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This paper presents the ethnobotanical information, phytochemical content, and pharmacological activities of Adonidia merrillii. Ethnobotanical studies of A. merrillii in several countries such as the Philippines, Nigeria, India, Malaysia, and Indonesia revealed that this palm is known as an ornamental plant and is also utilized for medicinal purposes such as diarrhea, toothache, psychostimulant, and treat malnourished. Furthermore, A. merrillii holds cultural significance, often being incorporated into ceremonial practices. Previous studies reported various phytoconstituents detected in fruit pericarp, leaf, kernel seed oil, and flower. The phytoconstituents are flavonoids, saponins, tannins, coumarins, phenolics, and others. Fruit pericarp and seed extract have potential against various cancer cells. The fruit pericarp methanol extract is adequate against pathogenic bacteria due to its fatty acid content in different mechanisms. Flavonoids in seed extract are used as antidiarrheal agents, and the flavonoid effectivity increases when they are combined with lactic acid probiotic bacteria. Antioxidant activity was reported obtained from the fruit and pericarp extracts. Based on ethnobotanical studies and scientific research, A. merrillii has great potential and can be developed as a medicine in further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper presents a comparative inventory of medicinal plant taxa and their uses by smallholder farming communities of four cultures in the Aswa River catchment of northern Uganda, situated in the eastern Sudanian savanna parkland ecotype of sub-Saharan Africa. The purpose of the study was to document the ethnobotanical use of medicinal plants by the Lango, Acholi, Teso (Atesot) and Ethur (jo Abwor), in an historical moment before civil conflict and mass displacement of the respondent communities disrupted the inter-generational transmission of traditional technical knowledge within the study area. Methods: Following community consultations in four districts of northern Uganda during 1999–2000, interviews were conducted with holders of specialist knowledge on plants used as medicine on basis of a plant specimen allocated a voucher number and identified by the national herbarium. Use reports reflecting specific medicinal applications were compiled in aggregate to obtain a Relative Importance Index ranking. The commonality of medicinal taxa cited between each cultural interface was assessed by the Jaccard Index of Similarity, and the similarity of specific medicinal usage by taxon using Rahman's Similarity Index. Results: The data collected from 112 respondents comprise 280 medicinal use reports describing 263 applications for 62 medical conditions, citing 108 taxa from 44 botanical families of which Fabaceae comprised 20% of all use reports. No earlier mention could be found to corroborate 72 use reports (27% of the total), representing medicinal indications as yet undocumented, and potentially worthy of investigation. The RI values ranged between 15 and 94%, with 13 taxa having RI values above 50%. The JI ratios indicate the highest degree of similarity in the plant taxa used as medicine (21%) between the Lango and Teso cultures who share a common origin; however, Rahman's Similarity Index indicates the highest similarity of specific medicinal usage by taxon between the Lango and Acholi, who share a common language group through cultural assimilation over time. Conclusions: As a comparative study, the results imply that cultural exchange and assimilation may be a greater driver of inter-cultural similarity of ethnopharmacological use of a given taxon, as compared to shared historical origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to document the diversity of medicinal plants used by the Cashinahua people (also known as Huni Kuin) of the Curanja River, as well as describe and compare their uses with pharmacological and phytochemical records from previously published studies. The ethnic has been studied to a limited extent from an ethnobotanical perspective. The study area is located in the Ucayali region, eastern Central Amazon, where ancestral knowledge is preserved due to the limited accessibility of the region. Between November 2010 and June 2015, a total of 11 months were spent on the survey, which included a short-term visit to complete voucher specimen collection and taxonomic identification. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 Cashinahua traditional healers and 10 midwives. Vernacular names, ethnomedicinal uses, plant parts used and forms of preparation and administration were recorded. Ethnopharmacological, pharmacological and phytochemical uses were checked through survey of the previously published papers indexed on Web of Science databases between 2018 and 2022. We obtained data on 467 plant taxa, among which we highlighted 79 species unreported or rarely cited for medicinal use or phytochemical analysis. These species were spread over 60 genera and 42 botanical families, with Acanthaceae being the most represented. Leaves were used the most frequently (93.56%). Among the 79 species, the most reported therapeutic activities involved pregnancy and birth disorders (13.84%), followed by poisonings, infections and infestations. The predominant application form was external (87%). Our study indicates that there are locally valuable species that have not yet been studied for their medical potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medicinal plants are still used in developing countries, including the Philippines, to treat common diseases in the community. Anemia is a common disease encountered in the community. It is characterized by a lower-than-normal level of red blood cell count. This systematic review identified the medicinal plants used for anemia treatment in the Philippines. Methods: The study was conducted based on the PRISMA flow diagram, starting with a data search on electronic databases. The collected studies were screened based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The necessary information was extracted from the eligible research papers, and the studies' quality was assessed through a developed quality assessment tool. Results: A total of 20 ethnobotanical studies on medicinal plants used for anemia treatment were obtained from different provinces within the 12 regions of the Philippines. Most ethnobotanical studies were conducted in Region X (Northern Mindanao), CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region), and Region XIII (CARAGA), Philippines. The most common plant family is Convovulaceae, with nine records (21.95%), followed by Cucurbitaceae, with six records (14.63%), and Moringaceae, with five records (12.2%). The most common plant part used was the leaves. Others involved mixing different plant parts, with fruits and leaves being the most common combination. The most common route of administration utilized was drinking the decoction, followed by eating the plant. Most medicinal plants used to treat anemia in the Philippines had records of toxicologic (four species, 15.38%) or teratogenic (one species, 3.85%) properties. Eight plant species were reported as nontoxic (30.77%). In addition, ten plant species (38.46%) had no data on toxicity or teratogenicity. Conclusion: There were only 20 ethnobotanical studies that documented the use of plants in treating anemia in the Philippines. This study listed several medicinal plants used in treating anemia in the Philippines. However, pharmacological and toxicological studies are still needed to determine their safety and efficacy in treating anemia in the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Centella asiatica (commonly known as gotu kola, the Chinese name is Jixuecao) has a long history of application and is widely used in many countries. Ethnobotanical fieldwork with Buyi villagers in Guizhou Province, China revealed that Centella asiatica is one of the most frequently consumed herbal teas. This paper reports on the nutritional value of Centella asiatica and some preparation methods for a new complex health care tea that we developed with it. The main objective of this short case study is to reflect on the social and ethical implications of developing a commercial tea product based on traditional ethnobotanical knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angiopteris esculenta is one of the most important wild substitute plant for staple food in Dulong's communities(the least populated ethnic group in Yunnan Province, China)for centuries. The Dulong people collect the underground parts of A. esculenta to extract flour and make it into food. In order to study and record the traditional knowledge of Angiopteris esculenta, ethnobotanical methods were employed to investigate and document the traditional knowledge about A. esculenta, and approaches of food science were used to reveal the basic components, morphology, physicochemical properties, and gelatinization characteristics of A. esculenta flour in the present paper. The results were as follows:(1) A. esculenta was a multipurpose plant in the traditional livelihood of Dulong people. Local people employed this plant for edible, medicinal, ornamental purpose and woody purposes. Quantitative analysis showed that the relative frequency of citation(RFC)of the edibleness was much higher than that of other uses, indicating that it was mainly used as staple food.(2)The traditional uses of fern flour extracted from the underground part of A. esculenta imply rationality. There was high starch content in the flour, and the total starch content was 86.2%, and A. esculenta flour contained various mineral elements necessary for human body.