Think globally, act locally Local Knowledge Systems (LKS) consist of the knowledge, beliefs, traditions, practices, institutions, and worldviews developed and sustained by indigenous and local communities, and are believed to represent an adaptive strategy to the environment in which these communities live. The value of LKS has been contested by some scholars as being restricted to local issues...

The belief that HIV/AIDS can be cured as a result of having sex with a virgin has been identified as a possible factor in the rape of babies and children in South Africa. While the prevalence of this myth has been a matter of concern in local communities for some time, there have been recent attempts to discern the extent to which this belief is exacerbating perceived increases in child rape an...

Background: Ethnopharmacology is at the intersection of the medical, natural, and social sciences. Despite its interdisciplinary nature, most ethnopharmacological research has been based on the combination of the chemical, biological, and pharmacological sciences. Far less attention has been given to the social sciences, including anthropology and the study of traditional knowledge systems. Met...

Background: The use of medicinal plants is an option for livestock farmers who are not allowed to use allopathic drugs under certified organic programs or cannot afford to use allopathic drugs for minor health problems of livestock. Methods: In 2003 we conducted semi-structured interviews with 60 participants obtained using a purposive sample. Medicinal plants are used to treat a range of condi...

BACKGROUND Cleistopholis patens (Cp) (Annonacae) is a popular medicinal herb used in the the treatment of cardiovascular disorders in Nigerian ethnomedicine. OBJECTIVES The present study investigated the effects of the aqueous leaf extract of Cp on lipid and haematological profile of hypercholesterolemic Albino rats. METHODS The animals were divided into 5 groups (A - E) of 5 animals per gr...

This study documents information on significant ethnomedicinal plants, which was collected from the traditional healers of three indigenous communities of Bangladesh. The documented data were quantitatively analyzed for the first time in this area. The information was obtained through open-ended, semi-structured questionnaires. The benefits, importance and coverage of ethnomedicine were express...

Abstract Background The development of resistance to many antibiotics currently in use has necessitated the search for more effective alternatives. Plants have been used ethnomedicine different parts world treat various diseases. Many studies on plants confirmed their medicinal potentials and led isolation characterization several potential drug candidates. This study investigates leaves Icacin...

BACKGROUND The treatment of peptic ulcer disease poses therapeutic challenges to both patients and physicians alike because of the tendency of ulcers to relapse. Drugs used in the treatment of this disease are either costly or are associated with high incidence of adverse effects. Synclisia scabrida is a plant used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of various forms of stomach disorders and men...