Ethnobotany Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

2025

Background Epilepsy is a chronic brain disease that affects about 50 million people worldwide, mainly in developing countries. It is treated with anticonvulsant drugs, but in some cases, conventional anticonvulsants have not been effective, leading patients to turn to alternative herbal treatments. The study aimed to identify plants used in traditional medicine for the treatment of epilepsy in southern Mozambique, record the parts used, the method of preparation as well as the mode of administration. Methodology: The study was conducted between April to June 2019. 53 Traditional Medicine Practitioners were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The data was analyzed by calculating the Percentage of Citation (%FC) and Informant Factor Consensus (IFC). Results A total of 32 medicinal plants belonging to 18 botanical families were identified for the treatment of epilepsy in the southern part of Mozambique. The species, Hugonia orientalis Engl (22.64%), Maclura africana Bur ...

2025, Nutrients

Withania somnifera (WS) extracts have been used in traditional medicine for millennia to promote healthy aging and wellbeing. WS is now also widely used in Western countries as a nutritional supplement to extend healthspan and increase resilience against age-related changes, including sleep deficits and depression. Although human trials have supported beneficial effects of WS, the study designs have varied widely. Plant material is intrinsically complex, and extracts vary widely with the origin of the plant material and the extraction method. Commercial supplements can contain various other ingredients, and the characteristics of the study population can also be varied. To perform maximally controlled experiments, we used plant extracts analyzed for their composition and stability. We then tested these extracts in an inbred Drosophila line to minimize effects of the genetic background in a controlled environment. We found that a water extract of WS (WSAq) was most potent in improvin...

2025, Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity

Among the 2778 stanzas in Old Javanese Ramayana (OJR), only 46 (1.6%) mentioned fruit trees. There are 63 Old Javanese phytonyms for fruit or fruit tree and only 12 (19%) of them are Sanskrit in origin. Fifty-six species from 44 genera and 26 families are identified, higher than the number of fruit trees carved in reliefs of Borobudur Temple. Of the 56 species, 13 are exotic, specifically from the Indian subcontinent. One of the exotic trees from India that has been naturalized in Java for centuries is Mangifera indica, which is the most often mentioned in the text. Meanwhile, 39 of them are expressly described as fruits that can be consumed raw as food/dessert. It was also found that there are four landscapes, namely hermitage, countryside, forest, and royal garden, which depict the presence of fruit trees. The forest is the landscape with the most mentioned fruit trees in its description. Furthermore, the fruit tree present in the depiction of all landscapes is Mangifera indica. The prevalence of mango trees in these landscapes is probably related to the mango fruit's edibility as well as its symbolic and religious significance. Other fruit trees, such as Aegle marmelos, Garcinia xanthochymus, Phyllanthus emblica, and Tamarindus indica also have religious significance in Hinduism.

2025, Food Science and Quality Management

Freshly harvested leaves ( Heinsia crinata , Talinum triangulare , and Venonia amygdalina ) were subjected to different pre-processing treatments; slicing, slicing with salt and squeeze-washing; a portion of whole leaves was used as control. Each sample was soaked twice; in 1 litre and 2 litres of distilled water for 480 min. The 2, 6-dichlorophenol-indophenol Titrimetric method was used to determine the ascorbic acid (AA) content of the fresh leaves. During soaking, the trend of loss was monitored for each treatment every 120 min. The AA content of fresh H. crinata was 73.42 mg/100 g of which 49.7–71.9% was lost; fresh T. triangulare had 337.30 mg/100 g of which 54.9–93.2% was lost and fresh V. amydalina had 121.00 mg/100 g of which 49.9–89.1% was lost during soaking. The pre-processing treatments increased the degree of AA loss in the three leafy vegetables and the higher the soaking time, the higher the AA loss. Keywords: Ascorbic acid, soaking, Heinsia crinata, Talinum triangula...

2025, American Biology Teacher

We examine the interdisciplinary nature of ethnobotany from a broad perspective and consider its application to the biology classroom and lab. The concept of biophilia and students' relationships with plants are integral components. Botanical nature journaling, discussion of diverse cultural practices, and collection of plants are used to encourage students' interest in local plants. Interwoven with these topics is a plant/microbial lab, which focuses on the local environment and the potential antimicrobial properties of plant parts.

