Ethnomedicine investigation of the medicinal plants and animals in Daur, Inner Mongolia, China

Abstract

Background: The traditional medical practices of the Daur region are an important element in Chinese ethnomedicinal knowledge. However, relatively little recording of traditional Daur medicine has been carried out. As Daur medicine is gradually being replaced by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and modern medicine, further research is urgently needed.Methods: We collected ethnobotany and ethnozoology data through semi-structured interviews with 114 informants (18 sessions), focus group discussions (6 sessions), and extensive literature reviews. Medicinal samples and specimens were collected during field investigations from June 2015 to October 2018. The diseases and ailments reported as being treated were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases 11th (ICD-11). The expression correlation of medicine classification, medicine, and disease was assessed using Cytoscape 3.6.1 software. Quantitative indices such as informant consensus factor (ICF) and use value (UV) were used to evaluate the importance of ethnomedicinal data. Results: We documented 30 plant species (from 19 families) and 21 animal species (from 11 families). In the past, the majority of plant species were collected from natural habitats, but now they are mainly cultivated. The most widely utilized plants were herbs (21 species), followed by shrubs (4), trees (3), and fungus (2). The most utilized groups of animals were mammals (14 species), followed by birds (5), amphibians (1), and reptiles (1). Medicines were mostly administered orally (43) but were also applied externally (11) or delivered via both routes (9). Informants indicated that medicines were prepared via decoction (21), grinding (11), boiling (10), extraction (8), and burning (7). Medicines were taken as a drink (37), eaten (16), or made into pills and powders (7), but could also be administered as an ointment/wash (6), wrap/dressing (5), in the nose, eyes, and mouth (4), or as a fumigate (2). The traditional Daur medicines investigated in this study treated 76 human diseases or ailments classified under 13 disease categories, based on the ICD-11. The highest ICF (1.00) was reported for neoplasms and visual system diseases and childbirth or the puerperium, followed by injury, poisoning, or other diseases resulting from external causes (0.92), and symptoms, signs or clinical findings, not elsewhere classified (0.82). The most used medicinal species were Cervus elaphus, Cervus nippon, Capreolus, Gallus, Canis lupus familiaris, Betula platyphylla, and Artemisia integrifolia. Conclusions: The current research can make an important contribution to the body of knowledge about the national medicine of the Daur people. This is particularly important because the younger generation is not interested in learning and preserving their traditional medical practices. A substantial body of ethnobotanical and ethnozoological knowledge could lead to the development of new medicines. Therefore, research into Daur ethnic medicines is urgently required. The information documented in the present study will provide a useful basis for future investigations into the ethnopharmacological and traditional knowledge of the Daur region.