slee villagers. Plant use reflects actual health concerns, but as modern medicines are available for most of these concerns, the use of herbal medicines seems to be a deep rooted cultural preference, especially when concerned with cultural illnesses and health promotion. Locally provided healthcare could be enriched if traditional knowledge, illness concepts, and medicinal plant uses could fit into a larger, community-oriented framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Van't Klooster
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Tinde van Andel
- Naturalis Biodiversity Centre, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands; Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Ria Reis
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 15718, 1001 NE, The Netherlands; The Children's Institute, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
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Gyasi RM, Mensah CM, Siaw LP. Predictors of traditional medicines utilisation in the Ghanaian health care practice: interrogating the Ashanti situation. J Community Health 2015; 40:314-25. [PMID: 25173694 DOI: 10.1007/s10900-014-9937-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Traditional medicine (TRM) use remains universal among individuals, families and communities the world over but the predictive variables of TRM use is still confounding. This population-based study analysed the predictors of TRM use in Ashanti Region, Ghana. A retrospective cross-sectional quantitative survey involving systematic random sampled participants (N = 324) was conducted. Structured interviewer-administered questionnaires were used as research instruments. Data were analysed with logit regression, Pearson's Chi square and Fisher's exact tests from the PASW for Windows application (V. 17.0). Overall, 86.1 % (n = 279) reported use of TRM with biologically-based and distant/prayer therapies as the major forms of TRM utilised in the previous 12 months. Among the general population, TRM use was predicted by having low-income levels [odds ratio (OR) 2.883, confidence interval (CI) 1.142-7.277], being a trader (OR 2.321, CI 1.037-5.194), perceiving TRM as effective (OR 4.430, CI 1.645-11.934) and safe (OR 2.730, CI 0.986-4.321), good affective behaviour of traditional medical practitioner (TMP) (OR 2.943, CI 0.875-9.896) and having chronic ill-health (OR 3.821, CI 1.213-11.311). The prevalence of TRM use is high. The study provides evidence that people's experience, personal attributes, health beliefs, attitude to TRM, attitude of TMP to clients and medical history are largely accountable for the upsurge use of TRM rather than socio-demographic factors. Understanding the health-seeking behaviour of individuals is exigent to ascribe appropriate medical care by health care providers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Razak Mohammed Gyasi
- Department of Geography and Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Private Mail Bag, University Post Office, Kumasi, Ghana,
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Gyasi RM, Asante F, Segbefia AY, Abass K, Mensah CM, Siaw LP, Eshun G, Adjei POW. Does spatial location matter? Traditional therapy utilisation among the general population in a Ghanaian rural and urban setting. Complement Ther Med 2015; 23:439-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2015.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2014] [Revised: 03/15/2015] [Accepted: 04/04/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
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Graz B, Kitalong C, Yano V. Traditional local medicines in the republic of Palau and non-communicable diseases (NCD), signs of effectiveness. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2015; 161:233-237. [PMID: 25529617 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.11.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2014] [Revised: 10/24/2014] [Accepted: 11/27/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The aim of this survey was to describe which traditional medicines (TM) are most commonly used for non-communicable diseases (NCD - diabetes, hypertension related to excess weight and obesity) in Pacific islands and with what perceived effectiveness. NCD, especially prevalent in the Pacific, have been subject to many public health interventions, often with rather disappointing results. Innovative interventions are required; one hypothesis is that some local, traditional approaches may have been overlooked. MATERIALS AND METHODS The method used was a retrospective treatment-outcome study in a nation-wide representative sample of the adult population (about 15,000 individuals) of the Republic of Palau, an archipelago of Micronesia. RESULTS From 188 respondents (61% female, age 16-87, median 48,), 30 different plants were used, mostly self-prepared (69%), or from a traditional healer (18%). For excess weight, when comparing the two most frequent plants, Morinda citrifolia L. was associated with more adequate outcome than Phaleria nishidae Kaneh. (P=0.05). In case of diabetes, when comparing Phaleria nishidae (=Phaleria nisidai) and Morinda citrifolia, the former was statistically more often associated with the reported outcome "lower blood sugar" (P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS Statistical association between a plant used and reported outcome is not a proof of effectiveness or safety, but it can help select plants of interest for further studies, e.g. through a reverse pharmacology process, in search of local products which may have a positive impact on population health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bertrand Graz
- Pacific Academic Institute for Research and Palau Community College, Koror, Palau.
