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da Silva PH, Ferreira Júnior WS, Zank S, do Nascimento ALB, de Abreu MC. The influence of exotic and native plants on illnesses with physical and spiritual causes in the semiarid region of Piauí, Northeast of Brazil. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2024; 20:24. [PMID: 38409039 PMCID: PMC10895823 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-024-00667-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Henrique da Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação (PPGBC), Universidade Federal do Piauí (UFPI), Floriano, Piauí, Brazil.
| | | | - Sofia Zank
- Laboratório de Ecologia Humana e Etnobotânica (ECOHE), Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - André Luiz Borba do Nascimento
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação (PPGBC), Universidade Federal do Maranhão (UFMA), São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
| | - Maria Carolina de Abreu
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação (PPGBC), Universidade Federal do Piauí (UFPI), Floriano, Piauí, Brazil
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Saikia D, Kesavan R, Stephen Inbaraj B, Dikkala PK, Nayak PK, Sridhar K. Bioactive Compounds and Health-Promoting Properties of Elephant Apple ( Dillenia indica L.): A Comprehensive Review. Foods 2023; 12:2993. [PMID: 37627992 PMCID: PMC10453057 DOI: 10.3390/foods12162993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Elephant apple (Dillenia indica L.) grows wild in Southeast Asia's forests, including in China, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Elephant apples are considered essential fruit crops because of their high nutritional value, which includes high levels of vitamin C, carbohydrates, fats, fibre, protein, minerals, and fatty acids. It is important to understand the nutritional value and health benefits of elephant apples in order to increase fruit intake in people's daily diets. The present review paper focuses on elephant apple's phytochemistry, bioactive compounds, therapeutic value, and medicinal capabilities for designing and developing a wide range of food formulations. Proteins, minerals, fats, crude fibre, carbohydrates, vitamin C, tannins, malic acid, and glucose are abundant in the leaves, bark, and fruit of the elephant apple. In addition to nutritional components, many phytochemicals found in elephant apples have been identified as bioactive compounds with a broad range of biological activities, the most prominent of which are antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Overall, elephant apple is a rich, natural source of bioactive compounds with potential applications in the production of value-added foods and nutraceuticals for disease prevention and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepanka Saikia
- Department of Agricultural Engineering, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Paralakhemundi 761211, Odisha, India
- Department of Food Engineering & Technology, Central Institute of Technology Kokrajhar, Kokrajhar 783370, Assam, India
| | - Radhakrishnan Kesavan
- Department of Food Engineering & Technology, Central Institute of Technology Kokrajhar, Kokrajhar 783370, Assam, India
| | | | - Praveen Kumar Dikkala
- School of Food Technology, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada, Kakinada 533003, Andhra Pradesh, India;
| | - Prakash Kumar Nayak
- Department of Food Engineering & Technology, Central Institute of Technology Kokrajhar, Kokrajhar 783370, Assam, India
| | - Kandi Sridhar
- Department of Food Technology, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education (Deemed to be University), Coimbatore 641021, Tamil Nadu, India
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Goswami MJ, Dutta U, Seema T, Bharali SJ, Yanka H, Tag H, Bharali P, Kakati D. Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Properties of Extracts from Three Underutilized Food Plants of North East India. Chem Biodivers 2023; 20:e202200718. [PMID: 36562215 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202200718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Three underutilized leafy vegetables Sarcochlamys pulcherrima (Roxb.) Gaudich (SP), Ipomoea aquatica Forssk. (IA) and Zanthoxylum rhetsa (Roxb.) DC (ZR) were extracted with different solvents viz. 95 % ethyl alcohol, methanol and hot water. The extracts were evaluated for their antioxidant potential via DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assay along with electroanalytical studies using cyclic voltammetry. The antidiabetic potential was determined by recording their α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory assay. The total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) based phytochemical profiles of the extracts were also determined. All three extracts of SP exhibited significant antioxidant capacity. The antidiabetic potential of the IA and ZR extracts was found to be higher than or at par with that of standard acarbose. LC/MS studies reveal the presence of hitherto reported antioxidant and antidiabetic compounds like gamma-aminobutyric acid, cinnamic acid, caffeic acid, α-viniferin, piperlonguminine, niacin, kaempferol, etc., in the extracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manab Jyoti Goswami