(3)The flour had good physicochemical properties, among which the retrogradation and freeze-thaw stability were strong, which could be used in the production and process of frozen food and starch products. The regeneration value and attenuation value of starch were much lower than that of common starch, which indicated that it had good stability of hot paste and cold paste, and not easy to regenerate, thus imply the good processability in food industry. In conclusion, A. esculenta flour has a good potential for utilization and further development. It is expected to play a positive role for increasing local residents' income and for rural revitalization in remote areas, through the approaches of artificial cultivation. The research results provide a theoretical basis for the subsequent processing and utilization of A. esculenta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of natural resources in the highland region of Jujuy province, Argentina, is highly represented in various activities and practices. In this context, plant species have great relevance and roles in vernacular architectures and evidence a whole cultural conception, ways of connecting with the environment and exploitation logics. This paper aims at reflecting upon public policies related to the conservation of plant species in the Quebrada and Jujuy Puna. To achieve this, the role of plants in local constructive culture was characterized and state policies that have regulated these resources over time were reviewed. The ethnobotany classic methodology was used, with an intensive field work and ethnographic approach. Results show that the articulation of local and state criteria are the two necessary elements to guarantee the conservation of natural resources and the continuity of practices associated with them. It is necessary to reformulate the current regulations, which are restrictive and marginalizing of local traditions, and issue new regulations that control sustainable use respecting and promoting the traditional practices that characterize the region, in particular those related to the constructive culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Onosma belongs to the Boraginaceae family and contains over 230 species. The present review sheds light on the ethnopharmacology, phytoconstituents, bioactivity, and toxicology of the Onosma species from previous investigations. Furthermore, the paper also highlights the unresolved issues for the future investigations. The review included previous studies of the genus Onosma available from Google Scholar and Baidu Scholar, Science Direct, SciFinder, Wiley Online Library, and Web of Science. Until now, more than 200 chemical compounds have been detected from the genus Onosma, including naphthoquinone (33), flavonoids (30), hydrocarbon (23), phenolic (22), ester (17), alkaloids (20), aromatics (12), carboxylic acid (11), fatty acids (9), terpenoids (10), while the most important ones are rosmarinic, ferulic, protocatechuic, chlorogenic, caffeic, p-coumaric acids, and apigenin. The Onosma species are reported as traditional medicine for wound healing, heart disease, and kidney disorders, while the pharmacological investigations revealed that the extracts and the phytochemicals of Onosma species have different therapeutic properties including antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory, antitumor, hepatoprotective, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial actions. The summarized knowledge in this review provides valuable ideas for the current and future drug discovery and a motivation for further investigation on the genus Onosma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnobotany was worked to incorporate plant concentrates as well as investigations of green growth, lichens, and parasites. It is firmly connected with the science of scientific classification, pharmacognosy, phytochemistry, environment, and preservation. So as to feature the therapeutic utilization of plants and there pharmacological angles, this article audits various ethnobotany messages and papers, and furthermore clarifies the extent of ethnobotany. It incorporates a concise survey of ethnobotany in India, onpast, present and future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Garcinia genus is a rich depository of bioactive compounds. • Phytochemistry and pharmacology of lesser-known Garcinia species are discussed. • Toxicity profile of Garcinia species are examined. The tropical plants of Garcinia (Clusiaceae family) have been extensively used in folk medicine apart from its limited use in the preparation of certain dishes. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive and updated report on the diverse range of phytochemicals, the traditional uses, the nutritional values, the major pharmacological attributes, and the toxicological findings of ten Garcinia plants of south-east Asia. This was achieved by compiling data from various scientific journals, and books available on electronic databases viz. Pub Med, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and others, published within the time period of 2010-2020. A myriad of natural products are found in Garcinia sp. The major classes of biomolecules reported to be present in these plants include organic acids, xanthones, benzophenones, flavonoids, phloroglucinols, fatty acids, and terpenoids. The chemical structures of the phytoconstituents presented in this review are drawn using ChemDraw Professional 16.0. Additionally, the important pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anticancer, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, antimicrobial, and hepatoprotective activities along with the toxicological studies of the Garcinia sp., are discussed. Although a good amount of research has been conducted on Garcinia sp., however some of these species still remain unattended and are becoming endemic. Therefore, this comprehensive review sheds light on the phyto-pharmacological profile of ten known Garcinia sp. to pave a path towards explorating of their traditional uses, isolating new molecules, encouraging in-depth preclinical and clinical research to understand the mechanism of action, thereby help in the development of new drug candidates with lesser side-effects. In addition, measures must be taken to enhance the conservation of endangered Garcinia sp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the valorization of traditional knowledge on medicinal plants in the Mexican academic-scientific milieu, focusing on its institutionalization at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). Thus, considering that the proposal of a thesis is an instrument of knowledge mobilization, the tasks carried out in this regard at the UNAM during the 1900s-2010s were identified and characterized, eliciting additional data through documentation research and interviews with key actors. The research found that during the 1970s the interest on the study of medicinal plants abruptly broke into the academic-scientific space of the UNAM, maintaining a growing trend up to these days, gradually forming itself as a valid object of study, opening new lines of research and shaping a new field of knowledge: medical ethnobotany. However, this new field emerges within other fields, from which it begins to be approached and materialized, still circulating in a somewhat veiled existence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an historical review of ethnobotanical notes about wild and cultivated edible plants collected through texts from the end of the 18th century (1796) to the first decades of the 20th century (1930) in the area of Albania under European Turkey, which included parts of today North Macedonia and Kosovo. Albania is an Eastern European country, which has been little studied from historical ethnobotany point of view. For this reason, this paper is focused on foreign authors' works containing data on the use of plants for economic, medicinal, food purposes, and discussing mythological, religious and magical explanations for them. The study is not intended to be an exhaustive review of all materials on this subject, but includes the texts known to us that contain ethnobotanical knowledge. Further scientific research can be carried out in other studies on historical ethnobotany not only by foreign authors but also by Albanians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are in a time of Indigenous cultural-political resurgence in Canada (Coulthard, 2014; Manuel, 2017; Simpson, 2017; Talaga, 2018). Increasingly, Indigenous Peoples are finding renewed strength, pride, and grounding through cultural practice and the reestablishment of connection to the land. Included in this resurgence are the relationships between people and plants. When we practise our ancestral relationships with our plant relatives, we heal and strengthen ourselves. The depth of connection to place, to ancestors, and to our own mindful presence is amplified when we partake in millennia-old practices of plant cultivation, stewardship, and the integration of plant foods and medicines into our bodies. This time of resurgence emerges from generations of Indigenous Peoples suffering devastating violence, losses, and trauma as a result of colonization. In this paper I address the role that rebuilding Indigenous plant relationships plays in addressing colonial impacts on Indigenous health and in supporting Indigenous cultural and political resurgence. I also put forth Indigenized models for understanding colonial impacts on health and discuss culturally rooted conceptualizations of health that address these impacts from an Indigenous point of view. Finally, I propose a set of guidelines to consider for conducting respectful ethnobotanical research within Indigenous communities. This paper is borne out of a desire for deeper critical engagement with the intersections between colonial history, intergenerational trauma, and Indigenous plant knowledge. Furthermore, this paper acknowledges the strength and resilience of Indigenous Peoples in the face of historical injustice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biocultural