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Kala CP. Aboriginal uses and management of ethnobotanical species in deciduous forests of Chhattisgarh state in India. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2009 Aug 4;5:20. PMID: 19653889; PMCID: PMC2729299.

Chandra Prakash Kala of the Indian Institute of Forest Management reports on a comprehensive ethnobotanical survey of rural Surguja, a biodiverse region of rich deciduous forests in the Chhattisgarh state of central India. 

The people of this region have developed herbal remedies over centuries, perhaps millennia, for a number of tropical maladies. Here’s one extract from the article, in which Kala discusses plant products used for cobra bites, scorpion stings, and mosquito protection:

"Many species of snakes including cobra were found in the study area, and snakebite was one of the frequent problems. In case of snakebite, the person was treated by some specialized expert, who used some plant species and also chanted some spiritual words while curing snakebite. Diospyrus melanoxylon Roxb., Elaeodendron glaucum Pers., and Garura pinnata were some of the important plant species used for curing snakebite. Similarly, the scorpion bite was treated by using the leaf paste of Achyranthus aspera L., and tuber of Urginea indica Kunth. The Surguja district is a mosquito prone area, and death by malarial fever is a common phenomena. The local people spend most of the time in the forest for rearing of their livestock, collection of fuelwood, fodder, medicinal and edible plants. To keep mosquito away from their body, they rubbed leaves of Chloroxylon swietenia DC. on the exposed body parts and also put its twigs on the head and back."

Kala documents 73 ethnobotanical species used as medicines, food, tonics, dyes, beverages, fish poisons, and mosquito repellent. She also proposes screening and standardizing compounds according to medicinal potency and nutritive values, and developing sustainable harvesting and production practices that make fair-trade use of local resources and knowledge rather than exporting plant products in raw forms. [Read the article.]

CAMWatch: Posts about free-access, peer-reviewed articles on aspects of complementary medicine theory, practice and policy (about the blogger).This blog is not a source for medical advice.

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Liu Y, Dao Z, Yang C, et al. Medicinal plants used by Tibetans in Shangri-la, Yunnan, China. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2009 May 5;5:15. PMID: 19416515.

Researchers at Chinese Academy of Sciences, China College of Life and Environment Sciences, and China University for Nationalities inventoried traditional medicinal plants used by Tibetans in the county of "Shangri-La" (formerly Zhongdian), Yunnan Province, Southwest China.

The authors note an impending loss of traditional Tibetan medical knowledge, and attribute it to the voluntary adoption of dominant Han ways by all but the most elderly Tibetans. Two ethnobotanical field surveys are undertaken, often hampered by lack of access to expert herbalist guides.

Still, work is accomplished. From the results section:

"Sixty-eight medicinal plant species in 64 genera of 40 families were recorded and collected. Among them, 23 species were found to have medicinal values that have not been recorded in any existing Tibetan literatures before, and 31 species were recorded to have traditional prescriptions. Moreover, the traditional preparations of each species and some folk medicinal knowledge were recorded and analyzed. These traditional prescriptions, preparations, new medicinal plants and folk medicinal knowledge and principles were discovered and summarized by local traditional Tibetan healers through times of treatment practices, and were passed down from generation to generation."

Medical applications included dysentery, gastropathy, cold/fever, and rheumatism/arthritis, among others.

In the conclusion, the authors note that the disappearance of Tibetan traditional medical knowledge "would be a great loss not only to the Tibetan cultural wealth but also to the great cultur[al] diversity of China." Choices made by Tibetans themselves, rather than government policies, are held to be the cause:

"…most traditional Tibetan healers were found to be almost 70 years old, and their descendants are scarcely willing to inherit this traditional profession and the precious traditional knowledge handed down. They prefer other jobs with more income instead. They believe that the traditional medicines are not so indispensable to their life nowadays and their reasons are given as follows: 1) the medical treatment of Han community is more advanced and has better condition than the traditional ones; 2) Tibetan became more and more dependent on the money-consuming substances outside their village, but traditional healers didn’t earn much."