- Department of Chemistry, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh, 791112, India
| | - Utpal Dutta
- Department of Chemistry, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh, 791112, India
| | - Tage Seema
- Department of Chemistry, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh, 791112, India
| | - Sourav Jyoti Bharali
- Department of Chemistry, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh, 791112, India.,Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (AEI), Sibasagar, Assam, 785697, India
| | - Hage Yanka
- Department of Botany, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh, 791112, India
| | - Hui Tag
- Department of Botany, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh, 791112, India
| | - Pankaj Bharali
- Center for Infectious Diseases, CSIR North East Institute of Science & Technology, Jorhat, Assam, 785006, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Gjaziabad, India
| | - Dwipen Kakati
- Department of Chemistry, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh, 791112, India
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Galvis-Tarazona DY, Ojeda-Pérez ZZ, Arias-Moreno DM. Cultural and ethnobotanical legacy of native potatoes in Colombia. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2022; 18:59. [PMID: 36117158 PMCID: PMC9484184 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-022-00557-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Native potatoes are Andean tubers of great historical, social, food, genetic and nutritional importance, and they contribute significantly to food security by supplementing the household diet and also providing alternative income. Even when their cultivation and consumption imply great benefits, their use and local preservation depend to a large extent on the recognition of their ethnobotanical and cultural importance. In this context, this study consolidates an important ethnobotanical research bases for native potatoes in Colombia. METHODS The study collected data through semi-structured interviews and dialogues (130) in the municipality of Chiscas, department of Boyacá, central-eastern Colombia. The questionnaire was focused on native potatoes and sought to investigate the knowledge related to cultivation, diversity, patterns and forms of preparation for use and consumption. Likewise, knowledge heritability mechanisms were investigated and ethnobotanical indices of relative importance, use and culture were estimated. RESULTS Documentation of ethnobotanical knowledge included aspects such as seed care and availability, cultural management of the crop, patterns of use and consumption, as well as ways of preparing the tubers. In total, 23 vernacular names of native potato and 360 reports of use (commercial, domestic or ritual-magical) were recorded for the 15 main genotypes. Quantitative estimates included the importance index: (a) cultural, for which values ranged between 0.059 and 0.812; (b) relative, with records between 0.04 and 0.43; and (c) use, which ranged between 0.06 and 0.63. The ethnobotanical importance index (d) for native potatoes was 57.26, which corresponds to a "very high" ethnobotanical value. This allowed us to identify that Criollas were the most recognized and used potatoes within the community. In addition, it was shown that vertical transmission is the main way in which traditional knowledge about native potatoes is inherited. Finally, an artificial intelligence tool was preliminarily implemented to identify the polarity generated in the interviewees by the questions. CONCLUSION The results of this research provide valuable information on the ethnobotany of native potatoes in Colombia. The genotypes used by the community of the municipality of Chiscas were recognized for their high gastronomic and nutritional potential, as well as for their great ethnobotanical and cultural importance. These data can be considered as a valuable tool to support any action aimed at the conservation and revaluation of these tubers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daicy Yaneth Galvis-Tarazona
- Grupo de Investigación BIOPLASMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica De Colombia (UPTC), Avenida Central del Norte, 050030 Tunja, Boyacá Colombia
| | - Zaida Zarely Ojeda-Pérez
- Grupo de Investigación BIOPLASMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica De Colombia (UPTC), Avenida Central del Norte, 050030 Tunja, Boyacá Colombia
| | - Diana Marcela Arias-Moreno
- Grupo de Investigación BIOPLASMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica De Colombia (UPTC), Avenida Central del Norte, 050030 Tunja, Boyacá Colombia
