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In this essay, we will present arguments for a negative answer to the debate question: "Is publishing ethnobiology data respectful of Indigenous and Local Knowledge holders' rights?" We recognize that ethnobiological research has advanced in recognizing the rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC), but we believe that we still have a long way to go in deconstructing colonialism in ethnobiology. In order to be truly respectful, ethnobiologists need to collaborate with IPLC to achieve an ethical science with equity between knowledge systems, fostering the co-production of knowledge from an intercultural science perspective. This essay was written by a group of Brazilian scientists, both IPLC and non-IPLC, and reflects a perspective of the academic universe seen from the place we are, in this multicultural and imbalanced world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main themes of the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity is Digital Sequence Information (DSI): genomic or related data deposited in publicly accessible databases in a digital language. These sequences are important for research in areas such as biodiversity conservation and bioprospecting. Some characteristics of organisms that stimulate the commercial use of biodiversity may have been developed by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, and therefore, they have associated traditional knowledge. We present proposals of the Brazilian Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities on this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the main mechanism of global appeal and action regarding the attainment of sustainability, with a focus on environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Ethnobotany can make relevant contributions to the pursuit and achievement of the SDGs due to its interdisciplinary nature and ability to give visibility to the worldviews, knowledge, and practices of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC). Although the primary focus of ethnobotany is the investigation of the plant-related knowledge and practices of different groups, including IPLC, with an emphasis on the environmental dimension, the appreciation of biocultural diversity cannot be decoupled from social and economic contexts. In this study, we evaluated how the Brazilian ethnobotanical literature has contributed to the sustainability debate through the SDGs. We conducted two systematic reviews of the ethnobotanical literature: first, a broad review of 810 articles identified using keywords related to each of the 17 SDGs; and second, an in-depth analysis of 45 indicators related to the 17 SDGs in 23 articles that mentioned sustainability or sustainable development. In both reviews, we found the most results for SDG 15 (life on land), indicating that environmental sustainability is strongly connected to ethnobotanical studies. We also identified information that explored the social and economic dimensions of sustainability through SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 5 (gender equity), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), and SDG 9 (innovation and infrastructure). We discuss gaps and opportunities to be explored by ethnobotany and conclude that the connections between ethnobotany and the SDGs can be reinforced. This would improve the ability of ethnobotanical studies to effectively contribute to the political aspect of the 2030 agenda through appreciation of and respect for traditional knowledge and practices of IPLC and their active participation in the sustainability debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Local medical systems (LMS) include native and exotic plants used for the treatment of diseases of physical and spiritual nature. The incorporation of exotic plants into these systems has been the subject of many studies. In this context, an analysis was conducted on the influence of the origin of plants on diseases of physical and spiritual nature in order to evaluate the therapeutic versatility of native and exotic species in these therapeutic targets, to investigate whether exotic plants mainly fill gaps not met by native plants (diversification hypothesis), and identify which species are prioritized in the redundant targets in these two therapeutic groups in the rural community of Morrinhos, Monsenhor Hipólito, Piauí. Methods: Data collection took place in 2 stages. First, free lists and semi-structured interviews with local residents (n = 134) were conducted to survey plants used for therapeutic purposes and the associated illnesses. Then, another phase of interviews was carried out to evaluate the prioritization between native and exotic plants in redundant therapeutic targets. To test the diversification hypothesis (DH) in each group of illnesses, data were analyzed using generalized linear models (Poisson and Binomial GLMs); versatility was measured by the number of therapeutic indications and compared between resources using the Mann–Whitney test, and prioritization in each group was verified by comparing the proportions of native and exotic plants with the χ2 test. Results: One hundred and thirty-two species of plants were surveyed, being 71 exotic and 61 native, with indications for physical and spiritual illnesses. The results revealed that the diversification hypothesis did not explain the inclusion of exotic plants in the local medical system to treat physical or spiritual illnesses and that the therapeutic versatility of exotic and native resources in the two groups was also similar (p > 0.05). However, exotic plants were prioritized in illnesses with physical causes and native plants in illnesses with spiritual causes. Conclusions: The local medical system presents similar and distinct patterns in the therapeutic targets, depending on the perspective evaluated. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the patterns of use of medicinal plants in different sociocultural contexts in order to broaden the debate about the role of plant origin in the selection of treatments for illnesses with different causes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The socio-environmental crisis that we are currently experiencing requires integrative research approaches and actions. Ethnobiology has important potential in this regard, both for its interdisciplinary nature and for recording the relationship between humans and the environment at different times and places. In this way, this opinion essay aims to discuss what we can learn from ancestral societies and Indigenous peoples for the establishment of a more equitable and sustainable world, considering the intersection between gender and ethnic groups. We will begin by examining archaeological data of societies in Old Europe and how domineering and patriarchal societies have been established. We will discuss a few findings about pre-Columbian peoples in America that reinforces the existence of more equitable societies. We add discussions related to gender, in the context of Indigenous peoples, and reflect on the importance of the feminine and of the complementarity in social relationships. Finally, we discuss the role of ethnobiological research in this context and the ways of collaborating to support values that favor the establishment of equitable societies, which are fundamental to address the challenges of this era of change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cultural and religious practices of African origin have decisively influenced traditional health practices in the Americas