A note in the methods section could shed some light on those observations. The field researchers elected to consult only with "official workers, traders and local healers who have to contact with different people very often," and only with those who speak Mandarin: "So we all speak mandarin and didn’t use any interpreters in communicating." I’m not an ethnobotanist, but that does not strike me as a great way to learn from indigenous herbalists in Tibet.

CAMWatch: Posts about free-access, peer-reviewed articles on aspects of complementary medicine theory, practice and policy (about the blogger).This blog is not a source for medical advice.

technorati tags: complementary and alternative medicine integrative medicine tibetan medicine

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Long C, Li S, Long B, Shi Y, Liu B. Medicinal plants used by the Yi ethnic group: a case study in central Yunnan. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2009 Apr 23;5:13. PMID: 19389251

Researchers at Chinese Academy of Sciences, Minzu University of China, Yunnan Agricultural University, and Chuxiong Research Institute of Yi Medicine and Pharmacology inventoried traditional Yi medicinal plants in Chuxiong, central Yunnan Province, Southwest China. From the results:

"One hundred sixteen medicinal plant species were found to be useful by the local people in the treatment of various diseases or disorders, especially those relating to trauma, gastrointestinal disorders and the common cold. Among these 116 species, 25 species (21.55%) were found to have new curative effects and 40 species (34.48%) were recorded for their new preparation methods; 55 different species were used in treating wounds and fractures, and 47 were used to treat gastrointestinal disorders. Traditional Yi herbal medicines are characterized by their numerous quantities of herbaceous plants and their common preparation with alcohol."

Speaking of alcohol:

"Traditional Yi medicine is especially characterized by its use of alcohol. The Yi people adore alcohol, and it has come to symbolically represent this cultural minority due to its significance in their lives. Home-made alcohol is the most important beverage for the Yi: it is used daily, for ceremonies and holidays, served to respected guests and friends, and is the most common method of administering plant medicines. The practice of combining plants and alcohol has a long history in Yi medicine."

The authors are motivated by a desire to preserve "indigenous knowledge, and folk knowledge in particular," which "continues to be impacted by mainstream culture and decreasing biodiversity; traditional practices using specific medicinal plants decreases more quickly than that of the general biodiversity. It is thus urgent and necessary to prevent the further loss of the specialized knowledge of minority peoples."

 

CAMWatch: Posts about free-access, peer-reviewed articles on aspects of complementary medicine theory, practice and policy (about the blogger). This blog is not a source for medical advice.

technorati tags: complementary and alternative medicine integrative medicine

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Kunwar RM, Bussmann RW. Ethnobotany in the Nepal Himalaya. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2008 Dec 2;4:24. Review. PMID: 19055723

Investigators at the Ethnobotanical Society of Nepal and Missouri Botanical Garden partnered for this comprehensive review of indigenous knowledge and use of plant resources in Himalayan Nepal. Their analysis included more than 200 studies focusing on ethnobotany, ethnomedicine, and diversity of medicinal plants, carried out over the past three decades.

The article underscores the importance of diverse Himalayan flora to medical systems throughout Asia:

"Asia represents one of the most important centers of knowledge with regard to the use of plant species for treatment of various diseases. Examples are the Ayurveda, Amchi (traditional healing system of Tibet and mountain areas of Nepal), Siddha, Unani, and Chinese systems of medical care. Folklore medicinal systems (traditional healing and faith healing) are also important in Nepal. In this context, it is interesting to note that the Himalayan medicinal plants are the major contributors to the aforementioned systems. The topographical characteristics of the Himalayas have resulted in a variety of ecological niches that host diverse medicinal plants. It has been estimated that the Himalayan region harbors over 10,000 species of medicinal and aromatic plants, supporting the livelihoods of about 600 million people living in the area. The Nepal Himalayas include about 2,000 species with medicinal and aromatic values, and more than 1,400 of these are known to be used locally particularly as medicines."

The authors approach ethnobotany and ethnomedicine as integral elements of the public health, culture, environment, and economies of the Himalayas, concluding that "Enhancing the sustainable use and conservation of indigenous knowledge of useful and medicinal plants may benefit and improve the living standard of poor people."