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Rahman MH, Roy B, Chowdhury GM, Hasan A, Saimun MSR. Medicinal plant sources and traditional healthcare practices of forest-dependent communities in and around Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary in southeastern Bangladesh. ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY (SINGAPORE) 2022; 5:207-241. [PMID: 37521586 PMCID: PMC9170557 DOI: 10.1007/s42398-022-00230-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Bangladesh's forest-dependent people rely on medicinal plants for traditional healthcare practices, as plant-based medicines are easily available and cost-effective. This study evaluated and documented ethnomedicinal practices for, and traditional knowledge of, utilising plants to cure ailments. Ethnobotanical indices quantified the use value (UV), frequency of citation, relative frequency of citation (RFC) and the informant consensus factor. Using a semi-structured questionnaire, the study interviewed 231 respondents from 18 villages in and around Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS). The study documented 134 medicinal plant species from 60 families; tree species were dominant (37.31%). Malvaceae (seven species), Rutaceae and Lamiaceae (six species each) families covered more species. Nearly half of the species (46.02%) were collected from CWS. Both above-ground and below-ground plant parts treated 71 types of ailments under 21 categories, with leaves (66 species) being the most widely used plant part. In total 33 species were used to treat dysentery, 25 species each for fever and jaundice, and 24 species for cuts and wounds. The average UV value was 0.24 and RFC value was 0.47%. Communities were found to utilise medicinal plants more at home than to sell at markets, substantially relying on medicinal plants to meet their domestic needs. Plants used for healthcare and cultural and religious beliefs have a strong connection that plays a vital role in plant conservation. This study identified 42 medicinal plant species that could be considered to treat COVID-19 patients in Bangladesh. The findings suggest that community awareness of sustainable harvesting and commercial cultivation could lead to conservation and use of these invaluable plant species for healthcare, new drugs discovery and sustainable forest management. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42398-022-00230-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Habibur Rahman
- Laboratory of Tropical Forest Resources and Environments, Division of Forest and Biomaterials Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502 Japan
- Bangladesh Institute of Social Research (BISR) Trust, House no. 6/14, Block no. A, Lalmatia, Dhaka, 1207 Bangladesh
| | - Bishwajit Roy
- Bangladesh Institute of Social Research (BISR) Trust, House no. 6/14, Block no. A, Lalmatia, Dhaka, 1207 Bangladesh
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculty of Science, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, 1749-016 Portugal
| | | | - Akib Hasan
- Forest Research Institute, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 445 Boulevard de l’Université, Rouyn-Noranda, QC J9X 5E4 Canada
| | - Md. Shamim Reza Saimun
- Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO), Dhaka, 1207 Bangladesh
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Haq SM, Yaqoob U, Calixto ES, Rahman IU, Hashem A, Abd_Allah EF, Alakeel MA, Alqarawi AA, Abdalla M, Hassan M, Bussmann RW, Abbasi AM, Ur Rahman S, Ijaz F. Plant Resources Utilization among Different Ethnic Groups of Ladakh in Trans-Himalayan Region. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10090827. [PMID: 34571704 PMCID: PMC8468708 DOI: 10.3390/biology10090827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Indigenous communities are a large resource of increasingly endangered, traditionally used medicinal plants and the associated ecological knowledge, which needs to be documented quickly as the base to establish sustainable livelihoods and healthcare systems. Through the interaction of indigenous knowledge, biodiversity, and the surrounding environment, these communities have developed their livelihoods over time. In this study, we tried to obtain an in-depth understanding of ethnomedicinal, cultural, and ritual perspectives on plant diversity in the Ladakh region and evaluated how the wild flora of Ladakh could improve local livelihoods and alleviate poverty. By surveying and applying open- and close-ended semi-structured interviews and group discussions in three communities, we documented 105 ethnobotanically important plants belonging to 39 families. The Balti and Brokpa ethnic groups showed greater similarity, whereas the least overlap in plant use was observed between Beda and Brokpa. Plants common to all cultures were mostly used for medicinal applications, while some were also used for religious purposes in the two major religions (Islam and Buddhism). A total of 37 species were shared by all cultures (Balti, Brokpa, and Beda). The cluster analysis elucidated three major clusters of different ethnobotanical usage. The first cluster included food and medicinal plants, the second included clusters of dye and flavor plants, and the third included plants used for fragrance, oil, fuel wood, and fodder. Plant parts were collected based on their availability in distinct pheno-phases according to the Tibetan traditional calendar. This study’s findings revealed that plants provide tangible economic benefits to indigenous communities, in addition to aiding in the treatment of various ailments. Sustainable use and management of wild resources can help improve livelihoods and food security and alleviate poverty. Abstract The nomadic pastoral indigenous communities of the Ladakhi people