Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants Used by the Andean People of Canta, Lima, Peru
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See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266388116 Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the Andean people of Canta, Lima, Peru Article in Journal of Ethnopharmacology · June 2007 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2006.11.018 CITATIONS READS 38 30 3 authors, including: Percy Amilcar Pollito University of São Paulo 56 PUBLICATIONS 136 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE All content following this page was uploaded by Percy Amilcar Pollito on 14 November 2014. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. All in-text references underlined in blue are added to the original document and are linked to publications on ResearchGate, letting you access and read them immediately. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 111 (2007) 284–294 Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the Andean people of Canta, Lima, Peru Horacio De-la-Cruz a,∗, Graciela Vilcapoma b, Percy A. Zevallos c a Facultad de Ciencias Biol´ogicas, Universidad Pedro Ruiz Gallo, Lambayeque, Peru b Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Peru c Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Peru Received 14 June 2006; received in revised form 15 November 2006; accepted 19 November 2006 Available online 2 December 2006 Abstract A survey aiming to document medicinal plant uses was performed in Canta Province Lima Department, in the Peruvians Andes of Peru. Hundred and fifty people were interviewed. Enquiries and informal personal conversations were used to obtain information. Informants were men and women over 30 years old, who work in subsistence agriculture and cattle farming, as well as herbalist. Eighty-seven species were colleted and identified that had indigenous uses. Common names, habit, part of the plant used, preparation, administration and illnesses treated were recorded for each species. Results are compared with other ethnopharmacological studies performed in the Peruvian Andes. © 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Ethnobotany; Medicinal plants; Canta; Peru 1. Introduction from Canta belong to Quichua ethnic group (IIP, 1994). Canta ancient people were hunters and soldiers of the Atavillos, which Peru is considered among the 12 mega-diverse countries of were conquered by the Inca Pachacute’s army. The Spaniard’s the world, and its number of vascular plants species is estimated reported Canta as a prosperous region, establishing there one of to be around 19,500, representing 10% of the global plant diver- the oldest co regiments of the first Virreinato (Rostworowski, sity (Gentry, 1982; McNeely et al., 1990; Brako and Zarucchi, 1978). 1993), The richness of this diversity reflects also in its use, as Traditional knowledge has been transmitted through genera- for most people in Peru, its constitutes the prime resource for tions, submitted to an historical process of transformation, and food, medicine, energy, craft, dye, fiber, art, ritual and symbolic has actually its more visible expression in ritualized events such human activities. For some authors, the Andean region is per- as “champerias” (cleaning-up the streams), “rodeos” (counting haps the region were there is with the highest number of multiple the cattle), as well as in individual relations such as “aichama” use species (Young, 1991; Roersch, 1994; Chepstow-Lusty and (mutual assistance and reciprocity duty), and also, of course, in Winfield, 2000). This means that in the Andean region of Peru, the traditional use of the medicinal plants. indigenous communities still maintain traditional uses linked Despite the interest presented by the medicinal plants from with biodiversity, and that medicinal plants are sometimes the the Peruvian Andean region, very few paper have been pub- only possible available treatment for treating illness, generally lished at an international level related with this topic (Friedherg, together with spiritual practices, in form of a traditional cure 1978; Cerrate, 1979; Roersch, 1994; Hammond et al., 1998; (De-Feo, 1992; Hammond et al., 1998). Lopez,´ 1998), or regionally (Lira, 1985; Avendano,˜ 1988; Canta is a small town, located at 180 km from Peru cap- Caceda´ Diaz, 1993; Inmetra-Cajamarca, 1994). Because of this, ital, Lima, comprises 13,470 inhabitants. Most of the People and in the context of ethno-cultural erosion due to globaliza- tion, the present research aimed to identify medicinal plants species used by the population of Canta and document the tra- ∗ Corresponding author at: Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas,´ Universidad Pedro Ruiz Gallo, Lambayeque, Peru. Tel.: +51 74 282858. ditional medicinal knowledge associated with the use of these E-mail address: [email protected] (H. De-la-Cruz). plants. 