heritage preservation relies on ethnobotanical knowledge and the paleoethnobotanical data used in (re)constructing histories of human–biota interactions. Biocultural heritage, defined as the knowledge and practices of Indigenous and local peoples and their biological relatives, is often guarded information, meant for specific audiences and withheld from other social circles. As such, these forms of heritage and knowledge must also be included in the ongoing data sovereignty discussions and movement. In this paper we share the process and design decisions behind creating an online database for ethnobotanical knowledge and associated paleoethnobotanical data, using a content management system designed to foreground Indigenous and local perspectives. Our main purpose is to suggest that the Mukurtu content management system, originally designed for physical items of cultural importance, be considered as a potential tool for digitizing and ethically circulating biocultural heritage, including paleoethnobotanical resources. With this database, we aim to create access to biocultural heritage and paleoethnobotanical considerations for a variety of audiences while also respecting the protected and sensitive natures of Indigenous and local knowledges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant worship is an ancient and rudimentary form to respect nature and life. In order to understand the influence between the unique national folk plantworship and biodiversity conservation in Baise, Guangxi, ethnobotany investigation methods were utilized in this paper to investigate the cultural characteristic of plant worship. The effects of folk plant culture on the conservation of biodiversity were discussed from various aspects like nature worship, The effects of unique national folk plant, life etiquette and traditional medicine. The results are as follows: There are rich national folk plant culture connotation and biodiversity in Baise. The national folk plant which have been worshipped in Baise belong to 28 families, 47 genera and 53 species. Among them, Rosaceae and Leguminosae are the most abundant species, which contains 5 species respectively, the following are Mulberry and Gramineae, containing 4 species respectively. Arbor plant is the dominant life forms, accounting for 39 species of 73.58% of the total number of species. There are 11 species of herbage, making up 20.75% of the total number of species. The rest 5.67% are 3 species of shrub. Out of all these species, four of them can be found in the Information System of Rare and Endangered Plants in China within the List of National Level Ⅱ Plants, which are Phoebe bournei, Burretiodendron hsienmu, Erythrophleum fordii, Toonaciliate. In addition, five of them belong to the provincial and municipal(local)level Protected Wild Plants List, namely Machilus thunbergii, Cyclobalanopsis kouangsiensis, Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, Caesalpinia sappan, Dalbergia hupeana. These plants form various plant communities, which plays an important role in promoting the protection of plant diversity in the Baise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, past plant knowledge serves as a case study to highlight the promise and challenges of interdisciplinary data collection and interpretation in cultural evolution. Plants are central to human life and yet, apart from the role of major crops, people–plant relations have been marginal to the study of culture. Archaeological, linguistic, and historical evidence are often limited when it comes to studying the past role of plants. This is the case in the Nordic countries, where extensive collections of various plant use records are absent until the 1700s. Here, we test if relatively recent ethnobotanical data can be used to trace back ancient plant knowledge in the Nordic countries. Phylogenetic inferences of ancestral states are evaluated against historical, linguistic, and archaeobotanical evidence. The exercise allows us to discuss the opportunities and shortcomings of using phylogenetic comparative methods to study past botanical knowledge. We propose a 'triangulation method' that not only combines multiple lines of evidence, but also quantitative and qualitative approaches. This article is part of the theme issue 'Foundations of cultural evolution'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is important place of gum in the human history and Turkish culture. Nowadays, the use and production of gum has been reached a serious industrial size. Chewing gums today have only different flavors but their raw material (dough) remains are same. Raw materials: industrial chewing gums have been supplied from some substances that are petroleum polymer. Their functional properties are poor. Inspired of by traditional methods, the gum production for medical purposes was tested in the laboratory in 2018-2019. Approxımately 100 trying have been done, the results were recorded. The products of 5 trials that have been considered successful were presented to the consumer and the questionnaire form has been filled. Sensory, chemical analysis and microbiological tests have been performed on the products. The results are very gratifying. In addition to this, the paper have a list of Türkiye gum plants. The most important problem in the gum production; raw material does not stick together and its elasticity is weak. As the main criteria of success, it is observed that the adhesion of the granules and its resistance against chewing has been provided. The majority of the surveyors found the products are active. But, those who come from the countryside and say that they have already chewed natural gum are more positive look about that product. The color does not matter much in terms of consumption, but the color of the gums have been liked, although the colorant is not added. Positive results have been obtained from microbiological tests. No microbiological negativity was observed for human health. According to the element analysis results; it is understood that the minerals necessary for human health are rich in the gum products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The chagra is the agroforestry system adapted to the characteristics of the Amazon region. Recently, there has been a reported loss of biodiversity and traditional knowledge associated with the chagras. This paper characterizes the cultivators, exploring knowledge and expressed value perception in the context of the Amazonian chagra of an indigenous community; also, this prioritizes species, under the optics of commercial opportunity. Methods: A semi-structured instrument was applied to 14 volunteers, asking about marketing preferences and use values of the species; later, a floristic inventory and prioritization workshop was developed. Results: Sixty-two percent of the participants were 50 years or older at the time of the interview. Open conversations showed that traditional knowledge is a matter of practice; and is maintained mainly by the older "grandfathers". Thirty-eight species, belonging to 28 different families, were reported, showing considerable diversity. Seventy-nine percent of the participants consider the Leticia market and sales to tourists as the main marketing scenarios. Conclusions: The Ziora-Amena community centralizes the handling of chagras in the community's older adults, who transmit their traditional knowledge to new generations through oral tradition. Indicators of preference, use, and abundance highlight the food species. The perception of the trade stakeholder encourages research and development of endemic species, with health properties or ingredients for industry, which represent an opportunity of high added value for the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present study is the first quantitative ethnobotanical evaluation of Harighal, an inaccessible and unexplored area of District Bagh Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK). The exploration, quantification, and comparison of ethnobotanical knowledge among different rural communities of the study area were mainly focused during field survey. Methodology: In total, 79 informants (49 men and 34 women) were selected randomly to collect data using a semi-structured questionnaire. Various quantitative indices, including use value, relative frequency of citation, relative importance, fidelity level, and informant consent factor, were employed to evaluate the gathered information. Furthermore, primary data were also compared with twenty-two papers published from adjoining areas. Result: A total of 150 medicinal plants belonging to 98 genera and 60 families were documented. Asteraceae, Fabaceae, and Rosaceae were the dominant families having 15 species each. Of these, 76 species were indigenous, 74 exotic, 136 were collected in the wild, 10 cultivated, and 4 both wild-collected and cultivated. Herbaceous taxa were the most used life form, and leaves were the most exploited plant part. Decoctions were the most preferred method used in preparation of herbal recipes. Three species viz. Mentha longifolia, Berberis lycium, and Galium aparine had the highest use value (1.05), relative frequency of citation (0.81), and relative importance value (96), respectively. The highest informant consensus factor (ICF) was reported for digestive disorders. Mentha longifolia, Punica granatum, Zanthoxylum alatum, and Olea ferruginea had 100% fidelity values. The Jaccard index revealed that uses of plants were more similar in two neighboring areas, i.e., Pearl Valley and Toli Peer. Conclusion: Local inhabitants still prioritize herbal medicines as an effective way to treat a wide variety of ailments. Elders and health practitioners of the study area are well aware of indigenous knowledge about medicinal plants, but young people are not much interested in herbal practices. Thus, valuable knowledge about the use of plants is on the verge of decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to make a socioeconomic analysis over rural settlements in the extreme south of Bahia and in Pontal do Paranapanema in São Paulo state. Its emphasis is on cassava agrobiodiversity. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen farmers in ten settlements in Bahia and eleven farmers in seven settlements in São Paulo. Those regions socioeconomic levels are among the lowest in their states, with major vulnerability in Bahia. About 60% of farmers's children live in the settlement, two thirds of them work on agricultural activities. Composed mainly by elderly population, settlements in Bahia represent most of cassava diversity, whose production provides to the artisanal flour production flour. The cultural dynamics over the flour production activities in the settlements constitute a key element in the region's agrobiodiversity maintenance. The Pontal's cassava production on the other hand, answers to the demand of industrial starch outside the settlements, which causes the growing of few varieties that answer to the industrial standards. The Bahia settlements' agroecological perspective has been fundamental to its agrobiodiversity enhancement while the industrial agriculture perspective endorsed in São Paulo's region weakens the agricultural diversity as well as its sociocultural structures associated with the agrobiodiversity maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curcuma caesia Roxb. is one of the rarest medicinal plants used traditionally for the mitigation of various ailments. It is now classified as an endangered species and through this review, an overview regarding the pharmacological benefits of this plant has been put forward. Information on the ethnobotany and phytochemistry along with pharmacological activities was retrieved from the electronic databases for the period from 1962 to 2019. A literature review of articles published in local magazines, conference papers, unpublished materials, and books on traditional and medicinal plants of India was also conducted. There is very little information on C. caesiais in the literature, which revealed its antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer activities along with neuropharmacological, thrombolytic, anthelmintic, antiulcer, and antidepressant properties. The modern pharmacological studies have validated some of the traditional claims and uses. However, many aspects of this perennial herb have not been studied due to its limited availability and authenticity of the species. There is limited availability of the species as it has become an endangered crop due to its overexploitation as traditional medicine since ancient times. Being a critically endangered medicinal plant, conservation strategies using modern breeding techniques strongly warrant further research on in vitro and in vivo biological activities in different assay systems; toxicity, adverse effects, and clinical efficacy of C. caesia are recommended to be further studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Our current knowledge about Moqoit medical ethnobotany is scarce, that is why the aim of this paper seeks to identify the medicinal plants and its therapeutic indications registered in the field among present moqoit people from Chaco province. These data are also compared with the few historical data available, as well as with the medical ethnobotany of Argentinian Gran Chaco criollos people and surrounding areas. M&M: Between 2008 and 2018, a total of 11 (eleven) campaigns were carried out to the Moqoit settlements in Chaco province, where semi-structured interviews were carried out with key collaborators. With these key people, herbarium samples were collected from the plants they have indicated. Results: A total of 381 medicinal applications are registered about 155 botanical taxa. Most of them (28%) are prescribed against digestive disorders and in a lesser extent, against dermatological conditions (15%), as antipyretics (14%) and for the reproductive system (13%). Frequently plants are used against "empacho" (digestive disorder), affections of magical-religious etiology (therapeutic rituals), as refreshing, antitussive and against toothache. Conclusions: The results from the comparisons made show the presence of cultural loans from criollos groups -by location and stock- to Moqoit medical ethnobotany, mostly from the Hispanic-Quichua criollos bio-cultural complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper aims to record the species used for flavouring and making alcoholic drinks, mainly rakija, on the islands of the Adriatic (Croatia). Methods: Our data comes from 295 interviews performed on 36 islands, in both the Dalmatian and Kvarner areas of the Adriatic. Results: Altogether, 114 species are used—46% from wild locations only, 15% both wild and cultivated, 38% only cultivated and two species are imported. The most common local alcohol is wine, made without spices, but grape pomace distillate is often flavoured with single or mixed species. The mix is called travarica. The most commonly used species are Foeniculum vulgare Mill., Myrtus communis L., Salvia officinalis L., Ruta graveolens L., Juniperus oxycedrus L., Ceratonia siliqua L., Juglans regia L., Citrus spp., Ficus carica L., Laurus nobilis L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Artemisia absinthium L., Rosa centifolia L., Mentha × piperita L. and M. spicata L. Unfortunately, the widespread phenomenon of distilling Arbutus unedo L. fruits and fermenting Juniperus 'wine' is now extinct. Apart from grapes, the only commonly distilled fruit now is Ficus carica. Conclusions: It is striking that nearly all the plants are either wild or cultivated locally, which, in addition to the fact that the alcohol is made locally, shows the incredible local culinary self-sufficiency of the area. The number of species used is also very impressive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To present an overview of the ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Crinum bulbispermum so as to understand its importance and potential in primary healthcare systems. Methods: A review of the literature was undertaken and an in-depth analysis of previous research on ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacology of C. bulbispermum. Literature sources included papers published in journals, reports from international, regional and national organizations, conference papers, books and theses. Electronic search engines such as Google, Google scholar, publishing sites such as Elsevier, scienceDirect, BioMed Central (BMC), PubMed and other scientific database sites such as ChemSpider, PubChem were used. Results: Crinum bulbispermum is a popular medicinal plant in southern Africa used as remedy for aching joints, rheumatism, kidney or bladder infections, septic sores and wounds. The chemical composition of C. bulbispermum is dominated by various alkaloids and non-alkaloids isolated from the bulbs, flowers, flowering stalks, leaves and roots. Major biological activities demonstrated by C. bulbispermum include antimicrobial, antioxidant, actinociceptive, antiplasmodial activities as well as effects on the central nervous system. Conclusion: The widespread usage of C. bulbispermum as herbal medicine is threatening wild populations, and this calls for conservation strategies and mechanisms for sustainable utilization of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On several occasions we presented the close connection between man and the plant world and the facts that underlie the denomination and connotation in this plan. Ethnobotany is a fertile source of information for (anthropological) linguistic research. Phononymy reveals the concerns, representations and affective subconscious of the people. The plant names have been suggested to humans by the mysterious "codes" present in the morphology, chromatics, smell, taste, constitution of plant species. Other phytonyms have derived from the different properties of the plants, from their ecology, corology and phenology, from the relationships with other living beings. The fact that they were recorded in various writings is a win for both the Romanian ethnobotany, as well as for linguistics and history. Our work demonstrates the Latin origins of the Romanian language and the propagation of Latinity through botanical terminology, a phenomenon of considerable importance that has not yet been revealed. In this paper we analyze the phytonyms from Southern Transylvania and their implications in linguistic structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We presented on several occasions the close connection between man and the plant world and the facts that underlie the denomination and connotation in this plan. Ethnobotany is a fertile source of information for (anthropological) linguistic research. Phononymy reveals the concerns, representations and affective subconscious of the people. The plant names have been suggested to humans by the mysterious "codes" present in the morphology, chromatics, smell, taste, constitution of plant species. Other phytonyms have derived from the different properties of the plants, from their ecology, corology and phenology, from the relationships with other living beings. The fact that they were recorded in various writings is a win for both the Romanian ethnobotany, as well as for linguistics and history. Our work demonstrates the Latin origins of the Romanian language and the propagation of Latinity through botanical terminology, a phenomenon of considerable importance that has not yet been revealed. In this paper we analyze the phytonyms composed with the help of the Latin originated term „ochi” > oc(u)lus and its implications in the respective linguistic structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: From time immemorial ethnic people of Purulia district of West Bengal are well acquainted with different plant resources for the treatment