Abstract: Traditional medicine has been part of the Algerian culture for decades. In particular, the city of Tlemcen still retains practices based on phytotherapy to the present day, as this kind of medicine fulfills the needs of its followers among the local population. The toxic plants contain diverse natural substances which supplied a lot of medicine in the pharmaceutical industry. In order to explore new medicinal sources among toxic plants, an ethnobotanical study was carried out on the use of these plants by the population, at Emir Abdelkader Square of the city of Tlemcen, a rather busy place with a high number of traditional health practitioners and herbalists. This is a descriptive and transversal study aimed at estimating the frequency of using toxic plants among the studied population, for a period of 4 months. The information was collected, using self-anonymous questionnaires, and analyzed by the IBM SPSS Statistics software used for statistical analysis. A sample of 200 people, including 120 women and 80 men, were interviewed. The mean age was 41 ± 16 years. Among those questioned, 83.5% used plants; 8% of them used toxic plants and 35% used plants that can be toxic under certain conditions. Some improvements were observed in 88% of the cases where toxic plants were used. 80 medicinal plants, belonging to 36 botanical families, were listed, identified and classified. The most frequent indications for these plants were for respiratory diseases in 64.7% of cases, and for digestive disorders in 51.5% of cases. 11% of these plants are toxic, 26% could be toxic under certain conditions. Among toxics plants, the most common ones are Berberis vulgaris with 5.4%, indicated in the treatment of uterine fibroids and thyroid, Rhamnus alaternus with 4.8% for hepatic jaundice, Nerium oleander with 3% for hemorrhoids, Ruta chalepensis with 1.2%, indicated for digestive disorders and dysmenorrhea, and Viscum album with 1.2%, indicated for respiratory diseases. The most common plants that could be toxic are Mentha pulegium (15.6%), Eucalyptus globulus (11.4%), and Pimpinella anisum (10.2%). This study revealed interesting results on the use of toxic plants, which are likely to serve as a basis for further ethno-pharmacological investigations in order to get new drug sources.
Abstract: Coastal zone combines terrestrial, marine and atmospheric factors and gives rise to unique landforms that play an important role in long-term sustainability of the hinterland and economy of maritime nations. World over, efforts have been put forth to understand plants of the seacoasts. In India also, plants of several geographical entities have been well documented, but works devoted to plant communities of the vast tropical coast of India and its States are still insufficient. Therefore, an inventory of plants flourishing in a stretch of ~450km of the Coastal Regulatory Zone I encompassing a total of 84 villages in 6 revenue Districts of northern Andhra Pradesh (15o42’06”N, 80o51’03”E to 19o05’51”N, 84o47’44”E) along Bay of Bengal was carried out. The study revealed presence of a total of 364 species belonging to 225 genera under 71 families. In addition to inventory, zonation pattern, ethnobotany, and certain interesting ecological facts are included.
Abstract: Dioscorea species or commonly named as yam is
reported to be one of the major food sources worldwide. This
ethnobotanical study was conducted to document local knowledge
and potentials of DioscoreahispidaDennst. and to investigate and
record its distribution in three districts of Terengganu. Information
was gathered from 23 villagers from three districts of Besut, Marang
and Setiu by using semi-structured questionnaire. The villagers were
randomly selected and no appointment was made prior to the visits.
For distribution, the location of Dioscoreahispida was recorded by
using the Global Positioning System (GPS). The villagers identified
Dioscoreahispida or locally named ubigadong by looking at the
physical characteristics that include its leaf shape, stem and the color
of the tuber-s flesh. The villagers used Dioscoreahispida in many
ways in their life such as for food, medicinal purposes and fish
poison.
Abstract: An ethnobotanical study was conducted to document
local knowledge and potentials of wild edible tubers that has been
reported and sighted and to investigate and record their distribution in
Pulau Redang and nearby islands of Terengganu, Malaysia.
Information was gathered from 42 villagers by using semi-structured
questionnaire. These respondents were selected randomly and no
appointment was made prior to the visits. For distribution, the
locations of wild edible tubers were recorded by using the Global
Positioning System (GPS). The wild edible tubers recorded were ubi
gadung, ubi toyo, ubi kasu, ubi jaga, ubi seratus and ubi kertas.
Dioscorea or commonly known as yam is reported to be one of the
major food sources worldwide. The majority of villagers used
Dioscorea hispida Dennst. or ubi gadung in many ways in their life
such as for food, medicinal purposes and fish poison. The villagers
have identified this ubi gadung by looking at the morphological
characteristics; that include leaf shape, stem and the color of the
tuber-s flesh.