INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE of MEDICINAL PLANTS USED by TRADITIONAL HEALERS in ILOC0S SUR Germana Gloria V

International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, Volume 6, Issue 12, December-2015 159 ISSN 2229-5518 INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE OF MEDICINAL PLANTS USED BY TRADITIONAL HEALERS IN ILOC0S SUR Germana Gloria V. Molina College of Arts and Sciences, University of Northern Philippines

Germana Gloria V. Molina Email: [email protected] Ma. Nina R. Eder Email: [email protected] Vergilio Gascon Email: [email protected]

Abstract: This research documented local plant species with its botanical interest and scientific names used by the traditional healers in Ilocos Sur. In this study, the profile of the respondents who were Ilocano traditional healers were identified in terms of sex, age, serve as a healer, mentorship type of disease treated and specialization in the indigenous medicinal treatment The indigenous knowledge of the Ilocano traditional healers was studied based on the botanical remedies and human ailments of the identified plant species in Ilocos Sur. It also included the methods of preparation of the medicinal plants used by the traditional healers. Fifty three (53) local traditional healers were interviewed to provide needed information.

Based on the findings of the study the traditional healer in Ilocos Sur possesses rich ethnic pharmacological knowledge. The study allows for identifying many high value medicinal plant species, indicating high potential for economic development through sustainable collection of their medical plan. It also showed that the study area has plenty of medicinal plants to treat a wide spectrum of human ailments.

Many people in the study areas of Ilocos Sur are still depending on medicinal plants, at least for the treatment of some simple diseases such as, cold, cough, fever, headache, poison bites, skin diseases and tooth infections. It is necessary to acquire and preserve this traditional system of medicine by proper documentation and identification of specimen.This traditional knowledge on the indigenous uses of the medicinal plants could boost new innovations in the pharmaceutical industry and have many beneficial applications such as new medicinal trials for some diseases like: malaria, Tuberculosis and AIDS, of which will develop the health care sector in ilocos Sur. Knowledge sharing varied among the traditional healers. Some would freely share while others keep their techniques secret .Most of the healers do not follow rigidIJSER rules on dosage, but were practically strict to abstain or avoid some kind of food while their patients are under treatment. Many people in the study areas of Ilocos Sur are still depending on medicinal plants .The traditional healers in Ilocos Sur possess rich ethnic pharmacological knowledge on Medicinal plant. This allows the study for identifying many high value medicinal plant species, indicating high potential for economic development through sustainable collection of these.

Key words: Indigenous knowledge, traditional healers, medicinal plants,Ilocos Sur Philippines

------1.1 INTRODUCTION medicinal plants as a mechanism for Background of the Study survival. Indigenous knowledge may be defined as knowledge that is unique to a given Indigenous knowledge as a concept is culture or society which provide the baffling. Development institutions have not infrastructure for agriculture, health care, thus far gone to a unanimous perception of food prep, training, environmental the concept. None of the definitions are conservation and other life process on the essentially contradictory, but they overlap in local level (Thomas, 1995). Any local many aspect. Warren ( 1991) and Flavier; community may have continuous old (1995). Indigenous knowledge (IK) is the knowledge and traditional practices on local knowledge –and is unique to a given

culture or society. IK contrasts with the their own lives. (Indian Journal of international knowledge system generated Traditional Knowledge, Vol. 10(2), April by universities, research institutions and 2011, pp. 281-286 private firms. It is the basis for local-level Today, many indigenous knowledge decision making in a host of human systems are at risk of becoming extinct activities in rural communities. (Warren because of rapidly changing natural 1991). It is the information base for a environments and fast pacing economic, society, which facilitates communication political, and cultural changes on a global and decision-making. Indigenous scale. Practices vanish, as they become information systems are active, and are inappropriate for new challenges or because continually influenced by internal creativity they adapt too slowly. However, many and experimentation as well as by contact practices disappear, only because of the with outside organizations.. (Flavier et.al. intrusion of foreign technologies or 1995: 479) . development concepts that promise short- In the emerging global knowledge term gains or solutions to problems without economy a country’s ability to build and being capable of sustaining them. The mobilize knowledge capital, is equally tragedy of the impending disappearance of essential for sustainable development as the indigenous knowledge is most obvious to availability of physical and financial capital those who have developed it and make a (World Bank, 1997) The basic component living through it. But the implication for of any country’s knowledge system is its others can be detrimental as well, when indigenous knowledge.IJSER It encompasses the skills, technologies, art facts, problem skills, experiences and insights of people, solving strategies and expertise are lost. applied to maintain or improve their living. Indigenous knowledge is part of the life Significant contributions to global of the rural poor; their livelihood depends knowledge have originated from indigenous almost entirely on specific skills and people, i.e., in medicine and veterinary knowledge essential for their survival. medicine with their intimate understanding Accordingly, for the development process, of their environments. Indigenous indigenous knowledge is of particular knowledge is developed and adapted relevance for the following sectors and continuously to gradually changing strategies: agriculture, animal husbandry and environments and passed down from ethnic veterinary medicine, use and generation to generation and closely management of natural resources, primary interwoven with people’s cultural values. health care (PHC), preventive medicine and Indigenous knowledge is also the social psychosocial care, saving and lending, capital of the poor, their main asset to invest community development, poverty in the struggle for survival, to produce food, alleviation. to provide for shelter or to achieve control of