2025, Frontiers in Pharmacology

Background: Elixirs conferring eternal youth or inducing amatory and erotic attraction have been searched for without success. Lovesickness is a widespread affliction resulting from unrequited love and/or the impossibility for physical and emotional union. The symptoms are reflections of altered dopamine, serotonin, noradrenaline, testosterone and cortisol levels and range from frenzy and intrusive thinking to despair and depression, sharing traits with the neurochemistry of addiction and compulsive behavior disorder. Although it can seriously impact the quality of life, lovesickness is currently not considered in official disease classification systems. Consequently, no official therapeutic guidelines exist, leaving subjects to seek the cure on their own. Methods: We review literature of the past 2000 years dealing with the concept, diagnosis and the healing of lovesickness and contextualize it with neurochemical, ethnomedical, and ethnographic data. Since neurobiological and pharmacological connections between the love drive and the sex drive exist, we review also the literature about herbal an-and aphrodisiacs, focusing on their excitatory or calmative potential. Results: An overall consensus regarding socio-behavioral regimes exists for dealing with lovesickness from historical through contemporary literature. The herbal drugs used for treating lovesickness or inducing love passion do not possess the alleged properties. The pharmacological effects of aphrodisiacs are heterogeneous, including dopaminergic and adrenergic activities, but there is no evidence for any serotonergic effects. The libido-regulating properties of anaphrodisiacs seem to be associated with sedative and toxic effects or decreasing testosterone levels. CB 2 receptors expressed on dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area, part of the brain's reward circuit, implicated with addiction, orgasm and strong emotions such as love, might constitute a new therapeutic target. The common food additive and CB 2 agonist β-caryophyllene might have the potential to attenuate dopaminergic firing, quenching the reward and thus motivation associated with romantic love. From Greek mythology to modern history, cultural expressions and implications of love, sex and procreation is and was organized along hierarchical lines that put men on top. The neuronal predispositions and activities associated with falling in love will probably forever remain nature's and Eros' secret.

2025

We surveyed the medicinal plant diversity in the World Heritage Site of Indian Sundarbans from 7 November 2021 to 14 November 2021 in three sectors, namely, western, central, and eastern. These plants are collectively called halophytes (more specifically, euhalophytes, as they can tolerate a wide range of salinity ranging from 2 to 30 psu). We carried out a respondent analysis on the curative properties of halophytes involving the relevant stakeholders and observed the maximum weightage to cure dermatological problems compared to other health issues. However, it is interesting to note that the people of the deltaic complex are sceptical about using halophytes for curing heart diseases. It is also observed that the impact of climate change, like sea level rise and erosion, is maximum on the medicinal plant community, followed by natural disasters and acidification.

2025, Revista del Museo de Antropología

El sitio Hornos de Cal corresponde a un conchero ubicado en la costa desértica de Antofagasta, a 16 km al sur de Taltal. Se trata de un contexto funerario conformado por el entierro de un individuo adulto sin ofrendas asociadas, datado en el 6180±25 cal AP. El presente trabajo posee un enfoque osteobiográfico, donde a partir de estimaciones y determinaciones de sexo, la edad, y la estatura del individuo, como también patologías óseas, intentamos relacionar estos marcadores con su contexto temporal y cultural. Dada la presencia de rasgos particulares de este individuo que lo diferencian de su contexto poblacional, reflexionamos sobre la necesidad de considerar estos casos dentro de las reconstrucciones bioarqueológicas, ya que ayudan a comprender situaciones que dentro de un enfoque poblacional pueden pasar desapercibidas.

2025

Unpublished notes on Mbeere plant names written by Silas Kibwece for Martin Walsh in Embu, Kenya, 1993. These notes are in the form of annotations to the 'Botanical Index' in Bernard W. Riley and Brokensha, The Mbeere in Kenya, Vol. II: Botanical Identities and Uses (Lanham, 1988), pp. 319-348. They were elicited to show local variation in the knowledge of plant names and to record them in the standard orthography of Mbeere, which distinguishes all 7 vowels of this Central Kenya Bantu (Thagicu) language. Silas Kibwece is from Njura near Ishiara; comparative notes were also elicited from a research assistant in the Kiritiri area (scanned separately).

2025, Deleted Journal

The temperature in Sempu, Village of Wonokerto Turi Sleman is cool on weekdays, while at dusk and dawn the temperature is cold because it is located on a medium-high plain. This cold condition requires warm and healthy intake, especially for elderly people. This is because Sleman Regency has the highest average of life expectancy (UHH) in Indonesia. The pre-elderly population (45-59 years) is 53,146 people and the elderly population (> 60 years) is 55,967 people out of a total population of 1,090,567 people. The large number of elderly population requires serious attention in the health sector so that it does not become a burden. Thus, a promotive preventive program is needed. The morbidity rate for the elderly is the proportion of health problems that interfere with daily activities. The morbidity rate of the elderly in rural areas tends to be higher than in urban areas. It is important for the elderly to maintain their health by consuming nutritious food and additional mineral intake which has high health benefits, considering that the elderly has experienced a decrease in the performance of their organs. There are many natural ingredients that have healthful properties for the body, especially for the elderly in rural areas, and they are easy to grow in Turi with cool weather conditions. Among those natural ingredients is ginger (Zingiber officinale). Phenol compounds are antioxidants, which are thought to protect cells from damage. Ginger has properties for treating impotence, coughs, aching rheumatic pain, headaches, rheumatism, back pain, and colds. Those health problems often affect the elderly. Not many people, especially PKK Dusun (Hamlet of) Sempu, know the benefits of ginger widely and how to process it as a healthy drink. So far, ginger is only used as cooking spice. The purpose of this service is to increase knowledge and skills in making ginger-based healthy drinks for the community and PKK in Sempu, Turi. The method used was the lecture and practice method. Conclusion: This activity was fully completed, and the community was enthusiastic and grateful. The result of this activity was an increase in knowledge and understanding of the benefits of ginger by 15.6%.