share roots with Tibetan culture in terms of food, clothing, religion, festivals, and habits, and rely widely on plant resources for survival and livelihood. This survey was conducted during 2019–2021 to document the indigenous knowledge about plant resources of the Balti, Beda, and Brokpa communities of the Ladakh region, trans-Himalayas. Open- and close-ended semi-structured interviews (N = 184) and group discussions (N = 17) were used to collect the data. Quantitative data was further analyzed using various statistical tools. A total of 105 plant species belonging to 82 genera and 39 families were used as medicine, fuel wood, fragrance, oil, food, flavor, fodder, decoration, and dye. Among these, medicinal use was most prevalent, with 70% of use reports, followed by fodder and fuel wood. Leaves (27%) were the most preferred plant part used, followed by roots and flowers. The principal component analysis revealed five clusters of ethnobotanical usage, i.e., food, medicine, fuel wood, fodder, and fragrance, oil, dye, and flavor. The maximum number of plant species used was reported by the Brokpa, while the Beda reported the minimum number of plant species uses. Delphinium brunonianum, Waldheimia tomentosa, and Juniperus indica played a significant role in the cultural and religious ritual aspects, whereas Allium przewalskianum, Waldheimia tomentosa, Juniperus indica, and Hippophae rhamnoides were commonly used as a livelihood source among Ladakhi communities. The local people collected most plants (65%) for self-consumption, while the rest (35%) were sold in markets as a source of income. The sustainable utilization and management of plant resources by local people is a strategy to boost livelihoods and food security and alleviate poverty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiekh Marifatul Haq
- Department of Botany, University of Kashmir Srinagar, Srinagar 190006, India; (S.M.H.); (U.Y.)
- Wildlife Crime Control Division, Wildlife Trust of India, Noida 201301, India
| | - Umer Yaqoob
- Department of Botany, University of Kashmir Srinagar, Srinagar 190006, India; (S.M.H.); (U.Y.)
| | | | - Inayat Ur Rahman
- Department of Botany, Hazara University, Mansehra 21300, Pakistan;
- Correspondence:
| | - Abeer Hashem
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (A.H.); (M.A.A.)
| | - Elsayed Fathi Abd_Allah
- Department of Plant Production, College of Food and Agriculture Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (E.F.A.); (A.A.A.)
| | - Maha Abdullah Alakeel
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (A.H.); (M.A.A.)
| | - Abdulaziz A. Alqarawi
- Department of Plant Production, College of Food and Agriculture Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (E.F.A.); (A.A.A.)
| | - Mohnad Abdalla
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 Cultural West Road, Jinan 250012, China;
| | | | - Rainer W. Bussmann
- Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany, Ilia State University, 1 Botanical Street, Tbilisi 0105, Georgia;
| | - Arshad Mehmood Abbasi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Abbottabad Campus, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad 22060, Pakistan;
| | - Sami Ur Rahman
- Nawaz Sharif Kidney Teaching Hospital and Postgraduate Institute Manglawar, Swat 19200, Pakistan;
| | - Farhana Ijaz
- Department of Botany, Hazara University, Mansehra 21300, Pakistan;
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De novo transcriptome assembly and analysis of Phragmites karka, an invasive halophyte, to study the mechanism of salinity stress tolerance. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5192. [PMID: 32251358 PMCID: PMC7089983 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61857-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
With the rapidly deteriorating environmental conditions, the development of stress tolerant plants has become a priority for sustaining agricultural productivity. Therefore, studying the process of stress tolerance in naturally tolerant species hold significant promise. Phragmites karka is an invasive plant species found abundantly in tropical and sub tropical regions, fresh water regions and brackish marshy areas, such as river banks and lake shores. The plant possesses the ability to adapt and survive under conditions of high salinity. We subjected P. karka seedlings to salt stress and carried out whole transcriptome profiling of leaf and root tissues. Assessing the global transcriptome changes under salt stress resulted in the identification of several genes that are differentially regulated under stress conditions in root and leaf tissue. A total of 161,403 unigenes were assembled and used as a reference for digital gene expression analysis. A number of key metabolic pathways were found to be over-represented. Digital gene expression analysis was validated using qRT-PCR. In addition, a number of different transcription factor families including WRKY, MYB, CCCH, NAC etc. were differentially expressed under salinity stress. Our data will facilitate further characterisation of genes involved in salinity stress tolerance in P. karka. The DEGs from our results are potential candidates for understanding and engineering abiotic stress tolerance in plants.
