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Ding X, Zhang L, Ali M, Shida, Bianba, Shi Y, He J, Wang Y. Traditional medicinal knowledge of Sherpa people: Assessment in Xizang, China. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 334:118555. [PMID: 38996950 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The people of the Pan-Himalayan region are among the most isolated and economically disadvantaged populations worldwide. The Sherpa people, located along the China and Nepal border, rely largely on the natural environment to access essential healthcare services. The region's ongoing economic and social developments threaten indigenous medicinal practices and biodiversity. However, there has been limited comprehensive investigation and documentation of traditional medicine and its associated knowledge in this region. AIM OF THE STUDY The aims are to document the traditional medicinal knowledge of the Sherpa community, assess the conservation status of medicinal plants, and explore the historical factors that have influenced their traditional medicine practices. MATERIAL AND METHODS Semi-structured interviews with 78 Sherpa people were conducted in Chenthang Town, Xizang, China. Use reports (URs) was used to determine the most frequently mentioned medicinal plants or a specific ailment or disease category. The International Classification of Primary Care-2nd edition (ICPC-2) was used to transform the original records into an internationally unified classification. RESULTS A total of 51 plant species, one fungus (Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Berk.) G.H.Sung, J.M.Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora), two lichens (Flavopunctelia soredica (Nyl.) Hale and Parmotrema cetratum (Ach.) Hale), and four minerals were documented, resulting in 824 URs. Ranunculaceae had the most species (5 spp.). The most commonly used method for preparing medicinal substances was decoction (23 species, 40%). Oral application was the preferred route of administration for 81% (41 medicinal substances). Forty-four ailments across 14 ICPC-2 disease categories were documented. Respiratory (320 URs) and digestive (122 URs) categories are among the most common diseases. The top-five ailments were influenza (18 substances; URs = 227), injury blood/lymph/spleen other (11 substances; URs = 66), cough (10 substances; URs = 62), headache (7 substances; URs = 63), and abdominal pain/cramps general (6 substances; URs = 37). The most frequently reported medicinal substances were Panax pseudoginseng Wall. (URs = 128) and Neopicrorhiza scrophulariiflora (Pennell) D. Y. Hong (URs = 79). Two special therapies (hot spring therapy and dietary therapy) were described. In-depth ethnographic information on the livelihood and exchange history of Sherpa people were documented. A total of 25 species were sold, of which four species were listed as VU in the IUCN Red List (2023-1), six species were listed as VU, four species were NT, and one species was EN in the China Biodiversity Red list 2021. CONCLUSION This study provides the first comprehensive documentation of the 58 traditional medicine substances and two special therapies (hot spring therapy and dietary therapy) used by the Sherpa people in Chenthang. Sherpa's medicinal knowledge has been shaped by historical interactions and contemporary trade practices. To better protect the biocultural diversity of the Himalayan region, priority should be given to the rapid assessment of medicinal plants, knowledge, and use status in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyong Ding
- National Centre for Borderland Ethnic Studies in Southwest China, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China; Department of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132# Lanhei Road, Heilongtan, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China.
| | - Li Zhang
- School of Marxism, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, China.
| | - Maroof Ali
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan, 666303, China.
| | - Shida
- Chenthang Town, Rikaze City, 857000, Xizang Autonomous Region, China.
| | - Bianba
- Chenthang Town, Rikaze City, 857000, Xizang Autonomous Region, China.
| | - Yuru Shi
- Department of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132# Lanhei Road, Heilongtan, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China.
| | - Jun He
- National Centre for Borderland Ethnic Studies in Southwest China, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China.
| | - Yuhua Wang
- Department of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132# Lanhei Road, Heilongtan, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China.