2025

This paper presents a comprehensive historical, botanical, and pharmacological study of Althaea officinalis (marshmallow), based on ancient Greek medical texts and contemporary scientific research. The study explores the etymology, traditional uses, and therapeutic properties of the plant as documented by classical authors such as Dioscorides, Theophrastus, Oribasius, and others. Special attention is given to its applications in ancient and modern medicine, its pharmacological constituents, modes of preparation, and safety profile. The investigation highlights the enduring value of Althaea officinalis as a therapeutic agent from antiquity to the present, establishing its significance in both historical ethnobotany and contemporary phytotherapy.

2025, 4P-20a: The material culture of hallucinogenic practices: Anadenanthera seeds

For more than forty years, the author has combined his fascination with non-Western and ancient cultures with his professional expertise as a clinical pharmacologist to do scientific research on ethnopharmacology and ethnomedicine. This has resulted in a robust collection of references, images and objects that provide global coverage of the material cultures of both disciplines. Since his retirement, he is converting the collected materials into a coherent set of digital files about diseases, doctors and drugs in native and ancient societies. As his only aim is to preserve and disseminate his expertise in these matters, files are made freely accessible through Academia.edu. If you consider this review to be a useful source in your research, please acknowledge this by including it as an attributive reference in your own publications.

2025, STUDIES ON ETHNO-MEDICINE

The second stage of labor (SSL) has often been neglected, leading to birthing complications, perinatal morbidities, and higher rates of cesarean section (CS) in nulliparous women. In this paper, it was aimed to determine the effect of antenatal exercises on labor outcomes in nulliparous women. Two-group posttest-only randomized study. Overall, 60 nulliparous women at their 30th to 32nd weeks of gestation were allocated into two groups randomly. Group (A) received only routine antenatal care and educational instructions till the time of delivery (n=30), while group (B) received the same routine antenatal care and educational instructions in addition to antenatal exercises till the time of delivery (n=30). Comparing both groups revealed that group (B) had a significant increase in the number of spontaneous vaginal deliveries (p<0.05) and a significant decrease in duration of SSL (p<0.05), without any need to admit their neonates to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

2025, Journal of Advanced Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Many herbal products have been used to control blood glucose level and minimize complications of diabetes mellitus. However, the feasibility of using such herbal product has been hindered due to the lower stability of their extracts and patients incompliance. Objective: An optimized fast disintegrating tablet preparation of spray dried aqueous extract of poly herbal blend has been formulated to maximize the therapeutic activity of such herbal extract. Methods: different ratios of superdisintegrants were evaluated in terms of reducing disintegration time and wetting time of the prepared formulations. The potential of the optimized formula in reducing blood glucose level and promoting wound healing in streptozotcin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats was determined. Key finding: Oral administration of the optimized formula (F6) had significant superior effect in reducing blood glucose level and promoting wound healing of diabetic rats compared receiving the aqueous extract of the herbal blend (P<0.05, p<0.01, respectively). That may be attributed to the enhanced stability and the accurate dosing of such solid dosage form. In addition, no remarkable toxic manifestations or histologic changes were observed in treated animals. Conclusion: These findings uncover the potential of the formulated dosage form in enhancing the hypoglycemic and wound healing activity of the herbal extract.

2025, Journal of pharmacognosy & natural products

The Igbo people of the South-eastern part of Nigeria claims that a combination of Ehirta and honey has therapeutic effect for Ulcer. The study was designed to scientifically evaluate the phytochemical composition of E. hirta and the safety of the phytomedicine. Nine hundred gram (900 g) of E. hirta gave an average yield of 49.05 g of the extract and this gave percentage yield of 5.45% when extracted with continuous extraction process of Soxhlet apparatus. Phytochemical screenings of E. hirta showed that the extract contains alkaloids, Tannins, Saponins, Glycosides, Flavonoids and Unsaturated steroids. Acute toxicity studies showed that LD 50 was greater than 5000 mg/kg. The phytomedicine of E. hirta combined with did not produce significant changes in the blood biochemical and haematological parameters. Though slight reductions were witnessed in blood ALT the phytomedicine drugs has no significant effect on the liver and other vital organs like the kidney, the heart, spleen, intestine and the brain except the lungs that witnessed slight alveoli congestion. The study revealed that E. hirta combined with honey is safe for consumption.

2025

Investigations on alternative control methods to chemicals including usage of plant extract for plant fungal disease take important place in current researches. Plant extracts are generally deemed to be less hazardous than synthetic compounds and could be alternative to antifungal treatments. In this study, the purpose was screening of some plant extracts against Fusarium culmorum causing foot and root rot on different small-grain cereals, in particular wheat and barley. In total 6 plant species including levander (Lavandula angustifolia), common mullein (Verbascum thapsus), common sorrel (Rumex acetosa), wood avens (Geum urbanum), poison hemlock (Conium maculatum), henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) consisted the materials in the study. The antifungal effects of three different concentrations (20%, 40%, and 80%) of each extracted plant, obtained from dried plant parts in methanol, were evaluated on growth of F. culmorum by dual test technic on PDA (Potato Dextrose Agar). The maximum in vit...