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Luximon K, Sreekeessoon U, Suroowan S, Mahomoodally MF. Medico-Religious Plants Employed in Mauritius: A Survey Among Hindu Priests. JOURNAL OF RELIGION AND HEALTH 2019; 58:2110-2143. [PMID: 31115832 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-019-00826-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Mauritius is renowned for its rich floral and cultural diversity. The aim of this study was to identify and document medicinal plants exclusively employed in rituals and to promote wellness among the Hindu community. In addition, it also highlights poorly documented plants with respect to their safety, efficacy, and herb-drug interaction inducing potential. The informant group included Hindu priests (n = 14) solely, while the relative frequency of citation (RFC) and use value (UV) were utilised to analyse the data. A total of 33 plants were reported in this survey. Sixteen plants were reported by informants to have both medicinal and religious values, while the highest RFC and UV index was obtained by Ocimum tenuiflorum L. (RFC = 0.79; UV = 0.71). Nonetheless, despite known and utilised commonly for years by humanity, various plant species mentioned in this study have been poorly evaluated in randomised clinical trials and for any risks of herb-drug interactions. Hence, there are concerns surrounding the safe use of these plant species particularly among patients suffering from chronic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishnand Luximon
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Mauritius
| | - Uddhav Sreekeessoon
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Mauritius
| | - Shanoo Suroowan
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Mauritius
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Sureshkumar J, Silambarasan R, Bharati KA, Krupa J, Amalraj S, Ayyanar M. A review on ethnomedicinally important pteridophytes of India. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2018; 219:269-287. [PMID: 29578072 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2018.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2017] [Revised: 03/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Pteridophytes have been considered an excellent source of medicine since ancient times and remain underexplored in ethnobotanical aspects when compared to other vascular plants. Hence, an attempt has been made to compile medicinally important pteridophytes used by different ethnic minorities and local people in India. MATERIALS AND METHODS Relevant information on the uses of pteridophytes was extracted from scientific journals (local, regional, and international), books, book chapters, conference proceedings, M.Sc. and Ph.D. dissertations, and other scientific databases. Recent and accepted names of plants were validated using standard nomenclature databases. RESULTS In total, 283 species of pteridophytes are enumerated in this review which are used to treat 129 ailments. Ethnobotanical records from the states Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand revealed 59% of overall uses of pteridophytes from India. Pteridaceae was recorded with highest number of medicinally important species (57), followed by Polypodiaceae, Dryopteridaceae, Thelypteridaceae, and Aspleniaceae with 36, 27, 22, and 21 species respectively. CONCLUSIONS The use of medicinal plants in the primary healthcare of humans and livestock has been documented since ancient times, and they offer a useful source of new therapeutics. While pteridophytes have considerable importance in traditional pharmacopoeias, scientific studies on pharmacology of this group are scanty. Hence, studies on the phytochemistry and pharmacology of medicinally important pteridophytes with more citations may reveal active principles that can be further developed into novel therapeutic agents. Records of indigenous medicinal knowledge about pteridophytes need to be given top priority to aid the protection of such knowledge before they vanish from present day traditional healers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeyalatchagan Sureshkumar
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, A.V.V.M. Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi 613503, Thanjavur, India
| | - Rajendran Silambarasan
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, A.V.V.M. Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi 613503, Thanjavur, India
| | - Kumar Avinash Bharati
- Central National Herbarium, Botanical Survey of India, P.O., Botanic Garden, Howrah 711103, India
| | - Jayaraj Krupa
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, A.V.V.M. Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi 613503, Thanjavur, India
| | - Singamoorthy Amalraj
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, A.V.V.M. Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi 613503, Thanjavur, India
| | - Muniappan Ayyanar
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, A.V.V.M. Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi 613503, Thanjavur, India.