The rural communities depend heavily Journal Traditional Knowledge, Vol. 10, on plant diversity for the fulfilment of their No.2 April: 2011, 282) basic needs and conservation of other Traditional healers are found in most natural resources. They collect useful plant societies. They are part of a local resources from various habitats and utilize community, culture, tradition and continue them using indigenous knowledge and to have high social standing in many places, practices. The vast store of information on exerting influence on the local health indigenous knowledge, practices, and practice as most people still rely heavily on technologies is being eroded as a result of traditional medicine. Traditional medicines fast urbanization, over-exploitation of are often the first and last line of defense resources, unscientific land use, change of against most common ailments such as lifestyles and behaviour. Hence, priority headaches, coughs, diarrheal, wound healing ought to be given to document the useful and skin diseases. One advantage in plants with indigenous knowledge, practices preferring traditional medicine is that as well as technologies from the area before healer’s services are more affordable as they the inhabitants shift over to modern lifestyle only charge negligible fees, highly use to improve livelihoods, and their roles in accessible, are familiar with patients, and conservation and sustainable management of operate within the ambit of culture and environmental resources have been carried environment. They work on the body and out. mind together to help cure an illness. There are still gaps in the Traditional medicinal knowledge of comprehensive IJSERstudy and documentation medicinal plants by Ilocano traditional relating to the ethno botanically useful healers is not only useful for conservation of species and indigenous knowledge, practices cultural traditions and biodiversity, but also and perception of the local people for community health cure at present and drug sustainable resource management. development in the future. Moreover, as Nepal is also one of the According to the WHO (2001) report, signatories of the conventions (Ramsar traditional healers such as herbalist, Convention, the Biodiversity Convention, midwives and spiritual healers constitute the and the Convention on International Trade main source of assistance with health in Endangered Species), priority should be problems for at least 80% of rural given to the documentation the useful population of developing countries. This species with their sustainable uses, and unquestionably shows that the population of existing local level indigenous knowledge, developing countries relies heavily on techniques and practices. The study is traditional medicine to cope with their health designed to fill up the gaps and to problems (Bannerman, 1983) recommend some strategies for sustainable The distribution of knowledge and management of the resources. (Indian services of medicinal plants is hierarchically

placed. Services are obtained from the studies in line with the general intent of family, neighbourhood, and village or biodiversity conservation. beyond. Furthermore, there is very little Objectives ethno-botanical documentation on the most The study was conducted to medicinal plant in the country. The status of determine the local plant species used by the phytochemical preparation of crude extracts traditional healers in Ilocos Sur. and isolation of active ingredients is very Specifically, it sought to answer the minimal. The data base for the recorded following questions: species of medicinal plants also needs 1. What is the profile of the Ilocano special attention. Traditional Healers in terms of the In ilocos Sur, medicinal plants have following? been used as a traditional medicine to treat a. sex different human ailments by the local people b. age from the immemorial. Even though there is c. length of time as healers a high expectation of enormous traditional d. mentorship knowledge and use of medicinal plant c. type of disease treated species, it is not widely used as it could d. specialization because the skills are fragile and easily 2. What are the identified local plants by forgotten as most of the medicinal plants are the traditional healers and scientific name? in the hands of a handful and kept as a 3. What are the botanical remedies and secret. Therefore, the present study was human ailments of the identified plant carried out to IJSERassess and document the species used by the traditional healers Ilocos original knowledge and use of medicinal Sur? plant species by traditional healers to treat 4 How are the plant species prepared and human ailments in the study area. The study what are the methods of extraction as concentrated in identifying the plant parts medicinal plants? used for medicinal purpose, document indigenous knowledge of the people on the 1.2 METHODOLOGY use of medicinal plants and investigate plant Study Area species that are used as medicines for the This study was conducted in the treatment of human health problems. selected areas of Ilocos Sur where the This study intends to document the traditional healers operate from September indigenous plant species; the methods of 2013 to October 2014.Qualitative case preparation, the particular ailments analysis intertwined with ethnomethodology remedied, and possibly categorize the strategies were used to unravel the answers healing modes of such traditional healers. for the research questions raised in this This study forms part of an initiative to study area. document baseline data for pharmacological Data Collection