0378-8741/$ – see front matter © 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2006.11.018 H. De-la-Cruz et al. / Journal of Ethnopharmacology 111 (2007) 284–294 285 2. Methodology region and whose livelihoods were subsistence agriculture and cattle farming. In the majority of the cases the interviewers were Study area is located on the river Chillon on the western approached in their own houses and then were accompanied into slope of the central Andes in Peru, to the north east of the City of the field to find and collect the species they mentioned. The data Lima (Fig. 1). The zone is 11◦24–00◦00S and 76◦30–00◦00W, registered for the plants were: common name, habit, part of the with a highest point of 2 832 m. The monthly average tempera- plant that is used, preparation, administration, and illness treated. ture is 13.6 ◦C and precipitation is 350 mm/year. Its ecosystems Fieldwork was done during the dry season (May–October) in are highly fragmented, with marked environment gradients, and 2003 and 2004. extreme changes of temperature and precipitation because of Herbarium voucher specimens were deposited and identi- the influence of the Andean cordillera (Young, 1991). Most of fied with the help of specialists in the herbarium MOL of the the people is subsistence farmers, cultivating varieties of pota- Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina (Lima) and in the toes, oca (Oxalis tuberosa), wheat, olluco (Ullucus tuberosus) Herbarium San Marcos del Museum of de Natural History of and barley, and also raising cattle. Information was obtained by the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (USM), Lima semi-structured interviews and personal conversation with the (Peru). indigenous healers (called in Quichua Wayra), who treat illness using plants, midwives, who assist births and give treatments 3. Results and discussion throughout pregnancy, plant traders who buy and sell medicinal plants (called “herbolarios” in local Spanish) and other peo- Results are listed in Table 1. Eighty-seven species belonging ple with plant knowledge. Hundred and fifty indigenous people to 62 genera and 31 families of vascular plants were reported from the localities of Obrajillo, Arahuay, Carhua, Pariamarca, as having medicinal use (Table 1). Asteraceae was the family Lachaqui, Huaros and Cullhuay (Fig. 1) were interviewed. Care with the largest number medicinal species (34), followed by the was taken to obtain permission from local authorities repre- Solanaceae (5), Lamiaceae (5) and Fabaceae (3). These four fam- senting indigenous communities, in order to have access to the ilies together represent 58% of the total of the medicinal species communities and obtain ethnobotanical information. Informants found in Canta. The remaining 41% of species belonged to 27 were selected accordingly to recommendations given by these families, each represented by one or two species. Our results local authorities. agreed with other studies carried out in similar eco-regions in Information presented was completed by informants were Peru or Andean near-by countries where Asteraceae register the men and women over 30 years old, all belonging to the rural highest number of medicinal species together with Solanaceae, Fig. 1. Location of the study area: (A) Peru in South America; (B and C) Department of Lima in Peru; (D) places of survey. 286 H. De-la-Cruz et al. / Journal of Ethnopharmacology 111 (2007) 284–294 Table 1 Plants used traditional medicine by Canta Province people Scientific name Local name Conservation Parts used Preparation Way of Recipe (voucher no.) in Quechua administration (Q) and Spanish (S) Acanthaceae Dicliptera peruviana Chuncho- NT Leaves Infusion Oral In order to alleviate stomach aches. It must be (Lam.) Juss. (G.V. chuncho aggregate about 40 g of the plant for 1 l of 4854) (Q) water it must be drunk one cup in the morning and another one in the afternoon for 2 days Ruellia floribunda Ruelia (S) NT Leaves Decoction Oral Against intestinal parasites. The plant mixed Hook. (G.V. 1819) with “paico” (Chenopodium ambrosioides) must be boiled and it must be drink one cup before breakfast for 3 days Agavaceae Agave americana L. Maguey (S) NTa Flowers Decoction Oral Blood purifier. The plant must be boiled in 1 l (G.V. 180) and root of water and it must be drink as water in any time by 1 week Amaryllidaceae Furcraea occidentalis Cayara (Q) CRa Leaves Burned External The sap of half-roasted leaves for bronchitis. Trelease (G.V. 4926) (rubbing) The leaves must be half roasted then a cut in the leaf must be done and it must be put on the chest and on the back at the night time Anacardiaceae Schinus molle L. (G.V. Molle (S) LC Leaves Decoction Oral and In order to cure bronchitis and in rubbings to 4554) and fresh external alleviate muscle pains. Put the leaves together with eucalyptus sp. in a liter of water then boil it; two spoons must be drunk before sleeping and as ointment for muscular soreness Apiaceae Foeniculum vulgare Hinojo (S) LC Flowers Infusion Oral Carminative (colics and gas expelling). Mill. (G.V. 1992) and leaves Flowers and leaves must be place in a liter of water and it must be drunk as water at any time Oreomyrrhis andicola Angelina NT Leaves Crushed External Rheumatism and muscle pains.