| | - Christopher Kitalong
- Pacific Academic Institute for Research and Palau Community College, Koror, Palau
| | - Victor Yano
- Pacific Academic Institute for Research and Palau Community College, Koror, Palau
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Towns AM, Mengue Eyi S, van Andel T. Traditional medicine and childcare in Western Africa: mothers' knowledge, folk illnesses, and patterns of healthcare-seeking behavior. PLoS One 2014; 9:e105972. [PMID: 25147924 PMCID: PMC4141852 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2014] [Accepted: 07/31/2014] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In spite of the strong role of traditional medicine in childcare in the pluralistic healthcare system in Western Africa, little information is known on mothers’ domestic plant knowledge. Identifying local perspectives and treatments of children’s illnesses, including folk illnesses, is essential to having a comprehensive understanding of how mothers make healthcare treatment decisions. We aimed to identify which infant illnesses Beninese and Gabonese mothers knew to treat with medicinal plants and for which illnesses they sought biomedical care or traditional healers. Methods We conducted 81 questionnaires with mothers in Bénin and Gabon and made 800 botanical specimens of cited medicinal plants. We calculated the number of species cited per illness and the proportion of participants knowledgeable on at least one herbal remedy per illness. Using qualitative data, we described folk illnesses in each country and summarized responses on preferences for each of the three healthcare options. Results Participants from both countries were most knowledgeable on plants to treat respiratory illnesses, malaria, diarrhea, and intestinal ailments. Mothers also frequently mentioned the use of plants to encourage children to walk early, monitor the closure of fontanels, and apply herbal enemas. Major folk illnesses were atita and ka in Bénin and la rate and fesses rouges in Gabon. Traditional healers were reported to have specialized knowledge of cultural bound illnesses. Malaria was frequently cited as an illness for which mothers would directly seek biomedical treatment. Conclusion Mothers largely saw the three systems as complementary, seamlessly switching between different healing options until a remedy was found. Folk illnesses were found to give insight into local treatments and may reveal important neglected diseases. Due to high reported levels of knowledge on treating top statistical causes of infant mortality and folk illnesses, mothers’ medicinal plant knowledge should be included in the analysis of healthcare-seeking behavior for childcare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M. Towns
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Sandra Mengue Eyi
- Le Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique, Libreville, Gabon
| | - Tinde van Andel
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
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Menendez-Baceta G, Aceituno-Mata L, Molina M, Reyes-García V, Tardío J, Pardo-de-Santayana M. Medicinal plants traditionally used in the northwest of the Basque Country (Biscay and Alava), Iberian Peninsula. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2014; 152:113-34. [PMID: 24389558 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.12.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2013] [Revised: 12/16/2013] [Accepted: 12/20/2013] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Many ethnobotanical studies show that people in industrial countries still rely on their traditional knowledge of medicinal plants for self-treatment, although the trend might not be as common as some decades ago. Given the social and public health implications of ethnopharmacological practices, this survey aims at recording and analysing the medicinal plants used in the folk medicine of the Northwest of the Basque Country focusing on how medicinal plants knowledge and practices evolve. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fieldwork consisted of 265 orally consented semi-structured interviews with 207 informants about medicinal uses of plants. Interviews were conducted between September 2008 and January 2011. Informants were on average 76 years old (minimum 45, maximum 95), being more than half of them (112) men. Data collected were structured in use-reports (UR). Following informants' comments, medicinal use-reports were classified as abandoned-UR, when the informants reported that the use was only practiced in the past, and prevalent-UR, when the informants reported to continue the practice. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A total of 2067 UR for 139 species that belong to 58 botanical families were recorded, being the most important families Asteraceae, Liliaceae sensu latu and Urticaceae. Some of the most important species are commonly used in other European areas (e.g., Chamaemelum nobile, Urtica dioica and Chelidonium majus). However, there are also plants commonly used in the area such as Helleborus viridis or Coronopus didymus, that are scarcely used in other areas, and whose record is an original contribution of the local pharmacopeia. It is also the case of remedies such as the use of Plantago leaves against strains in a local remedy called zantiritu. Overall, and for all variables analysed (total UR, medicinal use-categories, drug preparation and administration), the percentage of UR being currently practiced (prevalence ratio) was very low (near 30%) suggesting a strong decay in the use of traditional medicinal plants. Exceptionally, some species (Chamaemelum nobile, Verbena officinalis or Anagallis arvensis) had a high prevalence ratio, reflecting the fact that this erosion process is not evolving homogeneously. Informants also reported that new species and medicinal plant uses were entering into the local pharmacopeia via non-traditional sources such as books, courses, or the internet. These modern ways are now being used to spread some traditional remedies that in the past were only orally transmitted. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that traditional knowledge is continuously changing, evolving and adapting to the new social and environmental conditions. The image of the local folk medicine as a dying reality doomed to disappear should be reviewed. It also shows the need of a culturally sensitive approach by the official health systems to these practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gorka Menendez-Baceta
- Departamento de Biología (Botánica), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Darwin 2, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Aceituno-Mata
- Departamento de Biología (Botánica), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Darwin 2, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain; Instituto Madrileño de Investigación y Desarrollo Rural, Agrario y Alimentario, Apdo. 127, 28800 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Molina
- Departamento de Biología (Botánica), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Darwin 2, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain; Instituto Madrileño de Investigación y Desarrollo Rural, Agrario y Alimentario, Apdo. 127, 28800 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Victoria Reyes-García
- ICREA and Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Tardío
- Instituto Madrileño de Investigación y Desarrollo Rural, Agrario y Alimentario, Apdo. 127, 28800 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Pardo-de-Santayana
- Departamento de Biología (Botánica), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Darwin 2, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
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Jiang S, Quave CL. A comparison of traditional food and health strategies among Taiwanese and Chinese immigrants in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2013; 9:61. [PMID: 23981857 PMCID: PMC3846646 DOI: 10.1186/1746-4269-9-61] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2013] [Accepted: 08/27/2013] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ethnobotanical studies on the use of plants amongst migrant populations are of great relevance to public health. Traditional health strategies, which incorporate plants as medicines, foods, or both - can play an important role in individual well-being. However, at the same time, migrant populations' traditional knowledge of such practices may be under a state of greater threat of decline due to factors such as limited access to the plant materials and physical isolation from the homeland, which serves as the primary living reservoir for this knowledge. METHODS In this study, we conducted a medical ethnobotanical survey focusing on a comparison of local medicinal food and health strategies with members of two Asian immigrant populations in metro-Atlanta: Chinese and Taiwanese. Snowball sampling techniques were employed to recruit 83 study participants, 57 of which were included in the final analysis. Semi-structured interview techniques were used to question participants about their beliefs and usage of the yin yang system, usage of Chinese herbs and medicinal foods, preference and usage of Eastern and Western medicines, and gardening for medicinal foods. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Comparison of the two groups demonstrated a remarkable difference in health strategies concerning medicinal plant use, including statistically significant differences in beliefs concerning yin and yang, uses of Eastern versus Western medicine, and gardening for medicinal foods. Domestic health strategies in the form of medicinal foods play an important role in local health practices, especially among the Taiwanese participants. The collective desire for the use of both Eastern and Western medicine by both groups highlights the important role that cultural competency training will play in preparing allopathic health practitioners to serve increasingly diverse patient populations in the US.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandy Jiang
- Center for the Study of Human Health, Emory University, 550 Asbury Circle, Candler Library 107, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Cassandra L Quave
- Center for the Study of Human Health, Emory University, 550 Asbury Circle, Candler Library 107, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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