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Geng Y, Hu G, Ranjitkar S, Shi Y, Zhang Y, Wang Y. The implications of ritual practices and ritual plant uses on nature conservation: a case study among the Naxi in Yunnan Province, Southwest China. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2017; 13:58. [PMID: 29065881 PMCID: PMC5655954 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-017-0186-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Conservation of biodiversity is primary important of today's critically vulnerable environment. Efficient conservation can be possible only with the long-term participation and understanding of the communities. Ritual beliefs of the indigenous people are one of the important tools to understand the local communities and aid the nature conservation. In this paper, we documented contemporary ritual practices and ritual plant uses among the Naxi people and discussed the importance of traditional knowledge on ritual practice in the conservation of plants in the mountains presenting a case study of the Dongba culture. METHODS This study was carried out from July in 2013 to July in 2014. To document and analyze the present state of the ritual plant used by the Naxi people we conducted an ethnobotanical survey. We interviewed local people including Dongba priests using the semi-structured questionnaire. During the field study, we participated in the local religious activities to witness the use of different plants in ritual activities of the Naxi people. We interviewed twenty-two key informants and eleven of them were male. All the specimens of documented species were collected and deposited at the herbarium of Kunming Institute of Botany. RESULTS The survey results revealed the Naxi people possessed sound knowledge of the traditional ritual plants and great diversity of plants used in many of Naxi rituals and festivals. From the survey, we documented 32 ritual plant species belonging to 24 genera of 17 families used in various ritual activities. The ritual plants were grouped into two categories, namely those burned as incense, and those used for decoration. The incense plants like Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata and Pistacia weinmanniifolia were probably promising natural aromatic resource. Plants of genus Quercus were the most frequently used species. The places for ritual activities were diverse, such as the incense burners inside and outside the house and sacred trees at the Baishuitai. Local people except the young generation had an abundant of traditional knowledge. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows the live ritual activities and the beliefs of the residents are keeping the plant diversity and the entire forest preserved as sacred mountains. Our study emphasizes traditional belief and an alternative view of conservation that is not led mainly by governmental policies, as local practices and ritual plants uses play as constant reminders to the Naxi on nature conservation. However, further research is recommended for in-depth understanding the role of traditional belief in biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfei Geng
- Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
- Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091 China
- CAAS-ICRAF Joint Lab on Agroforestry and Sustainable Animal Husbandry, World Agroforestry Centre, East and Central Asia, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Guoxiong Hu
- College of Life Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025 China
| | - Sailesh Ranjitkar
- Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201 China
- CAAS-ICRAF Joint Lab on Agroforestry and Sustainable Animal Husbandry, World Agroforestry Centre, East and Central Asia, Beijing, 100193 China
- World Agroforestry Centre East and Central Asia, Kunming, 650201 China
| | - Yinxian Shi
- Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201 China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201 China
| | - Yuhua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201 China
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Mazumder AH, Das J, Gogoi HK, Paul SB. Pharmaceutical scope of a phytochemically unexplored medicinal plant, Sarcochlamys pulcherrima (Roxb.) Gaud.: A review. Pharmacogn Rev 2015; 9:81-3. [PMID: 26009697 PMCID: PMC4441166 DOI: 10.4103/0973-7847.156358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2013] [Revised: 03/27/2014] [Accepted: 05/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Sarcochlamys pulcherrima (Roxb.) Gaud. is widely used as traditional medicine and food by different tribes and communities of Assam in India and in neighboring countries. Recent studies conducted in our laboratory showed the broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of its crude extract and different solvent fractions and detected the presence of phenolics, flavonoids, saponin, and acidic compounds. This review gives a bird's eye view of the traditional uses of S. pulcherrima as food and medicine based on the information gathered by personal interaction with the people of different places of Assam as well as the investigations made on its ethno-botanical claims, biological activities, and other aspects by various workers since years till date and highlight the prospects of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jayshree Das
- Defence Research Laboratory, Tezpur, Assam, India