2025, Proceedings of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences: B. Life and Environmental Sciences

Aloe vera L. (Lililaceae) bears various medicinal applications that likely date back more than a thousand years ago. The current review provides an overview of the folk traditional uses, phytochemistry, biological activities, and cosmaceutical applications of the A. vera plant to date. The data have been retrieved from different scientific databases, including PubMed-Medline, Researchgate, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Scopus, SciELO, Taylor & Francis, Web of Science, books, conference papers, Masters and Ph.D. dissertations. As per the collected data of this review, almost 40 active phytoconstituents in A. vera have been reported so far with varying concentrations. Ethnobotanical data displayed that A. vera is still used as traditional medicine among communities against more than 20 different health-related problems. The DPPH, FRAP, TAC, and ABTS assays were commonly employed where A. vera extracts showed varying antioxidant activities against reactive oxygen species (ROS). Data ...

2025, Heritage

NOTE: Open Access Version Available at https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/8/7/252 Continuing improvements in our understanding of ancient climate change renders it necessary to expand our toolkit for exploring human responses to climatic... more

2025, Plants

Meliaceae are widely distributed across the world in tropical or subtropical climates and are of considerable ethnobotanical importance as sources of traditional medicine and cosmetics. This comprehensive review summarizes the ethnobotanical uses and chemistry of 12 South African species, belonging to six genera: Ekebergia, Nymania, Entandrophragma, Pseudobersama, Trichilia, and Turraea. Eight of the species have ethnomedicinal records, classified into 17 major disease categories. The ethnomedicinal uses comprise 85 ailments dominated by gastrointestinal complaints, followed by gynaecological and obstetrics related problems. Chemical records were found for 10 species, which describe nine classes of compounds. In nearly all South African Meliaceae, limonoids are the predominant constituents while triterpenes, sterols, and coumarins are also common. The widest range of use-records and medicinal applications are found with the two most chemically diverse species, Ekebergiacapensis and ...

2025, Journal of Essential Oil Research

Hydrodistillation assisted by microwave (HDAM) and steam distillation assisted by microwave (SDAM) of Curcuma longa L. rhizome (CL) and Carum carvi fruits (CC) were investigated. The effect of the cryogrinding (CG) showed differences in yields and composition of volatile oils compared with classical grinding. HDAM-CG (CL: 1.20%, CC: 1.25%) and SDAM-CG (CL: 1.45%, CC: 1.75%) allowed extraction of substantial amounts of volatile oils in less time compared with HDAM (CL: 0.6%, CC: 1.00%) and SDAM (CL: 0.90%, CC: 1.00%). In addition, the major amounts of volatile oils were globally obtained during the first 5 and 10 minutes of extraction for CL and CC, respectively. A kinetic study of essential oils extraction from CL and CC was quantitatively performed. The composition of the major components and family classes present a significant variation with the extraction time. Essential oils extracted by these two methods were quantitatively (yield) and qualitatively [aromatic profile by gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)] analyzed. There were differences, especially in the major compounds ar-

2025

In Azad Kashmir plants has diverse habitat. A total of 46 plants belonging to 31 families are medicinal important plants which are used to treat almost 14 diseases. Out of which Abutilon indicum and Achilleamille folium have more medicinal value as they are used to cure diseases like diuretic, astringent, tonic, expectorant, anthalminitic, laxative, anti-inflammatory, stimulant, anti-spasmodic and anti-diarrheal. Medicinal importance of other plants are also presented.

2025, Journal of Bioresource Management

Wild plants have always held economic, nutritional and medicinal value for human beings. Present work is the study of local information of some wild plants being used for remedial purposes in District Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. The indigenous knowledge of local conventional uses was collected through survey and personal interviews during field trips. A total of 50 plant species were identified by taxonomic description using field guides and locally by medicinal knowledge of people living in the area. About 150 informers were interviewed randomly to record local names and ethno-medicinal uses of different plant species.

2025, IOSR Journal of Pharmacy and Biological Sciences

The present investigation focuses on the floristic composition in wet temperate forests of Pakistan. This area was selected as it has variation and diversity i.e. downward the tropical thorn forests and upward the alpine meadows. Wet temperate forest has high diversity of vulnerable plant species. It is situated in the Galiat Forest plants division of Abbottabad between 34•-1' to 34 •-3.8' N latitude and 73•-2222.8' to 73•-27.1' E longitude over an area of about 1684 hectares. Five hierarchy levels of classification of 27 sites were analyzed by (DCA). Four plant associations were recognized on the basis of cluster analysis. Deterended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) and Correlation Coefficient to detect the relationship between altitude and some environmental factors with the composition and structure of plants communities. The major families were Rosaceae, Pteridaceae, Pinaceae, Lamiaceae and Asteraceae.