of various skin diseases including 'carbuncle' and others skin diseases. Carbuncle, caused by the methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus is of major concern in this part of India, mostly dominated by tribes like Majhi, Munda, Santal, Birhor, Ho and Rajwar etc. Hot climate, overcrowded households, improper sanitation, very poor economic background and frequent burn accidents are of major issues for spreading of these bacterial infections. Objective: Present authors are trying to summarize these ethno-medicinal knowledge of the local, conservative traditional healers by using structured questionnaires given to them and are trying to analyze these information from scientific perspective. Materials and Methods: Plant samples were collected from March 2014 to May 2016, mostly during their flowering stage and a total of 62 people, both male (84%) and female (16%) were interviewed. Informant consensus factor, fidelity level and use value were calculated. Results: Fifty-nine herbal plants belongs to 35 families were recorded for the cure of various skin diseases, among which 10 plants are used individually during medication whereas 9 polyherbal formulations were used in various combinations during treatment. Five species of the families Moraceae and Asteraceae was found to be the most common medicinal plants, among which 44.89% are herbaceous in habit. Leaves (55.55%) are the most common plant part for their use. Conclusion: Therefore, the present paper has been written to document this rapidly vanishing huge knowledge of folklore which should be digitally conserved for futuristic approach on medicinal plants in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wedelia spp. belonging to the family asteraceae whereby most of the species such as W. chinensis (Osbeck) Merr., W. paludosa (Blume), W. trilobata (L.) Hitchc, W. calendulacea (L.) Less., W. prostrata Dalzell & A.Gibson etc. had been traditionally used by the ancient people for medicinal purposes. Due to that, extensive studies regarding the phytochemical and pharmacological aspects of this genus have been carried out for six decades. Most of the studies indicated that the plants from this genus have potential as medicinal herbs to treat diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart and liver failure, etc. In this paper the phytochemical and pharmacological aspects of some plants of Wedelia genus are reviewed. Tissue culture applications of this genus are not extensively studied, thus in the present review some in vitro results from these investigations are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Because of diverse topographical habitats, the Chenab River wetland harbors a wealth of medicinal and food plant species. This paper presents first quantitative assessment on the ethnobotanical use of plants by the local peoples residing in the Chenab riverine area. Methods: The ethnobotanical data were collected from six parts of the Chenab River wetland: Mandi Bahuddin, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sargodha, and Sialkot during 2014 to 2015, using semi-structured interviews. Quantitative indices including informant consensus factor (FCI), relative frequency of citation (RFC), relative importance level (RIL), use value (UV), fidelity level (FL), and corrected fidelity level (CFL) were used to analyze the data. Results: On the whole, 129 medicinal plant species belonging to 112 genera of 59 families were reported, with herbs as dominant life forms (51%). Poaceae was the leading family with 13 species, and leaves were the most frequently utilized plant parts (28%). Herbal medicines were mostly used in the form of powder or decoction, and were mainly taken orally. Withania somnifera, Solanum surattense, Solanum nigrum, Azadirachta indica, Ficus benghalensis, Morus nigra, Morus alba, Polygonum plebeium, and Tribulus terrestris were among the highly utilized plant species, with highest UV, RFC, RIL, FL, and CFL values. The reported ailments were grouped into 11 categories based on FCI values, whereas highest FIC was recorded for gastrointestinal diseases and glandular diseases (0.41 and 0.34, respectively). The use report (UR) and frequency of citation (FC) depicted strong positive correlation (r = 0.973; p = 0.01). The value of determination (r2 = 0.95) indicating 95% variation in UR can be explained in terms of the FC. Conclusion: The significant traditional knowledge possessed by local communities depicts their strong relation with phytodiversity. Reported data could be helpful in sustainable use and protection of plant species in the Chenab wetland, with special emphasis on medicinal plants. Furthermore, screening of plant-borne active ingredients and in vivo/in vitro pharmacological activities could be of interest for novel drug synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ｋａｉｌｉ ｍａｒｋｅｔ， ｉｎ ａ ｃｉｔｙ ｉｎ Ｇｕｉｚｈｏｕ Ｐｒｏｖｉｎｃｅ， Ｓｏｕｔｈｗｅｓｔ Ｃｈｉｎａ ｗａｓ ｓｐｏｎｔａｎｅｏｕｓｌｙ ｏｒｇａｎｉｚｅｄ ｂｙ ｌｏｃａｌ ｍｉｎｏｒｉｔｙ． Ｌｏｔｓ ｏｆ Ｍｉａｏ ｍｅｄｉｃｉｎａｌ ｐｌａｎｔｓ ｗｅｒｅ ｔｒａｄｅｄ ｈｅｒｅ， ａｎｄ ｔｈｅｒｅ ａｒｅ ａｌｓｏ ｖａｒｉｏｕｓ ｅｔｈｎｏｍｅｄｉｃｉｎａｌ ｐｌａｎｔｓ ｕｓｅｄ ｂｙ Ｄｏｎｇ ｅｔｈｎｉｃ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ， ｐｌａｙｉｎｇ ａｎ ｉｍｐｏｒｔａｎｔ ｒｏｌｅ ｆｏｒ ｔｈｅ ａｐｐｌｉｃａｔｉｏｎ， ｃｏｎｓｅｒｖａｔｉｏｎ ａｎｄ ｃｏｍｍｕｎｉｃａｔｉｏｎ ｏｆ ｔｒａｄｉｔｉｏｎａｌ Ｄｏｎｇ ｍｅｄｉｃｉ ｎａｌ ｋｎｏｗｌｅｄｇｅ． Ｈｏｗｅｖｅｒ， ｆｅｗ ｒｅｃｏｒｄｓ ａｂｏｕｔ Ｄｏｎｇ ｍｅｄｉｃｉｎａｌ ｐｌａｎｔｓ ｆｒｏｍ ｔｈｅ ｍａｒｋｅｔ ｈａｄ ｂｅｅｎ ｒｅｐｏｒｔｅｄ． Ｂａｓｅｄ ｏｎ ｔｈｅ ａｐｐｒｏａｃｈｅｓ ｏｆ ｅｔｈｎｏｂｏｔａｎｙ ａｎｄ ｔａｘｏｎｏｍｙ， ｓｉｘ ｉｎｖｅｓｔｉｇａｔｉｏｎｓ ｗｅｒｅ ｃａｒｒｉｅｄ ｏｕｔ ｄｕｒｉｎｇ ２０１４－２０１７． Ｔｈｅ ｉｎｆｏｒｍａｔｉｏｎ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｍｅｄｉｃｉｎａｌ ｐｌａｎｔｓ ａｎｄ ｔｈｅ ｐｌａｎｔ ｓａｍｐｌｅｓ ｗｅｒｅ ｃｏｌｌｅｃｔｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ ａｓｓｉｓｔａｎｃｅ ｆｒｏｍ ｔｈｅ ｌｏｃａｌ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｍｅｄｉｃｉｎａｌ ｍａｒｋｅｔ ａｎｄ ｓｕｒｒｏｕｎｄｉｎｇ ａｒｅａｓ ｄｕｒｉｎｇ ｔｈｅ ｆｉｅｌｄ ｉｎｖｅｓｔｉｇａｔｉｏｎｓ． Ｔｈｅ ｒｅｓｕｌｔ ｓｈｏｗｅｄ ｔｈａｔ ａ ｔｏｔａｌ ｏｆ １１１ ｍｅｄｉｃｉｎａｌ ｐｌａｎｔ ｓｐｅｃｉｅｓ ｕｓｅｄ ｂｙ Ｄｏｎｇ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ ｗｅｒｅ ｉｄｅｎｔｉｆｉｅｄ， ｗｈｉｃｈ ｂｅｌｏｎｇ ｔｏ ６５ ｆａｍｉｌｉｅｓ ａｎｄ １００ ｇｅｎｅｒａ． Ｔｈｅ ｎｕｍｂｅｒ ｏｆ ｆａｍｉｌｉｅｓ ｃｏｎｔａｉｎｉｎｇ ｍｏｒｅ ｔｈａｎ ｆｏｕｒ ｓｐｅｃｉｅｓ ｉｎｃｌｕｄｅｓ Ｌｉｌｉａｃｅａｅ （６ ｓｐｅｃｉｅｓ， ５．４％）， Ｕｍｂｅｌｌｉｆｅｒａｅ （５ ｓｐｐ．， ４．５％）， Ｃｏｍｐｏｓｉｔａｅ （５ ｓｐｐ．， ４．５％）， Ａｒａｃｅａｅ（５ ｓｐｐ．， ４．５％）， ａｎｄ Ｇｅｓｎｅｒｉａｃｅａｅ （４ ｓｐｐ．， ３．６％）． Ｌｉｆｅ ｆｏｒｍｓ ｓｈｏｗｅｄ ｔｈａｔ ｈｅｒｂａｃｅｏｕｓ ｐｌａｎｔｓ ｃｏｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅｄ ｔｈｅ ｈｉｇｈｅｓｔ ｐｒｏｐｏｒｔｉｏｎ （７９．３％） ｒｅｐｒｅｓｅｎｔｅｄ ｂｙ ８８ ｓｐｅｃｉｅｓ． Ｕｓｉｎｇ ｐａｒｔ ａｌｓｏ ｓｈｏｗｅｄ ｔｈｅ ｄｉｖｅｒｓｉｔｙ， ｗｈｉｌｅ ｔｈｅ ｗｈｏｌｅ ｐｌａｎｔｓ ｕｓｅｄ ｆｏｒ ｔｒｅａｔｉｎｇ ａｉｌｍｅｎｔｓ ｒｅａｃｈｅｄ ｔｏ ５０％ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｔｏｔａｌ ｍｅｄｉｃｉｎｅ． Ｂｙ ｃｏｍｐａｒｉｎｇ ｗｉｔｈ Ｍｉａｏ ｍｅｄｉｃｉｎｅ， Ｄｏｎｇ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ ｈａｖｅ ｕｎｉｑｕｅ ｍｅｔｈｏｄｓ ａｎｄ ｅｘｐｅｒｉｅｎｃｅ ｔｏ ｔｒｅａｔ ｄｉｓｅａｓｅｓ， ｅｓｐｅｃｉａｌｌｙ ｆｏｃｕｓｉｎｇ ｏｎ ｔｒａｕｍａｔｉｃ ｉｎｊｕｒｙ ａｎｄ ｒｈｅｕｍａｔｉｓｍ． Ｔｈｅｉｒ ｍｅｄｉｃｉｎａｌ ｕｓｅｓ ａｒｅ ｃｌｏｓｅｌｙ ｒｅｌａｔｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ ｒｅｇｉｏｎａｌ ａｎｄ ｎａｔｉｏｎａｌ ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒｉｓｔｉｃｓ． Ｆｉｎａｌｌｙ， ｓｕｇｇｅｓｔｉｏｎｓ ｆｏｒ ｓｕｓｔａｉｎａｂｌｅ ｄｅｖｅｌｏｐｍｅｎｔ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｔｒａｄｉｔｉｏｎａｌ ｍｅｄｉｃｉｎａｌ ｍａｒｋｅｔ ｉｎ Ｋａｉｌｉ ｗｅｒｅ ｐｒｏｐｏｓｅｄ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｔｈｉｓ ｐａｐｅｒ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the result of a preliminary investigation on medicinal market during the Double Ninth Festival in Yangchun, a tropical city in West Guangdong, China. Based on the approaches of ethnobotany and taxonomy, the medicinal market of the Double Ninth Festival in Yangchun was investigated during 2013-2014 comprehensively. The results showed that Yangchun was an area with rich plant diversity, there were more than 1 580 species wild vascular plants in this area, which belonged to 210 families and 754 genera, most of them had medicinal values. The medicinal plants collected and sold in the medicinal market of the Double Ninth Festival by local people were diverse. More than 134 species of medicinal plants were investigated and recorded, which belong to 60 families and 117 genera. An inventory of medicinal plants which sold in the medicinal market on the Double Ninth Festival in Yangchun was documented in the present paper, including local name, scientific name, part used, application and prepared methods. The number of families containing more than five species was seven, including Euphorbiaceae(11 species), Papilionaceae(10 species), Asteraceae(10 species), Rubiaceae(9 species), Verbenaceae(6 species), Zingiberaceae(5 species), Menispermaceae(5 species). Most medicinal plants belong to various different families, instead of concentrating in a few families. In addition, medicinal plants resources, culture background, character of prepared methods and regional character of medicinal market were analyzed. The medicinal plants used for health-care were widely used in the daily life of the people in Yangchun, such as Amomum villosum, Rhamnus crenata, Morinda officinalis, Millettia speciose, Flemingia philippinensis, Gynostemma pentaphyllum, Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, Rosa laevigata and so on. The medicinal use of medicinal plants were closely related with Yangchun's natural environment, mostly for diseases which caused by hot and humid climate and mosquito and snake bite. Finally, suggestions for development of medicinal market were also proposed in the paper, more multi-discipline studies should be carried out on medicinal plants with potential values, which may play an important role in more extensive application range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ethnobotanical study was carried out in Pertek (Tunceli, Turkey) between April 2009-June 2012. For this purpose, the center of Pertek and all of the 45 villages were visited. During the field works, 627 plant specimens were collected and various ethnobotanical information regarding these plants was classified. In this paper which is a part of ethnobotanical study, wild edible plants of Pertek are presented. This investigation revealed that 109 taxa belonging to 30 families are being used by local people for nutrition. The