Descriptive and Data on human Elderly (60 8% quantitative survey years old ailments treated, the local methods were used in this and above) name of plants used, Middle Aged study to reveal the growth form, degree of 51% (41-59 years 41% medicinal plants and how old) management people are using them in Adults (22- (wild/cultivated), parts 40 years and data were collected old) used, methods of from 53 traditional healers preparation, route of using semi-structured interview, followed by administration and application, added value participant observations. Sample informants of medicinal plants, existing threats to were selected based on recommendations medicinal species and indigenous from elders and local authorities of the study knowledge transfer were recorded. Data area. The interviews were conducted using were analysed using descriptive statistics. the local dialect.

1.3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS communities, both men and women perform I .Profile of the traditional healers this practice. It was found that among 53 On Sex. Generally, respondents interviewed, traditional healing is a 64.15% were women

gender-based practice; 35% healers compared to Male although in some 65% only 35.80% of men. IJSERFemale

Profile of the Ilocano Traditional Healers

On Age. Indigenous knowledge (IK) older than 60 years of age. Bearing in mind is acquired through time in which it takes the fact that IKS is passed on from one from the traditional to acquire the generation to another over time. Figure 3 indigenous knowledge. Most of the people, indicated that the respondents became who were known to have substantive healers when they were teenagers and 7.50% knowledge and were practicing, were mostly when they were in their thirties.

8% 21 & above 23% 47% 16-20 years 11-15 years 15% 7% 6-10 years 5 & below

Percentage of healer by

age category

It was observed that the elderly in these remote rural areas, this traditional people have more knowledge than the knowledge could be lost forever. younger people. The main reason for this is On mentorship. Generally in many the superstitious nature of local people. cases skills and knowledge are usually They do not reveal the methods used to transferred to their grandparents and their prepare “magic”IJSER herbal medicines to children. It is common practice for anyone, even their family members, because grandchildren to accompany their they think if they do, the effective medicinal grandparents during the medicinal plant plants of the herbs will be lost. With the collection and during the process of treating death of the elderly knowledgeable persons patients. Through these interactions, the children become healers by inheritance from their knowledgeable, interested and may be grandmother healer, while 4 respondents motivated to also exercise this profession. claimed that they became healers by However, this survey shows big numbers of circumstances from sickness, while 8 respondents indicated that they became respondents stated that they were healers healers through apprenticeship with another because of premonition. Twenty two healer, an indication that some course of respondents claimed to become healers by initiation took place. However 19 dreams. respondents indicated that they became

International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, Volume 6, Issue 12, December-2015 165 ISSN 2229-5518

Various methods and people who played mentorship in passing Indigenous knowledge in Ilocos Sur

On Types of Diseases Treated. The or coughs are considered to be diseases with traditional healing system in Ilocano is well natural causes and hence their symptoms are established. Fifty three (53) respondents treated at the household level. Various reported 43 medicinal plants that are used to studies have reported on the indigenous use treat 19 types of ailments and diseases in of medicinal plants in the treatment of oral both man and animals (Table 1). Several diseases, wound healing and skin diseases common health problems and ailments such gastrointestinal disorders. Many of the as colds, fever, burn, sore eyes, boils, cures which are prescribed by traditional diarrheal, wound healing and skin diseases healers can be viewed as general health were reported to be among the illnesses that tonics, used to treat problems of the stomach traditional healers can treat. This result is in kidneys, bladder and other small complaints. agreement with the traditional healers in The respondent’s infection, on the other side ilocos Sur who reportedIJSER such as headaches some ailments take up to one year like.

Table 1 Summarizes the ailments and IKS plant-based medicinal plant therapies in Ilocos Sur.

