No abstract

This study assessed the intracultural knowledge of the use of medicinal plants in an urban-rural community in an Atlantic forest fragment in northeastern Brazil. We examined the importance of native and exotic species and the effects of gender and age on that knowledge. We also compared data obtained from different groups of informants (local experts and general community). We conducted 194 interviews between June 2007 and January 2008, using the freelist technique and semistructured forms to collect ethnobotanical data. Information obtained from the community was compared with that from six local experts who participated in a survey in 2003. From a total of 209 ethnospecies, exotic and herbaceous plants presented higher richness. With respect to the number of citations, women and older informants were shown to know a higher number of medicinal plants. Comparing knowledge of local experts with that of the general community, we noted that experts know a similar wealth of plant families and therapeutic indications, but the community knows a greater species richness. These results indicate that local experts may provide useful information for studies that search for a quick diagnosis of the knowledge of a given community.

Wade Davis's study of Haitian “zombification” in the 1980s was a landmark in ethnobiological research. His research was an attempt to trace the origins of reports of “undead” Haitians, focusing on the preparation of the zombification poison. Starting with this influential ethnopharmacological research, this study examines advances in the pharmacology of natural products, focusing especially on those of animal-derived products. Ethnopharmacological, pharmacological, and chemical aspects are considered. We also update information on the animal species that reportedly constitute the zombie poison. Several components of the zombie powder are not unique to Haiti and are used as remedies in traditional medicine worldwide. This paper emphasizes the medicinal potential of products from zootherapy. These biological products are promising sources for the development of new drugs.

Extracts from the Caatinga showed a trend of superior antimicrobial activity compared to the species from the Atlantic Forest, in terms of both inhibiting a greater variety of microorganisms and demonstrating higher activity against susceptible strains.

Resumo: A mata ciliar do Submédio São Francisco possui grande fitodiversidade com atividade biológica potencial e relação intrínseca com a população ribeirinha. Com isso, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi identificar espécies conhecidas e utilizadas como medicinais atestadas pela tradicionalidade do uso. Os sujeitos da pesquisa foram os moradores da comunidade de Jatubarana localizada a 600 metros das margens do Rio São Franciscono município de Chorrochó, Bahia. A coleta de dados ocorreu por pesquisa de campo, aplicando a lista livre e questionário estruturado, baseando-se no conceito de ''chefe de família''. Foi registrado um total de 59 espécies e 31 famílias botânicas, destas, cinco famílias contribuíram com um maior número de espécies: Fabaceae (9), Euphorbiaceae (6), Lamiaceae (4), Anacardiaceae (4), Apiaceae (4). Conforme a farmacopéia popular da comunidade estudada, as plantas citadas possuem eficácia no alivio da enfermidade caracterizando o potencial medicinal das espécies nativas e exóticas da Caatinga. O caule foi à parte da planta mais citada no uso terapêutico, à forma de preparo dos remédios mais utilizados foi o chá e a indicação terapêutica mais citada foi para doença respiratória. Doze espécies apresentaram grande Importância Relativa quanto aos usos medicinais com IR≥2 indicados para até três sistemas corporais, a espécie mais versátil foi o Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Staph com IR (2,0). O estudo foi essencial para o resgate etnobotânico, identificando as plantas de interesse medicinal do bioma Caatinga.