2025, ScieXplore: International Journal of Research in Science

Obtaining the plant drugs for the production of commercial products is the recent research scenario. But still, the role of a plant species in its ecosystem is not much explored. The present study intended to find antibacterial activity of Fabaceae plant species in a tropical freshwater lake against isolated indigenous bacterial species. Results revealed that the fabaceae plants Abrus precatorus,

2025, Past Global Changes Magazine

2025, European Journal of Applied Sciences

Ethnobotanical studies play a crucial role in documenting traditional medicinal knowledge and preserving biodiversity. This study presents an ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in Tirupathur District, Tamil Nadu, India, focusing on their therapeutic applications. A total of 111 plant species from 36 families were documented, including Amaranthaceae, Zingiberaceae, Fabaceae and Lamiaceae, among others. The plants were systematically categorized by scientific name, common name (Tamil), family, plant parts used and therapeutic uses. Traditional healers, tribal communities and local elders provided insights into the medicinal applications of these plants for treating ailments such as asthma, diabetes, skin diseases, digestive disorders and respiratory infections. Notable species included Curcuma longa (anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial), Ocimum sanctum (cold and cough relief), Azadirachta indica (skin diseases) and Phyllanthus amarus (jaundice and diabetes). The study highlights the cultural significance of these plants in primary
healthcare and underscores the need to preserve indigenous knowledge amid declining interest in herbal medicine among younger generations. The findings emphasize the potential of ethnomedicine as a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to modern pharmaceuticals. However, further scientific validation is required to confirm the efficacy and safety of these traditional remedies. This documentation is a valuable resource for future research, conservation efforts, and community-based healthcare initiatives. By integrating traditional knowledge with scientific approaches, this study contributes to the global understanding of ethnobotany and promotes the sustainable use of medicinal plants.

2025, Bangladesh Journal of Plant Taxonomy

Hydrocotyle kollimalayensis, a new species is described and illustrated from Kolli hills of South Eastern Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India. The new species is morphologically closer to H. sibthorpioides, but differs from the latter by its filiform stem, glabrous peduncle, shorter petiole and narrower flowers. The most prominent features of the new species Hydrocotyle kollimalayensis are: stem filiform with silky setaceous hairs; leaves sparsely hirsute above and dense below, 5-lobed; flowers 6-12 per inflorescence with glabrous peduncle; and fruits ellipsoidal with 3 obscure ribs. A key to distinguish the new species from other Hydrocotyle species of Tamil Nadu, India is provided. We also inferred the relationship of H. kollimalayensis with allied species using molecular phylogenetic analyses based on nrDNA ITS sequence data.

2025, Ethnobotany Research and Applications

Background: In rural Nepal, a significant population relies on traditional medicinal treatments for their healthcare needs. However, little is known about the ethnobotanical practices of the Yakkha people, a distinct Tibeto-Burman ethnic group following the Kirati religion in Sankhuwasabha district in eastern Nepal. This study examines the use of medicinal plants by the Yakkha community in three remote villages and assesses the ethnobotanical significance of their traditional knowledge. The research was conducted in three Yakkha communities with varying levels of modernization, and Yakkha ethnic concentration. Data collection included key informant interviews, informal and structured interviews, focus group discussions, as well as direct and participatory observations. The Informant consensus factor was used to validate knowledge homogeneity. The study documented 200 medicinal plant species and one fungus species, from 174 genera and 87 families, utilized by the Yakkha people to treat 75 human ailments. Above-ground vegetative parts (34%), reproductive (32%), below-ground (27%), and whole plants (7%) were the main plant parts used for medicinal purposes, primarily administered orally. While no new medicinal plant species were discovered, a few species (n = 10) revealed novel uses. Informant consensus was high for Musculoskeletal, Circulatory, and Nervous system disorders. The Yakkha community in Sankhuwasabha district possesses valuable traditional knowledge of medicinal plant utilization, with strong consensus among locals. The diverse range of medicinal plant use underscores their effectiveness in treating various ailments. Exploring the bioactive compounds in these plants could lead to the discovery of novel medicines for critical human diseases.

2025

Field survey made in 24 villages of the South-West Garo Hills district, Meghalaya, inhabited mainly by the Koch community helped to gather ethnobotanical information concerning 25 medicinal plant species belonging to 24 Angiospermic and 1 Pteridophytic genus under 22 different families that are used as traditional hepatoprotective herbal medicine. Among the different plant parts prescribed for hepatoprotection, fruits are the most frequently used plant part (25%), followed by leaves (21.42%) and then followed by stems, rhizomes, roots and the whole plant which had equal applications (10.71%). Barks (7.14%) and cloves (3.57%) of the medicinal plants were relatively less frequently prescribed plant part for the purpose of hepatoprotection. Regarding the life form of the reported medicinal plants prescribed by the traditional healers, herbs (11 species) were most frequently used, followed by trees (7 species), climbers (3 species), shrubs (2 species) and epiphytes (2 species). All plan...

2025, Review of International Geographical Education Online

Breadfruit is a high yielding tree crop with a long history in the Pacific Islands, with the potential to improve food security under climate change. Traditionally, it has been grown and used extensively as a food source in Hawaii, but in the past decades, it has been neglected, underutilized, and supplanted by imported staple foods. Revitalization of breadfruit is central for reducing dependency on food imports and increasing food resiliency and self-sufficiency in Hawaii. Such a process could potentially be strengthened by the development of novel value-added products. This empirical study investigates consumer acceptance and willingness to pay in two scenarios: with and without detailed product information about breadfruit and its cultural significance, nutritional benefits and potential contribution to increase local food security. A total of 440 consumers participated in the study. Participants receiving descriptive information had a higher level of acceptance and were willing to pay a higher price compared with participants who were not informed that the product was made from breadfruit: 1.33 ± 0.15 acceptance on the hedonic scale and 1.26 ± 0.23 USD (both p < 0.0001). In conclusion, repeated exposure and building a positive narrative around breadfruit products may increase consumer acceptability.