since the African diaspora. Plants are core elements in the religions of African origin. Compared with other parts of Brazil where the Afro-Brazilian presence is widely recognized, in Southern Brazil, these cultural practices are often socially invisible. Yet, there are several terreiros of three Afro-Brazilian religions: Candomblé, Umbanda, and Ritual deAlmas e Angola. We hypothesize that the importance of plants in Afro-Brazilian religions is linked not only to spiritual and magical issues but also to the medicinal properties of these plants. We seek to answer the following questions: (a) Which plants are used in the terreiros and what are their indications for use?; (b) Are there plants that stand out culturally in these religious groups?; and (c) What is the importance of the adaptive maintenance and replacement process in the use of plants in these religions, considering the Neotropical and African plants? Methods: We performed a census of the existing terreiros on the Island of Santa Catarina to collect information on the knowledge and use of plants. In all terreiros that consented to participate in the research, we collected data through semi-structured interviews, guided tours for plant collection, and participant observation. We identified the botanical species through expert consultations and botanical literature. Results: We interviewed 27 spiritual leaders, who cited 93 plants belonging to 86 botanical species. We identified 14 categories of use, with emphasis on liturgical ritual use (59%), general and unspecified diseases (32%), and digestive diseases (27%). In most liturgics uses, direct contact between plant and patient occurs, as in the case of bathing and the cleansing use of smoke. Sixteen plants were cited in all terreiros, configuring a set of species that can be considered as culturally important plants for these religious groups. Conclusions: These groups have extensive knowledge about a highly consensual set of therapeutic plants that should be further investigated pharmacologically to understand the effect of their external use. Also, we emphasize the importance of recognizing and valuing this ancestral Afro-Brazilian knowledge and learning also from these people about their broader vision of health which also adds more spirituality in health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study investigated the combined use of traditional medicine and biomedicine by local experts in Chapada do Araripe communities (Ceará State) and maroon communities (Santa Catarina State), Brazil. The objective was to understand the perception of local health specialists regarding the number of healers, demand for healers and use of medicinal plants, and the dependence of different environments to obtain such plants. We also aimed to understand the role of medicinal plants to treat different categories of diseases and if there is a complementary use of medicinal plants and allopathic biomedicine, according to the context of each group. The research was conducted with local health specialists that answered structured interviews, created free lists and participated in guided tours to collect cited plants. Sixty-six local health specialists were identified in the Araripe communities and 22 specialists in the maroon communities. In the maroon communities, a greater number of specialists thought there was a decrease in the number and demand for healers, as well as the use of medicinal plants, due to changes in traditional livelihoods, since they are located in a region where the effects of the modernization were more intense. In the Chapada do Araripe communities the specialists knew more plants extracted from native vegetation, whereas in the maroon communities cultivated plants were better known, which may reflect the environmental conditions and the history of each region. Medicinal plants are preferred to treat simpler health problems that do not require medical care, such as gastrointestinal problems, general pain, flues and colds. The biomedicine is used principally for problems with blood pressure, general pains and endocrine and nutritional diseases. Even with the particularities of each region, in general the use of medicinal plants and biomedicines occurred in a complementary form in both regions; however, this coexistence may result from these different contexts. This study also found that there was knowledge and appreciation for traditional health practices in both regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the practice of healing in three rural communities in Brazil (Ceará) to understand the diseases that are treated, the plants known and used, the ways in which knowledge of the blessing practices and medicinal plants is gained, and the relationships among the healers. We interviewed 41 healers, who treat approximately 20 diseases with blessings and know several species of medicinal plants. Six plants are most often associated with blessing. The transmission of knowledge occurs mainly through people who have kinship. The popularity of a healer was not influenced by the number of therapeutic plants known or the number of diseases treated through blessing. In two communities, the best-known healers are also the most sought after by other healers for the exchange of information and blessings. The results of this study can assist in the establishment of public actions aimed at the enhancement and the recognition of blessing practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Ethnobiology & Ethnomedicine is the property of BioMed Central and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The concept of eco-cultural health considers the dynamic interaction between humans and ecosystems, emphasizing the implications of the health of the ecosystem for the health and well-being of human populations. Ethnobotanical studies focusing on folk medicine and medicinal plants can contribute to the field of eco-cultural health if they incorporate the perspective and local knowledge of communities. We investigated the local health practices in three rural communities living within the vicinity of a protected area of sustainable use in a semi-arid region of Brazil. We analyzed the opinions of local health experts on the elements that influence human health and on how the environment contributes to this influence. We also analyzed and compared the local knowledge of medicinal plants, as knowledge of this type is an important factor when considering the interaction between environmental and human health. Methods: We performed structured interviews and free-listings with 66 local health experts. We used content analysis to systematize the elements of the influences on human health. We compared the richness of the plants cited among communities and analyzed the differences among the three communities regarding the ways in which the plants were obtained and the environments in which plants were collected. Results: The local experts identified several influences of the environment on human health. These influences can be associated with ecosystem services, such as climatic conditions, water and air quality, recreation and medicinal and food resources. We identified 192 medicinal plant species, most of which were gathered from wild ecosystems. The most important environments for the three communities were the plateau mountain and backyards. Conclusions: The informants had a broad and integrated view of health, perceiving the importance of conserving the environment within the National Forest of Araripe for the health and well-being of the local populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]