CAMWatch: Posts about free-access, peer-reviewed articles on aspects of complementary medicine theory, practice and policy (about the blogger). This blog is not a source for medical advice.

technorati tags: complementary and alternative medicine integrative medicine

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Alves RR. Fauna used in popular medicine in Northeast Brazil. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2009 Jan 7;5(1):1. PMID: 19128461

A biologist at Universidade Estadual da Paraíba has undertaken an encyclopedic review of 250 animal species used in Brazilian traditional medicine.

From the conclusion:

"In a country like Brazil, where the majority of the population has no access modern allopathic medicines, local medicinal animals and plant knowledge systems is of significance. The population uses traditional medicine due to the relatively low cost of traditional medicine and difficult access to modern health facilities. Nevertheless, the interest in and intrinsic value of zootherapy not be only be attributed to the lack of access to modern medicinal services. Even in cities where modern health services are more accessible and specialized; many people continue to go to traditional healers showing the cultural acceptability of such practices. Besides the biological aspects, the economical and sociocultural factors influence the relationship of the local gathered people and the zootherapic resources usage. The need of new studies is evidenced which approach the medicinal fauna of Brazil, seeking for a better understanding of this therapy form, not only in its ecological aspects, but also cultural and pharmacological."

An appendix details the animal taxa recorded as having medicinal properties.

CAMWatch: Posts about free-access, peer-reviewed articles on aspects of complementary medicine theory, practice and policy (about the blogger). This blog is not a source for medical advice.

technorati tags: complementary and alternative medicine integrative medicine zootherapy

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Mahawar MM, Jaroli DP. Traditional zootherapeutic studies in India: a review. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2008 Jul 18;4:17. Review. PMID: 18634551

Filling a significant gap in published literature about animal-derived traditional medicines, the authors gathered data from 15 zootherapeutic studies published in India from 2000 to 2007. The resulting review article catalogs, by condition, 207 therapeutic applications of 109 animals in traditional medicine throughout India.

"In India, since times immemorial, great work was done in this field and documented in works like Ayurveda and charaka Samhita. Additionally immense knowledge has come down to modern times through folklore as various practices became a part of tradition amongst various groups. We can find that people still use various animal products and by-products for cure of various diseases. For example, honey is used as expectorant, cattle urine has been used as a therapeutic. All this knowledge has once again come to the limelight, as there has been a sort of disillusionment with the current allopathic cure, as it has got its own side effect and in fact has no cure for various diseases. Therefore people are looking for traditional remedies for the treatment of ailments. But in India this traditional knowledge is fast eroding due to modernization. Thus there is an urgent need to inventorise and record all ethnobiological information among the different ethnic communities before the traditional cultures are completely lost."

 

CAMWatch: Posts about free-access, peer-reviewed articles on aspects of complementary medicine theory, practice and policy (about the blogger). This blog is not a source for medical advice.

technorati tags: complementary and alternative medicine integrative medicine ethnobiology ayurveda

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Tilburt JC, Kaptchuk TJ. Herbal medicine research and global health: an ethical analysis. Bull World Health Organ. 2008 Aug;86(8):594-9. PMID: 18797616

Analysts from the National Institutes of Health and Harvard Medical School describe an ethical framework for research in herbal medicine. Employing an example case of Africa Flower as an investigative therapy to slow progression to AIDS, they develop a framework for ethical decision making based on key criteria of social value, scientific validity and favorable risk-benefit ratio:

"Cases like these present challenging questions related to the role of traditional herbal medicines in public health. In general, international research on traditional herbal medicines should be subject to the same ethical requirements as all research related to human subjects. An ethical framework previously outlined by Emanuel et al. and revised for international research offers a useful starting point for thinking about the ethics of international traditional herbal medicine research. This framework includes eight ethical requirements for clinical research. These ethical requirements are universal and comprehensive but must be adapted to the particular social context in which the research is implemented. Of these, fair subject selection, independent review, informed consent, and respect for enrolled subjects have been discussed previously in the literature on the ethics of global health research and raise few issues unique to international traditional herbal medicine research. However, social value, scientific validity, and favourable risk-benefit ratio raise specific challenges in international herbal medicine research that have not been adequately discussed."

