This exploratory ethnobotanical study took place in Kumasi, the capital city of the Asante, one of the Akan tribes. Data was collected using the multi-method approach of descriptive review, semi-structured interviews with traditional medical practitioners, and brief scientific review. Traditional Akan medicine is holistic and does not separate the physical world from the supernatural world. It ...

Azadirachta indica is a fast growing, evergreen tree found commonly in India, Africa and America. Neem is one of the most useful traditional medicinal plant in India. It is a highly esteemed tree with several beneficial properties and applications, especially known for its incredible therapeutic and ethnomedicinal values for mankind. It has been used in different medicinal systems: Ayurveda, un...

Ethnopharmacology investigations classically involved traditional healers, botanists, anthropologists, chemists and pharmacologists. The role of some groups of researchers but not of physician has been highlighted and well defined in ethnopharmacological investigations. Historical data shows that discovery of several important modern drugs of herbal origin owe to the medical knowledge and clini...

Over the centuries, a significant part of the Brazilian fauna is widely sold, more specifically in retail stores or street markets. The objective was to characterize the sale of medicinal animals in five large northeast cities. Information about the sale of zootherapeutic items was obtained in the cities of Aracaju-SE, Fortaleza-CE, Maceio-AL, Recife-PE, and Salvador-BA. A total of 68 animal sp...

Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is considered as one of the common diseases in the world. Treatment of peptic ulcer with synthetic drugs such as proton pump inhibitors, H2 receptor antagonists and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs has shown adverse effects, relapses, drug interactions. Medicinal plants containing active chemical constituents are useful in prevention and treatment of variou...

The interaction between plants and human has long been established since ancient times. Plants' medicinal properties have been acknowledged very well and considered as humans' living pharmacy for thousands of years. The knowledge of traditional medicine and ethno-botanical uses of plant species in each tribe may serve as a starting point for extensive pharmacological studies to be carried out i...

BACKGROUND The Eastern Highlands area of Papua New Guinea (PNG) has a rich tradition of medicinal plant use. However, rapid modernization is resulting in the loss of independent language traditions and consequently a loss of individuals knowledgeable in medicinal plant use. This report represents a program to document and preserve traditional knowledge concerning medicinal plant use in PNG. Thi...

This paper describes the findings of ethnobotanical research conducted in Tibetan community of agro-pastoralists in Dolpo, northwest Nepal. We assessed vernacular classification and plant nomenclature system with a particular focus on medicinal plants. We aimed to encompass the interpretation of semantic categories, as well as observing directly how people relate to plants in all material and s...

History of medicine goes back practically to the existence of human being. The current accepted Modern Medicine or allopathy has gradually developed over the years of scientific and observational efforts of scientists-however, the basis of its development remains in the roots of traditional medicine and therapies. Plants are the most exclusive source of drugs for the majority of World's populat...

BACKGROUND Leading scholars in ethnobiology and ethnomedicine continuously stress the need for moving beyond the bare description of local knowledge and to additionally analyse and theorise about the characteristics and dynamics of human interactions with plants and related local knowledge. Analyses of the variation of local knowledge are thereby perceived as minimal standard. In this study we ...