plants were mostly used as food (73 taxa), beverage (30 taxa) and spice (12 taxa). This study is the first comprehensive survey of ethnobotanical aspects of Pertek region and all taxa presented in this paper are recorded as food for the first time in Pertek. All of the 73 plants utilized as food in Tunceli and 3 taxa of them in Turkey are recorded for the first time [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Southeast Asia is known for its rich linguistic, cultural and biological diversity. While ethnobiology in the west has benefitted greatly from intellectual and methodological advances over the last decades, the status of Southeast Asian ethnobiology is largely unknown. This study aims to provide an analysis of the current status of ethnobiology in Southeast Asia and outlines possibilities for future advancements. Methods: We accessed papers cited in the Scopus and Web of Science databases for the period of 1960 to 2014 using the current as well as previous names of the 11 Southeast Asian countries and various disciplines of ethnobiology as key words. We juxtaposed the number of publications from each country against its number of indigenous groups and languages, to see if ethnobiology research has addressed this full spectrum of ethnical diversity. The available data for the last ten years was analysed according to the five phases concept to understand the nature of studies dominating Southeast Asian ethnobiology. Results and conclusions: A total number of 312 publications were recorded in the databases for the period 1960-2014. Indonesia ranks highest (93 studies), followed by Thailand (68), Malaysia (58) Philippines (42), Vietnam (31), Laos (29), and other Southeast Asian countries (44). A strong correlation was found between the number of publications for each country, the number of indigenous groups, and the number of endangered languages. Comparing the data available for the period 2005-2009 with 2010-2014, we found a strong increase in the number of phase 5 publications. However, papers with bioprospecting focus were also on the rise, especially in Malaysia. Our study indicates that ethnobiologists still need to realise the full potential of the Biocultural Diversity of Southeast Asia, and that there is a strong need to focus more on socially relevant research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portuguese crowberry (Corema album (L.) D. Don) is a shrub considered endemic to the Atlantic coastal dunes of the Iberian Peninsula. For many reasons, among which the most prominent are habitat loss and competition from invasive species, but possibly also due to overexploitation, the survival of several of its populations is now compromised. By promoting the identification of its archaeobotanical remains and gathering information about its past uses, the current need for conservation is emphasized. The plant has been exploited for its berries since at least the Early Neolithic and the species features in a number of historical written sources. Archaeological sites located within its current natural distribution area have yielded relatively abundant archaeobotanical finds. This evidence suggests that its distribution area was much larger in the past and has decreased rapidly in recent decades. Its archaeological importance may be misrepresented due to issues with identification, particularly outside its current distribution area. It is hoped that this paper will contribute to a higher identification rate of archaeobotanical remains of this plant, eventually leading to a more thorough recognition of its past importance and contributing to its present conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local and indigenous knowledge is being transformed globally, particularly being eroded when pertaining to ecology. In many parts of the world, rural and indigenous communities are facing tremendous cultural, economic and environmental changes, which contribute to weaken their local knowledge base. In the face of profound and ongoing environmental changes, both cultural and biological diversity are likely to be severely impacted as well as local resilience capacities from this loss. In this global literature review, we analyse the drivers of various types of local and indigenous ecological knowledge transformation and assess the directionality of the reported change. Results of this analysis show a global impoverishment of local and indigenous knowledge with 77% of papers reporting the loss of knowledge driven by globalization, modernization, and market integration. The recording of this loss, however, is not symmetrical, with losses being recorded more strongly in medicinal and ethnobotanical knowledge. Persistence of knowledge (15% of the studies) occurred in studies where traditional practices were being maintained consiously and where hybrid knowledge was being produced as a resut of certain types of incentives created by economic development. This review provides some insights into local and indigenous ecological knowledge change, its causes and implications, and recommends venues for the development of replicable and comparative research. The larger implication of these results is that because of the interconnection between cultural and biological diversity, the loss of local and indigenous knowledge is likely to critically threaten effective conservation of biodiversity, particularly in community-based conservation local efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To use any domestic remedy, specific knowledge and skills are required. Simple logic dictates that the use of wild plants in the context of limited interaction with nature requires prior identification, while in the case of non-plant remedies and cultivated plants this step can be omitted. This paper aims to document the current and past uses of non-plant remedies and cultivated plants in the study region for human/animal medication; to analyze the human medicinal and veterinary use areas in the context of the remedy groups; to qualitatively compare the results with relevant historical publications; and to compare the intensity and purpose of use between the remedy groups. Methods: During field studies 134 semi-structured interviews were conducted with locals from 11 villages in the Liubań district of Belarus. Currently used home-remedies as well as those used in the past were documented by employing the folk history method. The subject was approached through health-related uses, not by way of remedies. Interview records were digitalized and structured in Detailed Use Records in order to ascertain local perceptions. An Informant Consensus Factor (FIC) was calculated for remedy groups as well as for different use categories. Results: In the human medication area the use of nearby remedies was neither very diverse nor numerous: 266 DUR for 45 taxa belonging to 27 families were recorded for cultivated plants along with 188 DUR for 58 different non-plant remedies. The FIC values for both remedy groups were lower than for wild plants. In the ethnoveterinary medicine use area there were 48 DUR referring to the use of 14 cultivated plant taxa from 12 families and 72 DUR referring to the use of 31 non-plant remedies. The FIC value for the whole veterinary use area of cultivated plants was relatively low, yet similar to the FIC of wild plants. Conclusions: Differences between remedy groups were pronounced, indicating that in domestic human medicine cultivated plants and non-plant remedies are either remarkably less important than wild ones or not considered worth talking about. In ethnoveterinary medicine non-plant remedies are almost equally important as wild plants, while cultivated plants are the least used. People in study area seem to still more often rely on, or are more willing to talk to strangers about, wild plants, as promoted by both official medicine and popular literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Recent reviews have demonstrated an increase in the number of papers on ethnobiology in Latin America. Among factors that have influenced this increase are the biological and cultural diversity of these countries and the general scientific situation in some countries. This study aims to assess the panorama of ethnobiological research in Latin America by analyzing its evolution, trends, and future prospects. Methods To conduct this study, we searched for papers in the Scopus (www.scopus.com) and Web of Science (www.isiknowledge.com) databases. The search was performed using combinations of keywords and the name of each Latin American country. The following countries were included in this study: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, and Uruguay. Results and conclusions According to our inclusion criteria, 679 ethnobiological studies conducted in Latin America were found for the period between 1963 and 2012. Of these studies, 289 (41%) were conducted in Brazil, 153 in Mexico (22%), 61 in Peru (9%), 58 in Argentina (8%), 45 in Bolivia (6%), and 97 (14%) in other Latin American countries. The increased number of publications related to this area of knowledge in recent years demonstrates the remarkable growth of ethnobiology as a science. Ethnobiological research may be stimulated by an increase in the number of scientific events and journals for study dissemination and by the creation of undergraduate courses and graduate programs to train ethnoscientists who will produce high-quality studies, especially in certain countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The knowledge and usage of plant as medicinal remedy by current generation are not as extensive as previous; therefore, many rural communities with restricted modern medical access still rely on traditional medicine. This paper provides significant ethnobotanical information on medicinal plants in Karangwangi Village of Cianjur District, West Java Indonesia. This study aimed to identify plants collected for medical purposes