CAMWatch: Posts about free-access, peer-reviewed articles on aspects of complementary medicine theory, practice and policy (about the blogger). This blog is not a source for medical advice.

technorati tags: complementary and alternative medicine integrative medicine

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Szczurko O, Boon HS. A systematic review of natural health product treatment for vitiligo. BMC Dermatol. 2008 May 22;8:2. PMID: 18498646

Orest Szczurko and Heather Boon of the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, have written a comprehensive baseline review of research in the use of vitamins, herbs and other supplements in the treatment of vitiligo. They didn’t find a compelling evidence base, but found two approaches that warrant further investigation, L-phenylalanine used with phototherapy, and monotherapy with oral Ginkgo biloba.

From the discussion: 

"Two areas are particularly intriguing. First, well designed clinical trials should attempt to replicate the studies utilizing L-phenylalanine in conjunction with phototherapy treatment. Several small clinical trials published so far provide positive results consistently with replication, but larger more definitive trials are necessary. Second, the use of Ginkgo biloba alone for the treatment of vitiligo holds potential promise. The use of Gingko biloba without phototherapy is likely to avoid the adverse reactions and unknown long term risks associated with phototherapy. If effective, Ginko biloba would also be a less costly and easier treatment for vitiligo."

CAMWatch: Posts about free-access, peer-reviewed articles on aspects of complementary medicine theory, practice and policy (about the blogger). This blog is not a source for medical advice.

technorati tags: complementary and alternative medicine integrative medicine vetiligo

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Lee BC, Kang SI, Ahn YM, et al. An alternative therapy for graves’ disease: clinical effects and mechanisms of an herbal remedy. Biol Pharm Bull. 2008 Apr;31(4):583-7. PMID: 18379045

From the introduction:

Graves’ disease, the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, is an autoimmune disorder. Antithyroid drugs have been selected as the first-line treatment of Graves’ disease in Korea, Japan, and European countries. However, antithyroid drugs such as methimazole (MMI) and prophylthiouracil (PTU) have limitations in clinical applications because of their side effects. In this study, we performed a clinical trial and in vitro study to investigate the clinical effects and action mechanism of Ahnjeonbaekho-tang (AJBHT), an herbal remedy for Graves’ disease.

CAMWatch: Posts about free-access, peer-reviewed articles on aspects of complementary medicine theory, practice and policy (about the blogger). This blog is not a source for medical advice.

technorati tags: complementary and alternative medicine integrative medicine graves disease

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Bussmann RW, Sharon D, Vandebroek I, et al. Health for sale: the medicinal plant markets in Trujillo and Chiclayo, Northern Peru. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2007 Dec 10;3:37. PMID: 18070350

A fascinating, well-researched paper. From the introduction:

"Northern Peru is what Peruvian anthropologist Lupe Camino calls the "health axis" of the old Central Andean culture area stretching from Ecuador to Bolivia. The traditional use of medicinal plants in this region, which encompasses in particular the Departments of Piura, Lambayeque, La Libertad, Cajamarca, and San Martin, dates back as far as the first millennium B.C. (north coastal Cupisnique culture) or at least to the Moche period (AC 100–800), with healing scenes and healers frequently depicted in ceramics. Early ethnobotanically oriented studies focused mainly on the famous "magical" and "mind altering" flora of Peru. A first study on "cimora" -another vernacular name for the San Pedro cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi) dates back to the 1940’s. The first detailed study on a hallucinogen in Peru focused also on San Pedro, and tree datura (Brugmansia spp.). A variety of works on these species followed. Coca (Erythroxylum coca) also attracted early scientific attention, as did the Amazonian Ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis caapi). Chiappe et. al were the first to attempt an overview on the use of hallucinogens in shamanistic practices in Peru. General ethnobotany studies in Peru and Bolivia focused mostly on Quechua herbalism of the Cusco area. Other comprehensive studies centered on the border region of Peru and Bolivia around Lake Titicaca and the Amazon. Northern Peru, in contrast, has always been in the shadow of these more touristically important regions, and very few studies have been conducted to date. During the last years, the contemporary use of plants by local healers (curanderos) in Northern Peru has been well documented."

 technorati tags: complementary and alternative medicine integrative medicine complementary medicine herbalism ethnomedicine

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