2025, Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia

The study was developed in order to collect information about knowledge on medicinal plant uses by students from some primary school classes located in a small community on the western shore of Lake Como (northern Italy). This information was compared with the one collected from the students' relatives and from other people they were in contact with, in order to evaluate differences and similarities between the children's and the adults' knowledge. Two workshops were led in each of the classes taking part in the project. The first one was performed to introduce our research and the topic of healing plants to the students. During the second workshop we asked the students to fill a survey focusing on which plant remedies they would use as medicines. In another phase of the project each child was given a new survey to be filled in at home while conducting the interviews with their relatives or other adults. Tremezzina children reported the use of 24 medicinal species; 78% of students listed at least one species but only 9% showed to know more than three species and uses. In total, adults reported 85 species in eighteen categories of use. Children listed eight species and eleven uses that were not reported by the adults, suggesting that some of the Tremezzina children's knowledge of the medicinal plants are specific to them. Both children and adults learned about the use of the medicinal plants mainly from their family; however, other sources of knowledge were also reported. Differences related to age and gender in both the informants' groups were also discussed. Our results provide valuable qualitative and quantitative data on the plants used for the medicinal purpose within the studied community.

2025, International Journal of Phytocosmetics and Natural Ingredients

Coffea species are perennial shrubs from the Rubiaceae family which grow in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in Equatorial regions at 200-1600 masl and temperature range 18-22°C. 1,2 Coffee beans is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. The most cultivated varieties are Coffea arabica L. (Arabica) and C. canephora L. (Robusta), which are used for commercial production, representing 60 and 39% respectively of the world market, and C. liberica Hiern is <1% of the market. The chemical composition of coffee leaves contain alkaloids (caffeine, trigonelline, adenine-7-glycosil, theobromine and methylxanthine), flavonoids (anthocyanins, quercetin glycosides, quercetin, isoquercetin, rutin and kaempferol), terpenoids (kahweol, cafestol and 16-O-methyl cafestol), amino acids (histidine and pipecolic acid), sugars, tannins, xanthonoids (mangiferin and isomangiferin), phenolic acids (caffeic, chlorogenic, p-coumaric, ferulic and synaptic), tannins (catechin and epicatechin). Coffee as functional food has demonstrated antioxidant activity, reduce cancer, diabetes, and hepatic disease incidence, protect against Parkinson's disease and reduce mortality risks. 9 Green coffee beans extract show hypotensive effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats, 10 reduce visceral fat and body weight in relation with its bioactive compunds. Chlorogenic acid (CA) is the main phenolic compound of green coffee, which has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anticancer activities by DNA protection. 12,13 Phenolic compounds and hydroxycinnamate has been identified and quantitated in coffee beans from China, India and México. Jang et al 16 reported that CA can help in preventing retinal degeneration. Guatemala is the largest coffee producer from Central

2025, Phytotherapy Research

This study focused on an ethnopharmacological survey among a group of Brazilian Quilombolas (descended from runaway slaves living in hideouts up‐country) whose therapeutic practices involve a combination of healing ceremonies and prescription of medicinal plants consisting of the use of, at least, 48 plants with possible effect on the central nervous system (CNS), cited in 53 formulas prescribed for 17 therapeutic indications, the main ones being: to fortify the brain, for insomnia, as a sedative, for insanity, weight loss, and rejuvenation. The formulas consist of one to ten plants, and each plant may be recommended for up to seven different therapeutic indications, with evidence of non‐speciﬁcity in the use of plants in this culture. Of these 48 plants, only 31 could be identiﬁed to the species level as belonging to 20 taxonomic families, with the Asteraceae, Malpighiaceae, Cyperaceae, and Myrtaceae as the most important families. Only eleven of these species have been previously ...

2025, Plantes utiles du Kongo-Central, R.D. Congo

Note : Le but de ce livre est d'encourager la plantation et la conservation des plantes au Kongo Central, province de la République Démocratique du Congo. La plupart des plantes citées sont également présentes dans plusieurs pays en région tropicale humide d'Afrique. Il est à espérer que ce livre sera utile aux fermiers, aux guérisseurs, aux étudiants et aux diverses catégories de personnes vivant en milieu rural. Attention : Certaines plantes documentées dans cette publication sont toxiques. Les auteurs déclinent toute responsabilité en cas d'empoisonnement au contact de celles-ci. Première page de la couverture : Kalumba Alphonse faisant des paniers au village de Kubana avec le Mbamba (Eremospatha haullevilleana) Cette édition est dédiée à la mémoire de Luc Pauwels, ancien directeur du jardin botanique de Kisantu, qui a identifié de nombreuses plantes et apporté de précieuses informations et photos à cet ouvrage. Son aide, apportée pendant de nombreuses années, est grandement appréciée.

2025, Journal of Phytomedicine and Therapeutics

The bark of Alstonia scholaris when administered to diet of rats for 30 days caused a dose-dependent and significant lowering of serum glucose in rats. There were no significant changes in concentrations of triglycerides and HDL levels. However, cholesterol and LDL levels were significantly elevated compared to control when bark powder was administered at 0.1% w/w diet. The results indicate that regular monitoring of sugar and lipid profile in serum need to be maintained when the bark is taken for considerable lengths of time.