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Sharma HK, Nath LK. Study of the Effect of Dillenia indica Fruit Mucilage on the Properties of Metformin Hydrochloride Loaded Spray Dried Microspheres. INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARLY RESEARCH NOTICES 2014; 2014:628382. [PMID: 27379337 PMCID: PMC4897073 DOI: 10.1155/2014/628382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2014] [Revised: 09/07/2014] [Accepted: 11/05/2014] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Natural materials are preferred over synthetic counterparts because of their biodegradable and biocompatible nature. The present work was proposed to utilize mucilage from natural source for the development of controlled release formulation of metformin hydrochloride. Natural mucilaginous substance extracted from Dillenia indica L. (DI) fruit was used in fabricating controlled release microspheres. The microspheres were prepared by spray drying method under different formulation parameters. The prepared microspheres were studied for particle size, drug excipient compatibility, particle shape and surface morphologies, drug entrapment efficiency, mucoadhesivity, and in vitro drug release properties. The prepared microspheres exhibited mucoadhesive properties and demonstrated controlled release of metformin hydrochloride. The study reveals that the natural materials can be used for formulation of controlled release microspheres and would provide ample opportunities for further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hemanta Kumar Sharma
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dibrugarh University, NH-37, Dibrugarh, Assam 786004, India
| | - Lila Kanta Nath
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dibrugarh University, NH-37, Dibrugarh, Assam 786004, India
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Papp N, Birkás-Frendl K, Bencsik T, Stranczinger S, Czégényi D. Survey of traditional beliefs in the Hungarian Csángó and Székely ethnomedicine in Transylvania, Romania. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE FARMACOGNOSIA-BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOGNOSY 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bjp.2014.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Azam FMS, Biswas A, Mannan A, Afsana NA, Jahan R, Rahmatullah M. Are famine food plants also ethnomedicinal plants? An ethnomedicinal appraisal of famine food plants of two districts of bangladesh. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE : ECAM 2014; 2014:741712. [PMID: 24701245 PMCID: PMC3950545 DOI: 10.1155/2014/741712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2013] [Revised: 12/30/2013] [Accepted: 01/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Plants have served as sources of food and medicines for human beings since their advent. During famines or conditions of food scarcity, people throughout the world depend on unconventional plant items to satiate their hunger and meet their nutritional needs. Malnourished people often suffer from various diseases, much more than people eating a balanced diet. We are hypothesizing that the unconventional food plants that people eat during times of scarcity of their normal diet are also medicinal plants and thus can play a role in satiating hunger, meeting nutritional needs, and serving therapeutic purposes. Towards testing our hypothesis, surveys were carried out among the low income people of four villages in Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts of Bangladesh. People and particularly the low income people of these two districts suffer each year from a seasonal famine known as Monga. Over 200 informants from 167 households in the villages were interviewed with the help of a semistructured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method. The informants mentioned a total of 34 plant species that they consumed during Monga. Published literature shows that all the species consumed had ethnomedicinal uses. It is concluded that famine food plants also serve as ethnomedicinal plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fardous Mohammad Safiul Azam
- Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, House No. 78, Road No. 11A (new), Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh
| | - Anup Biswas
- Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, House No. 78, Road No. 11A (new), Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh
| | - Abdul Mannan
- Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, House No. 78, Road No. 11A (new), Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh
| | - Nusrat Anik Afsana
- Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, House No. 78, Road No. 11A (new), Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh
| | - Rownak Jahan
- Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, House No. 78, Road No. 11A (new), Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammed Rahmatullah
- Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, House No. 78, Road No. 11A (new), Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh
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Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Toxicology of Spilanthes acmella: A Review. Adv Pharmacol Sci 2013; 2013:423750. [PMID: 24371437 PMCID: PMC3858870 DOI: 10.1155/2013/423750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2013] [Revised: 09/25/2013] [Accepted: 09/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Spilanthes acmella is an important medicinal plant, found in tropical and subtropical countries mainly India and South America. Popularly, it is known as toothache plant which reduces the pain associated with toothaches and can induce saliva secretion. Various extracts and active metabolites from various parts of this plant possess useful pharmacological activities. Literature survey proposed that it has multiple pharmacological actions, which include antifungal, antipyretic, local anaesthetic, bioinsecticide, anticonvulsant, antioxidant, aphrodisiac, analgesic, pancreatic lipase inhibitor, antimicrobial, antinociception, diuretic, vasorelaxant, anti-human immunodeficiency virus, toothache relieve and anti-inflammatory effects. This review is elaborately describing the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of this plant. This review would assist researchers to search scientific information in the future.