by the local people as well as to document the local names, uses, preparation and location of these plants. Ethno botanical data was recorded by opting people participation and key informant approach involving semistructured interviews, group discussions and filling of questionnaires. The results showed a total of 114 medicinal plants belonging to 50 families were identified. Zingiberaceae was the most-frequently cited (nine species), followed by Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae and Fabaceae (seven species each). The most-used plant parts were leaves (51.8%), followed by stems (22.9%) and the most common preparations were decoction, poultice and squeezed. Most of the plants were obtained from the house-yard and total of 30 medicinal uses were recorded. The ethnobotanical result documented in this study showed that this area is rich in medicinal plants and these plants are still commonly used for medicinal purposes among the people in their daily lives. Ethnobotanical heritage should be preserved, however, there is a gradual loss of traditional knowledge about these plants in new generation. Further, the findings can be used as baseline information for further scientific investigation for analyzing phytochemical, pharmaceutical and other biological activities for future drug discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ethnobotany of the medicinal plants of Esfedan in the South Khorasan province is significant to understand the cultures and traditions of the Esfedan people. We documented 19 medicinal plant species belonging to 12 families and also focused on the specification of the application, preparing, treatment and administrative mode of the native plants in the area. The botanical names, family names, local names, parts of the plants used are provided in this paper. We recorded the traditional knowledge and use of medicinal plants from herbal practitioners, traditional healers and village seniors in Esfedan. The obtained results were compared with traditional medical plants of Sirjan, Kerman Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The paper presents the first ethnobotanical application of Ellenberg indicator values, which are widely used in European plant ecology. The aim of the study was to find out if Ellenberg values (indicating habitat preferences) differ for wild food and medicinal plants used in north-eastern Istria (Croatia). We used Ellenberg-Pignatti values (the version of Ellenberg values used in this part of Europe). Methods: Fifty semi-structured interviews were carried out among local key informants, asking which wild food and medicinal plants they used. Results: The mean number of food and medicinal plants mentioned per interview was 30. Altogether, 121 species were recorded as food or medicine used or previously used in the study area. Thirty-one species are used exclusively as food or everyday drink, 50 species are used exclusively as medicine and 40 species are used for both food and medicine. There were no significant differences between Ellenberg values for food and medicinal plants, apart from the Nitrogen indicator value - the plants used exclusively as food had a significantly higher index than those used in medicine. This probably stems from the fact that plants with soft fleshy shoots are attractive as food and they are more likely to come from nitrogen-rich ruderal habitats. Conclusions: Food plants and medicinal plants are collected from a variety of habitats and no clear difference between the two categories of plants was detected, however further testing of Ellenberg values in ethnobotanical studies could be interesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper presents the first quantitative ethnobotanical study of the flora in Toli Peer National Park of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. Being a remote area, there is a strong dependence by local people on ethnobotanical practices. Thus, we attempted to record the folk uses of the native plants of the area with a view to acknowledging and documenting the ethnobotanical knowledge. The aims of the study were to compile an inventory of the medicinal plants in the study area and to record the methods by which herbal drugs were prepared and administered. Materials and methods: Information on the therapeutic properties of medicinal plants was collected from 64 local inhabitants and herbalists using open ended and semi-structured questionnaires over the period Aug 2013-Jul 2014. The data were recorded into a synoptic table comprising an ethnobotanical inventory of plants, the parts used, therapeutic indications and modes of application or administration. Different ethnobotanical indices i.e. relative frequencies of citation (RFC), relative importance (RI), use value (UV) and informant consensus factor (Fic), were calculated for each of the recorded medicinal plants. In addition, a correlation analysis was performed using SPSS ver. 16 to check the level of association between use value and relative frequency of citation. Results: A total of 121 species of medicinal plants belonging to 57 families and 98 genera were recorded. The study area was dominated by herbaceous species (48%) with leaves (41%) as the most exploited plant part. The Lamiaceae and Rosaceae (9% each) were the dominant families in the study area. Among different methods of preparation, the most frequently used method was decoction (26 species) of different plant parts followed by use as juice and powder (24 species each), paste (22 species), chewing (16 species), extract (11 species), infusion (10 species) and poultice (8 species). The maximum Informant consensus factor (Fic) value was for gastro-intestinal, parasitic and hepatobiliary complaints (0.90). Berberis lycium Ajuga bracteosa, Prunella vulgaris, Adiantum capillus-veneris, Desmodium polycarpum, Pinus roxburgii, Albizia lebbeck, Cedrella serrata, Rosa brunonii, Punica granatum, Jasminum mesnyi and Zanthoxylum armatum were the most valuable plants with the highest UV, RFC and relative importance values. The Pearson correlation coefficient between UV and RFC (0.881) reflects a significant positive correlation between the use value and relative frequency of citation. The coefficient of determination indicated that 77% of the variability in UV could be explained in terms of RFC. Conclusion: Systematic documentation of the medicinal plants in the Toli Peer National Park shows that the area is rich in plants with ethnomedicinal value and that the inhabitants of the area have significant knowledge about the use of such plants with herbal drugs commonly used to cure infirmities. The results of this study indicate that carrying out subsequent pharmacological and phytochemical investigations in this part of Pakistan could lead to new drug discoveries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is focused in medicinal plant species belonging to the Traditional Chinese Phytotherapy whose products are commercialized in the pluricultural context of the Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Chinese immigrants segment, like other recent immigrants groups in the study area, introduce their own plant products into the local urban scenario. In this framework, not only enter the new products but also their knowledge and beliefs associated, that become part of the mosaic of the knowledge in the local pluricultural system. Thus, the urban botanical knowledge constitutes a complex that includes the knowledge linked to the origin traditions of the immigrants segments, and the nontraditional one: the knowledge taught and learned, and the transmitted by the media, including scientific knowledge. The plant products incorporated by Chinese immigrants to their own restricted commercial circuit (linked to their traditions) are invisible for the majority of the local inhabitants. However, some of these products enter the general commercial circuit (nontraditional) and become visible for all local population. This visualization of the plant products implies the transmission of its associated knowledge, a process enhanced by the mass media, mainly the Internet. The results are interpreted within this theoretical framework. Also, the main features of the Traditional Chinese Phytotherapy are summarized, due to its differences with our Western medicine. For the species considered the scientific names, botanical families, distribution, Chinese name and Latin denomination of the plant products, and the reference samples are indicated. For each species are included a list of its uses linked to traditions, and a revision work of the biological activity and effects evaluated (the validation context in terms of Western science). In the context of Urban Ethnobotany, the presence alone of invisible species is a significant issue because increases the local biocultural diversity (of useful plants, products, and its associated knowledge). Likewise, the species that become visible make evident the dynamics of changes in their visualization process, an adaptive phenomenon that allow the understanding of the local biocultural system complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay describes how biocultural design (BD) was utilized to develop a manomin (wild rice, Zizania palustris) harvest camp and the prospect of this approach to implement the principles reflected in recent calls for an Ethnobiology 5. In this case, BD brought together knowledge, practices, and innovation within an intentional process of co-design to respond to the specific community aspirations of restoring relationships with manomin. The paper provides an overview of the benefits and challenges of using the practice of BD to re-establish wild rice harvesting. The information presented here is part of a larger initiative to restore manomin habitats, harvest practices, and consumption being undertaken by Wabaseemoong Independent Nations, Northwestern Ontario, Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of