2025, aensionline.com

Corresponding Author: Dr. Mohammed Rahmatullah Pro-Vice Chancellor University of Development Alternative House No. 78, Road No. 11A (new) Dhanmondi R/A, Dhaka-1205 Bangladesh Phone: 88-01715032621; Fax: 88-02-8157339; E-mail:... more

2025, Environmental Conservation

SUMMARYMangroves are an imperilled biome whose protection and restoration through payments for ecosystem services (PES) can contribute to improved livelihoods, climate mitigation and adaptation. Interviews with resource users in three Solomon Islands villages suggest a strong reliance upon mangrove goods for subsistence and cash, particularly for firewood, food and building materials. Village-derived economic data indicates a minimum annual subsistence value from mangroves of US$ 345–1501 per household. Fish and nursery habitat and storm protection were widely recognized and highly valued mangrove ecosystem services. All villagers agreed that mangroves were under threat, with firewood overharvesting considered the primary cause. Multivariate analyses revealed village affiliation and religious denomination as the most important factors determining the use and importance of mangrove goods. These factors, together with gender, affected users’ awareness of ecosystem services. The import...

2025, … doctoral dissertation, Department of Systems Ecology …

ecologin a Social-Ecological System (SES) on the coast of East Africa. It does so by assessing the return of ecosystem goods and services in restored mangroves through both ecological and socioeconomic measurements, and by empirically studying variations and diversity in content of local ecological knowledge among resource users, its relation to valuation of ecosystem goods and services and its

2025, Ethnobotany research and applications

Background: In rural human societies, people's knowledge of plants can vary according to some factors, including sociodemographic characteristics. This study was carried out among local communities living near forest patches of the Lubero Mountain Massif in north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). Its aim was to assess the effect of age, gender and formal education on the level of endogenous knowledge of woody plants of the forest patches. Methods: Ethnobotanical surveys were carried out among 449 people in 13 villages bordering forest patches in the study area, using semi-structured individual interviews and focus groups. The different categories of use of woody plants were identified. The effect of age, gender and formal education on the level of local knowledge of woody plants was investigated using negative binomial regression. Results: A total of 80 woody species belonging to 77 genera and 43 families were mentioned by the respondents, who used them in five main categories: energy, handicrafts, medicine, construction and food. Age and gender had a significant effect on the number of woody species identified (P<0.05). Old people (age ≥ 60 years) knew on average twice as many woody species as adults (30 < age < 60) and young people (age ≤ 30 years), while men knew significantly more species than women. Conclusions: These findings confirm the unequal distribution of endogenous knowledge based on socio-demographic factors and suggests that males and older people with more knowledge of woody species should be considered as key players in the conservation of woody plant resources in the study area.

2025, International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences

Understanding the utilization of plant is fundamental for efficient conservation of species. The present study aimed at assessing the quatitative ethnobotany of Lophira lanceolata Tiegh. ex Keay (Ochnaceae) utilization in Benin. A number of 1261 persons were randomly selected and interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. Principal Components Analysis was performed to relate utilizations and organs to ethnic groups. The diversity (ID) and equitability (IE) values were globally low (< 0.50) and indicated that local knowledge on L. lanceolata utilization is not fairly distributed among groups. L. lanceolata was not wellknown by all the respondents and its utilization varied significantly among ethnic groups, between sex and fairly between age classes. The ethnic group consensus values for L. lanceolata parts showed that leaves are the most used organ. Local knowledge on the species was well-diversified and was influenced by the ethnic group. Our study has provided basic information that may help for sustainable management and conservation of the species in Benin.

2025

Background: Forest management can be sustainable if it integrates social, cultural and economic values that local communities associate with forest resources in a given area. Detarium microcarpum Guill. & Perr. (Fabaceae), also known as small detar or sweet detar, is a common multiuse small tree of Sudanese and Sudano-Guinean savannahs with high potential for use as fuelwood or fruit tree but little valued in forestry programs. The present countrywide study aims to assess the compatibility of current local uses of Detarium microcarpum with its promotion as fuelwood and to determine the most suitable areas for its integration into forest management programs. Methods: An ethnobotanical survey was conducted on the basis of a semi-structured questionnaire among 1074 people selected randomly in 10 of the 12 departments of Benin where the species is present. Factors determining Detarium microcarpum use as fuelwood were identified through a binary logistic regression. A Factorial Corresp...

2025, Pharmaceuticals

Since ancient times, many scientists and doctors have used various herbs to treat diseases. Conventional drugs often have side effects, and pathogens are becoming resistant to these types of drugs. In such circumstances, the study of traditional medicinal plants is an effective and logical strategy for finding new herbal medicines. One such herb is Plantago major, a perennial plant in the Plantaginaceae family that is found throughout the world. The Plantago major plant has been used as a medicine for the treatment of various diseases. Studies have shown that plant extracts of Plantago major exhibit antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory effects, and have wound-healing properties. This review collects and presents the results of various studies of Plantago major plant extracts with antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing properties, which demonstrate a wide range of therapeutic possibilities of Plantago major plant extracts and have a huge...

