The use of magical plants by curanderos in the Ecuador highlands

Abstract

Although the use of plants for treating supernaturally caused illnesses (e.g., soul loss, evil wind, witchcraft) has been documented in the Ecuador highlands, so-called magical plants have received much less focused attention than plants used for treating naturalistic disorders. Drawing on interviews done in 2002 and 2003 with 116 curanderos residing in the Ecuador highlands, this paper examines the characteristics of plants identified as magical, how they are used, and how the study of magical plants provides insights into the mindscape of residents of the highlands.

Phytochemistry and Ethnopharmacology of the Ecuadorian Flora. A Review

“…Outside of the native peoples, the highlands region of Ecuador shows a traditional use of plants for the treatment of diseases; a description of this phenomenon has been reported by Cavender and Albán [5], which includes the use of 17 "magical" species, based on interviews with 116 curanderos (healers) from all the highland provinces of Ecuador.…”

New categories for traditional medicine in the Economic Botany Data Collection Standard

“…-Susto (fright sickness)in Ecuador highlands people suffer from susto, which can be caused by a frightening experience such as unexpected encounter with a spirit, scary dreams, or an accident; and, if severe, it may result in loss of the soul (Cavender and Albán, 2009). The departure of the soul is dangerous because malevolent forces are attracted to and suffuse a soulless body.…”

“…An example of treatment involves ingesting an infusion made from leaves of Ambrosia arborescens Mill. (Cavender and Albán, 2009). -Mal de ojo (evil eye)in the Colombian Pacific region Afroamericans suffer from mal de ojo, which is caused by an envious malevolent look (Cámara-Leret, unpublished).…”

“…are burnt near the patient. -Malos vientos (bad winds)in Ecuador highlands malos vientos are believed to be caused by a person's exposure to malevolent, destructive force that is transmitted through wind (Cavender and Albán, 2009). One treatment involves brushing the patient's body with a whole plant of Minthostachys mollis Kunth.…”

A New Phenolic Compound from the Stems of Flue-Cured Tobacco and Its Anti-Tobacco Mosaic Virus Activity

“…It is found only in cultivation, where it is the most commonly grown of all plants in the nicotiana genus and its leaves are commercially grown in many countries to be processed into tobacco 1,2 . In addition to being used in cigarette industry, N. tabacum is also used as insecticide, anesthetic, diaphoretic, sedative and emetic agents in Chinese folklore medicine because of it containing many useful chemical compounds 1,[3][4][5] . In previous work, a number of bioactive compounds, such as terpenoids [6][7][8] , alkaloids 9,10 , lignans 11,12 , flavonoid 13 , phenyl-propanoids 14 and the homologous, were isolated from this plant.…”