herbs has very long history in a variety of cultures, including Turkish culture, for various purposes such as the practices in herbal medicine, cosmetics, witchery or religious rituals. However the practices involving the use of herbs necessitate profound knowledge about herbs. This need has been traditionally fulfilled by the herbalists who are called as aktars in Turkish culture. It is recently observed that there is an increase in consultation to aktars and the use of herbs in Turkey. This can be considered as a reflection of current worldwide resurgence of herbal culture which is mostly related to use of herbs for health and cosmetics. Along with this worldwide trend, economic reasons, preference for the natural over the processed, seeking remedies for ailments give rise to an extensive growth in use of aktar products. In this paper Giddens' "Modernity Theory" will form the theoretical framework so as to analyze the motives of popularization of aktars and herbal culture through a field research conducted in Izmir. This paper is an outcome of a motivation to develop an understanding the social and cultural reasons of resurgence of herbal culture in Turkish society through analyzing the information gathered from aktars and their potential customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) family is one of the biggest plant families on the earth. Iran has a huge diversity of Apiaceae members. This family possesses a range of compounds that have many biological activities. The members of this family are well known as vegetables, culinary and medicinal plants. Here, we present a review of ethnobotanical uses of Apiaceae plants by the Iranian people in order to provide a comprehensive documentation for future investigations. Materials and Methods: We checked scientific studies published in books and journals in various electronic databases (Medline, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Google Scholar websites) from 1937 to 2015 and reviewed a total of 52 publications that provided information about different applications of these plant species in human and livestock. Results: As a result of this review, several ethnobotanical usages of 70 taxa, 17 of which were endemic, have been determined. These plants were used for medicinal and non-medicinal purposes. The most commonly used parts were fruits, leaves, aerial parts and gums. The most common methods of preparation were decoction, infusion and poultice. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this paper represents a comprehensive literature search of ethnobotanical uses of Apiaceae reported from Iran. This study highlights the rich traditional knowledge of this family that has remained in Iran. However, most of this knowledge survive only as memories from the past in the minds of the elderly, and will probably vanish in a few decades. Thus, we compiled these scattered data together in a single document for the next scientific works with ethnobotanical interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ethically sound research in applied ethnobiology should benefit local communities by giving them full access to research processes and results. Participatory research may ensure such access, but there has been little discussion on methodological details of participatory approaches in ethnobiological research. This paper presents and discusses the research processes and methods developed in the course of a three-year research project on wild plant gathering, the involvement of children as co-researchers and the project's indications for local impact. Method: Research was conducted in the Grosses Walsertal Biosphere Reserve, Austria, between 2008 and 2010 in four research phases. In phase 1, 36 freelist interviews with local people and participant observation was conducted. In phase 2 school workshops were held in 14 primary school classes and their 189 children interviewed 506 family members with structured questionnaires. In phase 3, 27 children and two researchers co-produced participatory videos. In phase 4 indications for the impact of the project were investigated with questionnaires from ten children and with participant observation. Results: Children participated in various ways in the research process and the scientific output and local impact of the project was linked to the phases, degrees and methods of children's involvement. Children were increasingly involved in the project, from non-participation to decision-making. Scientific output was generated from participatory and non-participatory activities whereas local impact - on personal, familial, communal and institutional levels - was mainly generated through the participatory involvement of children as interviewers and as co-producers of videos. Creating scientific outputs from participatory video is little developed in ethnobiology, whereas bearing potential. Conclusions: As ethnobotanists and ethnobiologists, if we are truly concerned about the impact and benefits of our research processes and results to local communities, the details of the research processes need to be deliberately planned and evaluated and then reported and discussed in academic publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assam, the 'Gateway of North-East India', is renowned for its phyto-diversity, myriad ethnic make-up and age-old tradition of indigenous healthcare. This paper documents the indigenous ethno-medicinal knowledge of the Thengal-Kachari tribesmen, who belong to the greater Bodo-Kachari ethnic group, residing in Lakhimpur district of Upper Assam. The information was collected through questionnaires in consultation with the tribal Bej's (local healers). Plant and animal species were identified with the help of relevant standard literature and presented along with their part(s) used, method(s) of preparation and modes of administration in target diseases. About 30 species of plants, belonging to 22 plant families, and 4 species of animals belonging to 4 animal families, were collected and enumerated for their traditional usage in treatment of 13 diseases. With respect to usage, there were more plant parts (86.49%) utilized than animal parts (13.51%), of which aboveground phyto-biomass was used in bulk (64.71%) quantity, herbs being utilized in major proportion (14). The correlation of ethnomedicinal usage with Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical database evidently points out the medicinal implication of data claimed by this tribe. The present study, thus, underlines the potential for further documentation of such ethno-medicines from local healers from the rest pockets of the region for further phyto-chemical analysis, forestry practices and biodiversity conservation studies pertaining to medicinal plant utilization by this hitherto less studied ethnic group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linum usitatissimum L. (flax) has been cultivated for more than 2,000 years in China. Throughout the history of its cultivation, flax was mainly used for oil and medicine. It was not until the last 100 years that fibre flax began to be cultivated and used. This paper discusses the distribution, cultivation and use of flax in China especially in the past, based on literature reviews and ethnobotanical surveys for its traditional uses. The modern distribution of wild flax species in China is also presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnobotanical studies often underestimate or misrepresent impacts of age and gender on individual ethnobotanical knowledge. This paper compares two common methodologies, participant observation and key-informant interviews, to examine the variation of ethnobotanical knowledge across age and gender in three communities in rural southwest Niger. We compared lists of plants mentioned in interviews as food, fodder, construction and medicine, to lists compiled from observations of daily activities. Compared to men, women reported more edible plants, different medicinal plants, and less detailed information on construction plants. Interview data indicated ethnobotanical knowledge increased with age. However, in observations youth ate a greater diversity of food plants and identified and ranked fodder species more quickly than adults. This paper supports previous research on age and gender effects on ethnobotanical knowledge and critiques common research methods and assumptions. We advocate for mixed-method approaches to gather more nuanced understandings of ethnobotanical knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The study of ethnobotany relating to any tribe is in itself a very intricate or convoluted process. This paper documents the traditional knowledge of medicinal plants that are in used by the Jenu kuruba ethnic group of Karnataka state (South India). Methodology & Results: The present study was done through structured questionnaires in consultations with the tribal practitioners, patients and has resulted in the documentation of 20 medicinal plant species belonging to 17 families and 25 genera. For curing diverse form of ailments, the use of aboveground plant parts was higher (66.59%) than the underground plant parts (21.41%). Of the aboveground plant parts, leaf was used in the majority of cases (9%), followed by fruit (4%). Different underground plant forms such as root, tuber, rhizome, bulb and pseudo-bulb were also found to be in use by the Jenu kuruba tribe as a medicine. Altogether, 21 types of ailments have been reported to be cured by using these 20 medicinal plants species. Perceived efficacy have given. Conclusions: The study thus underlines the potentials of the ethnobotanical research and the need for the documentation of traditional ecological knowledge pertaining to the medicinal plant utilization for the greater benefit of mankind. This paper is based on the field exploration conducted in Karnataka (South India). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]