2025, Research, Society and Development

Floristic surveys are the basis of phytodiversity knowledge and when carried out in protected areas add value because they can generate incentives for conservation and subsidies for management plans. With the objective to contribute to flora knowledge in Piaui State, Brazil, a floristic study was developed in the riparian forest Uruçuí-Una Ecological Station. This station has a 135.122,29 ha area and is in Baixa Grande do Ribeiro municipality, Piauí, in Northeast of Brazil. The area is in Cerrado’s phytogeographical domain, with riparian forest along the river Uruçuí-Preto, which borders part of its area. The survey was conducted from samples collected of woody vascular plants in an area of approximately 4.5 ha on the left bank of Uruçuí-Preto River. The samples collected were properly herborized, taxonomically identified, and stored in herbaria Graziela Barroso (TEPB) and Delta do Parnaíba (HDELTA). The study resulted in 90 species, 71 genus, and 37 families. Except for Tilesia bac...

2025, Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies

1. Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad [Email: Sobia.botanist@gmail.com] 2. Department of Botany, Institute of Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICBS), University of Gujrat (UOG), Hafiz Hayat Campus (HHC) Gujrat 50700, Punjab, Pakistan [Email: khizar.hayat@uog.edu.pk] 3. Department of Botany, Institute of Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICBS), University of Gujrat (UOG), Hafiz Hayat Campus (HHC) Gujrat 50700, Punjab, Pakistan [Email: Parvaiz.botanist@gmail.com] The present research work was conducted to explore the Ethnobotanical studies and medicinal utilization of aquatic flora. Regular field tours were conducted to collect aquatic flora of Sialkot district, Pakistan. In total of 18 species belonging to 13 families were collected from different sites and habitats. Work on Ethnobotanical aspect comprises the native names and conventional medicinal utilization of vegetation was obtained from native inhabitants through direct interviews. The present res...

2025, PloS one

Globally, a majority of people use plants as a primary source of healthcare and introduced plants are increasingly discussed as medicine. Protecting this resource for human health depends upon understanding which plants are used and how use patterns will change over time. The increasing use of introduced plants in local pharmacopoeia has been explained by their greater abundance or accessibility (availability hypothesis), their ability to cure medical conditions that are not treated by native plants (diversification hypothesis), or as a result of the introduced plants' having many different simultaneous roles (versatility hypothesis). In order to describe the role of introduced plants in Ecuador, and to test these three hypotheses, we asked if introduced plants are over-represented in the Ecuadorian pharmacopoeia, and if their use as medicine is best explained by the introduced plants' greater availability, different therapeutic applications, or greater number of use categor...

2025, Next Research

Globally, lack of access to basic healthcare poses a challenge, particularly in low-and middle-income countries. Traditional medicine is widely used due to its affordability and effectiveness in meeting healthcare needs. This study reviews the use of medicinal plants for treating various ailments and conditions in the NorthWest Province. An extensive literature review was conducted to identify the plant species used for medicinal purposes in the province. A total of 144 plant species from 58 plant families were recorded as remedies for numerous health conditions, including pain and inflammation, gastrointestinal disorders, skin-related conditions, and various other ailments. Most of the plant species belonged to the following families: Asteraceae (27 %), Fabaceae (24 %), Euphorbiaceae (14 %), Asphodelaceae (14 %), Malvaceae (12 %), Solanaceae (12 %), Apocynaceae (10 %), and Asparagaceae (10 %). Some of the plant species used in the NorthWest Province identify as alien invasive species (Agave americana (L.), Argemone ochroleuca, Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh., Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., and Ricinus communis L.). Roots (29 %) and leaves (23 %) were the frequently used plant parts. In terms of the method of preparation, decoctions (28 %) and maceration (17 %) were the most popular methods. Eighty-one percent of the plants used for medicinal purposes were of least concern (LC), meaning they are widespread and abundant. The review highlights the need for more in-depth ethnobotanical studies in the NorthWest Province, as well as educating locals and health practitioners about the unsustainable use of roots.

2025, Marmara Pharmaceutical Journal

This ethnobotanical study was planned to carried out in villages of Savaştepe district (Balıkesir, Turkey) between May 2012 to October 2015. The settlements (44 villages) in Savaştepe were visited during the field work. With this study, we aimed to document traditional uses of edible plants in Savaştepe (Balıkesir). Interviews were made with the local people. A total of 205 individuals (107 men, 98 women) interviewed in the area. The plant samples were collected in company with local people. The collected specimens were identified and were deposited as herbarium samples at ISTE (The Herbarium of the Faculty of Pharmacy of Istanbul University). Among these collected plants 71 taxa belonging to 27 families are edible plants. The plants were mostly used as food (55 taxa), spice (14 taxa), beverage (3 taxa) and honey paste (2 taxa). Mostly used parts of plants were leaf (27 taxa), aerial part (20 taxa), fruit (19 taxa) and seed (5 taxa).

2025, DergiPark (Istanbul University)

In this study, 38 vascular plants species are reported that are used as food, spice and the other purposes (except medicinal). Among them 11 species as food, 7 species as spice and 25 species for different purposes using were noted.

2025, Clinical and Experimental Health Sciences