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Gandhi D, Mehta P. Validated high-performance thin-layer chromatographic method for the quantification of betulinic acid from two Indian plants of the species Dillenia and Ziziphus. JPC-J PLANAR CHROMAT 2013. [DOI: 10.1556/jpc.26.2013.4.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Sharma UK, Pegu S, Hazarika D, Das A. Medico-religiousplantsusedbytheHajongcommunityofAssam,India. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2012; 143:787-800. [PMID: 23010157 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2012.06.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2012] [Revised: 06/26/2012] [Accepted: 06/27/2012] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The Hajong people use many medicinal plants in their different rituals. The information generated from the present study regarding the medico-religious plants used by the Hajong tribes need a thorough phytochemical investigation. This could help in creating awareness regarding the need for conservation of such plants and also in the promotion of ethno-medico-botany knowledge within the region besides contributing to the preservation and enrich- ment of the gene bank of such economically important species before they are lost forever. Medico-religious plants so found out in this study should be screened for their efficacy by which new drugs or products could be brought out. There is also need to document this information and compare with that of other tribes in the state and region. MATERIALS AND METHODS The diseases found during the research work among the Hajong community were grouped in 11 categories. The category of diseases includes plants used for both human and animal diseases. The informants having good knowledge on medico-religious plants were chosen for the interview. Kabiraj or Vaidyas were also included among the informants though they were not available in all villages. The informants were asked about the ritual and religious importance and the medicinal properties of the plants used in different cultural practices. RESULTS Some 36 plant species including herbs, shrubs and trees are used for curing 51 different diseases with 63 formulations which are recorded during the study. Most of the medicinal plants were collected from their own homestead and rest from the forest. Hajongs make sustainable use of available natural resources that include both medicinal and religious plants. They lead a much disciplined life. They are very much religious and knowledgeable. The survey revealed that not only the Kabiraj but also the elder community member have good knowledge of the medicinal value of some plant usually those species used to treat common diseases like cough, cold, fever, viral fever, headache, stomachache, joint pain, diarrhea, dysentery, minor wounds and cuts etc. Thus 36 plants are found to be used by Hajong in different medico-religious practices. These are regarded as holy plants. These plants are strictly protected by the community. Traditional conservation and management on cultural grounds, therefore, represents a historic contribution to the present day rich biodiversity in the region. CONCLUSION The whole life system and socio-economic as well as religious and cultural activities of Hajongs were totally dependent upon forests. It reflected their high possession of knowledge on medico religious plants which allowed them to apply their indigenous knowledge regarding various aspects of exploitation of such resources. Different types of important species have been disappeared from the study area, which ultimately creates social, economical and religious problem in Hajong community. The information generated from the present study regarding the medico-religious plants used by the Hajong tribes need a thorough phytochemical investigation. This could help in creating awareness regarding the need for conservation of such plants and also in the promotion of ethno-medico-botany knowledge within the region besides contributing to the preservation and enrichment of the gene bank of such economically important species before they are lost forever. Traditional culture in different Hajong populated areas is very fast declining with lot of traditional knowledge under the influence of dominant culture. Cultural diversity conservation is needed urgently.
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Affiliation(s)
- U K Sharma
- Department of Botany, Dhemaji College, Dhemaji Station Road, Dhemaji, Assam 787057, India.
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Das M, Sarma BP, Ahmed G, Nirmala CB, Choudhury MK. In vitro anti oxidant activity total phenolic content of Dillenia indica Garcinia penducalata, commonly used fruits in Assamese cuisine. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.5530/ax.2012.2.2.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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