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Smith-Hall C, Pyakurel D, Meilby H, Pouliot M, Ghimire PL, Ghimire S, Madsen ST, Paneru YR, Subedi BP, Timoshyna A, Treue T. The sustainability of trade in wild plants-A data-integration approach tested on critically endangered Nardostachys jatamansi. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad328. [PMID: 37954162 PMCID: PMC10635652 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
While the demand for many products from wild-harvested plants is growing rapidly, the sustainability of the associated plant trade remains poorly understood and understudied. We integrate ecological and trade data to advance sustainability assessments, using the critically endangered Nardostachys jatamansi in Nepal to exemplify the approach and illustrate the conservation policy gains. Through spatial distribution modeling and structured interviews with traders, wholesalers, and processors, we upscale district-level trade data to provincial and national levels and compare traded amounts to three sustainable harvest scenarios derived from stock and yield data in published inventories and population ecology studies. We find increased trade levels and unsustainable harvesting focused in specific subnational geographical locations. Data reported in government records and to CITES did not reflect estimated trade levels and could not be used to assess sustainability. Our results suggest that changing harvesting practices to promote regeneration would allow country-wide higher levels of sustainable harvests, simultaneously promoting species conservation and continued trade of substantial economic importance to harvesters and downstream actors in the production network. The approach can be applied to other plant species, with indication that quick and low-cost proxies to species distribution modeling may provide acceptable sustainability estimates at aggregated spatial levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Smith-Hall
- Department of Food and Resource Economics, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, Frederiksberg 1958 C, Denmark
| | - Dipesh Pyakurel
- Resources Himalaya Foundation, Damkal Charkrapath Marg 10007, Lalitpur Metropolitan City-3, Lalitpur, Nepal
| | - Henrik Meilby
- Department of Food and Resource Economics, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, Frederiksberg 1958 C, Denmark
| | - Mariève Pouliot
- Department of Food and Resource Economics, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, Frederiksberg 1958 C, Denmark
| | - Puspa L Ghimire
- Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources, 819/29 Bhimsengola Marg, Kathmandu Metropolitan City-31, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Suresh Ghimire
- Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur Municipality-10, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Sofia T Madsen
- Department of Sustainability and Planning, University of Aalborg, A.C. Meyers Vænge 15, 2450 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Yagya R Paneru
- National Herbarium and Plant Laboratories, Satdobato-Godavari Rd, Godawari-3, Lalitpur, Nepal
| | - Bhishma P Subedi
- Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources, 819/29 Bhimsengola Marg, Kathmandu Metropolitan City-31, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Anastasiya Timoshyna
- TRAFFIC International, Cambridge, David Attenborough Building, Pembroke St, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK
| | - Thorsten Treue
- Department of Food and Resource Economics, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, Frederiksberg 1958 C, Denmark
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Mai Q, Li X, Yang D, Zhang X, Peng K, Hao Y. Effects of acupressure on cancer-related pain management: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Eur J Integr Med 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eujim.2022.102120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Gayathri S, Chandrashekar H R, Fayaz S M. Phytotherapeutics Against Alzheimer's Disease: Mechanism, Molecular Targets and Challenges for Drug Development. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS-DRUG TARGETS 2021; 21:409-426. [PMID: 34544351 DOI: 10.2174/1871527320666210920120612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is inflating worldwide and is combatted by only a few approved drugs. At best, these drugs treat symptomatic conditions by targeting cholinesterase and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. Most of the clinical trials in progress are focused to develop disease-modifying agents that aim single targets. The 'one drug-one target' approach is failing in the case of Alzheimer's disease due to its labyrinth etiopathogenesis. Traditional medicinal systems like ayurveda uses a holistic approach encompassing legion of medicinal plants exhibiting multimodal activity. Recent advances in high-throughput technologies have catapulted the research in the arena of ayurveda, specifically in identifying plants with potent anti-Alzheimer's disease properties and their phytochemical characterization. Nonetheless, clinical trials of very few herbal medicines are in progress. This review is a compendium of Indian plants and ayurvedic medicines against Alzheimer's disease and their paraphernalia. A record of 230 plants that are found in India with anti-Alzheimer's disease potential and about 500 phytochemicals from medicinal plants has been solicited with the hope of exploring the unexplored. Further, the molecular targets of phytochemicals isolated from commonly used medicinal plants such as Acorus calamus, Bacopa monnieri, Convolvulus pluricaulis, Tinospora cordifolia and Withania somnifera have been reviewed with respect to their multidimensional property such as antioxidant, anti-inflammation, anti-aggregation, synaptic plasticity modulation, cognition and memory enhancing activity. In addition, the strengths, and challenges in ayurvedic medicine that limit its use as mainstream therapy is discussed and a framework for the development of herbal medicine has been proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayathri S
- Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka - 576104. India
| | - Raghu Chandrashekar H
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka - 576104. India
| | - Fayaz S M
- Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka - 576104. India
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Bi Y, Bao H, Zhang C, Yao R, Li M. Quality Control of Radix Astragali (The Root of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus) Along Its Value Chains. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:562376. [PMID: 33343346 PMCID: PMC7746871 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.562376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Radix Astragali (RA), the root of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus (Bunge) P.K. Hsiao, known as "Huangqi" in Chinese, has been used as a traditional herbal medicine or food in China for more than 2,000 years and is now consumed globally. Unfortunately, the increasing demand for RA has led to the overexploitation of its wild stock, as well as quality problems, including adulteration and contamination. Therefore, the sustainable cultivation of RA is urgently needed. In the present research, semi-structured interviews and key informant interviews were conducted, over a 2-year period, to collect data from stakeholders in the main production areas; moreover, a targeted chemical analysis-based quality assessment strategy was applied to understand the quality of RA. Accordingly, 10 different types of value chains (VCs) were identified in RA production; meanwhile, the contents of the main active ingredients (astragaloside and calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside) were analyzed by HPLC-ELSD-UV and the yield of medicinal material was demined and further analyzed using k-means clustering analysis. The results show that the tight relationship between quality of the RA and stakeholders' revenues among the VCs, which reflects a more general trend in the production system. Over the past few decades, vertical coordination has emerged increasingly in VCs of RA, which leads to a more coherent traceability system and rigorous regulations in the supply chains. Daodi herbs can be considered to be a standard that is distinctive with good quality characteristics that emphasize the origins of the medicinal plants. We find that the suitability of geographical areas and vertical integration can improve the VCs of RA, which further contributes to its quality control, as well as its sustainable production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqiong Bi
- Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Academy of Traditional Medicine, Hohhot, China.,Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Haiying Bao
- Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Chunhong Zhang
- Baotou Medical College, Baotou, China.,Inner Mongolia Engineering Research Center of the Planting and Development of Astragalus membranaceus of the Geoherbs, Baotou, China
| | - Ruyu Yao
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Minhui Li
- Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Academy of Traditional Medicine, Hohhot, China.,Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China.,Baotou Medical College, Baotou, China.,Inner Mongolia Engineering Research Center of the Planting and Development of Astragalus membranaceus of the Geoherbs, Baotou, China
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Plant-Based Sustainable Development—The Expansion and Anatomy of the Medicinal Plant Secondary Processing Sector in Nepal. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12145575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
There is an increasing global demand for medicinal plants. Nevertheless, the nature and scale of processing in national-level medicinal plant production networks, and how this can contribute to sustainable development, are poorly understood. This study (i) uncovers and explains the emergence of the Nepalese medicinal plant secondary processing sector, (ii) characterises the enterprises and identify the obstacles they face, (iii) quantifies the volumes and values of processed species and end markets, and (iv) discusses the potential to contribute to sustainable economic development. Empirical data were generated from key informant interviews and qualitative (n = 13) and quantitative (n = 79) semi-structured surveys of medicinal plant processing enterprises. In 2014–15, the sector purchased 3679 metric tonnes of air-dry raw materials (across 67 products) for USD 4.0 million, producing 494 tonnes of end-products valued at USD 11.2 million. The sector is characterised by small enterprises. Rising domestic demand drove the increase in the number of enterprises. Key business obstacles were export barriers, low access to technology, infrastructure and service barriers, labour challenges, socio-economic and political instability, and the inefficient bureaucracy. The actions required to change from being a supplier of raw materials and producer of lower-value domestic consumer products to integrating into the global economy as an exporter of higher-value products that are sustainably sourced are discussed.
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