4% Mangngagas sapasap 6% Mangngilot/Partera 4% 8% Mammullo 9% Agtako

58% Mannikli 7% Mannandok 4% Mannumang Agagas ti nagamod

Percentage Distribution of Healer According to their Expertise

It is evident from the figure that (general/versatile healer), 9.4% agtako (local 58.5% of the traditional healers indicated pediatric), 7.50% Mannumang (anti-witch that “Mangngagasasapasap craft), 7.50 % Mangngilot/Partera (local

midwife), 3,80% Mammulo (bone expert), environments may also behave like weeds in 5.70% Mannandok(anti-venom services) and different agricultural practices. It is possible 3.80% Aggagastinagamod(Spiritist), that some species of ethno botanical interest Mannikli( Pediatrician)and Mammullo(bone more cultivated in the past and became wild specialist) respectively. It is clear that this afterwards. traditional Phyto - therapeutic remedy were The IK took into consideration only more popular and widespread in the past, the knowledge of useful plants, i.e. the no. when medicines were not easily available. of information who mentioned then is being

useful. At first, people started recognizing Rituals for Practicing as a Healer and unify these plants that were easier to One has to get through the traditional gather, such as those growing near to homes, ritual that will permit you to practice as to roads, cultivated as fallow fields and subject qualify a healer .It is loosely conceived that boundaries. to become as acclaimed healer one has to prosper in this field that the respondents Knowledge of the traditional names showed that they worked through the was given by informants seems to be process before they become traditional confusing because there is no standard of healer. This is a sign that signifies the these names and no floral keys that take you importance of indigenous knowledge in the step by step in the common name for the sensation that the community tends to see identification of the plant. that at one time someone gives way through The most cited medicinal plants that ritual she or he can be trusted as IJSERbelong to different plant type categories, someone who knows he or she considerably mostly are grasses, trees and bushes. .Some applications noted in some areas are not compatible with medical tradition as Plants of these ethnic botanical local traditional have different interests were gathered to give standard understanding of how certain diseases are names (scientific names) to avoid confusion, caused. This is largely because traditional so that these plants have somehow been healing is a very complex issue involving used or can be suggested as being a possible rituals as spiritual aspects far more than just explanation in the future for documenting the use of plants. and safeguarding their plants and many Knowledge of the traditional names natural resources. It is too important to of plants was heterogeneous and evenly record this knowledge before it vanished. distributed among the informants. There were forty three (43) plant Plants of ethno botanical interest species were commonly applied to treat 19 were collected in different environments, human ailments (Table 1). Most of these marginal areas, courtyards and non siders. species were wild and harvested mainly for Many of the plants gathered in distributed their leaves and the remedies were

administered through none detailed respondents; the study showed that herbs (42 explanation. species) were found to be the most used Informants reported various skills plants followed by trees (35 species), shrubs concerning the preparation of medicines. (22 species), weed (21), and grain (3) in These include plant composition (whether descending order. single or combines), the condition of the Summary plant used (raw or cooked) and methods of Traditional healers were found to preparation such as crushing and pounding. work as an important role in the primary The people of the study area used health care system of the local people as various units of measurement and the they treat resource people who had little duration of the administration to determine access and could not pay the cost of modern the dosage. Local units such as finger medication. length (for bark, root and stem), pinch (for Since medicinal plants are the main, powder) and numbers (for leaves, seeds and often the only source of traditional medicine fruits) were used to estimate and fix the for the rural population and, are in high amount of medicine. The traditional healers demand in the health care systems of this are not strict on dosage. They administered population when compared to modern the same amount of medicine to people who medicine, ethno-medicine activities need have the same disease regardless of age, special consideration and back-up. body weight or sex. This is partly because modern Different parts of medicinal plants medical services are either unaffordable or are used as medicineIJSER by the traditional unavailable to the immense majority of local healers. Among the different plant parts, the people due to their skyrocketing cost roots are most frequently used for the coupled with the lack of transport to and treatment of diseases followed by leaves, from health center. whole plant parts, barks, tubers, seeds, It was observed that the local healers fruits, pods, and stems. did not have enough awareness about the Regarding to the preparation method cleanness of the equipment which is used to (fresh and dry) of use medicinal plants, the prepare the medicines. Also, their storage traditional healers prescribed their treatment facilities were not entirely clean, thus, either on single plant use like the exposing the environment to various prescriptions for chicken pox, diarrheal, ear communicable diseases. The healers did not infection and headache, or using a have certificates for their medicines and they combination of different parts as it was did not work in cooperation with therapeutic prescribed for leg pains, bleeding, stroke and professionals in the preparation of their tetanus. medicine. Regarding to the life form of the The informants’ responses indicated reported medicinal plants by the that there were variations in the unit of

measurement, duration and the time at indigenous knowledge and skill traditional which remedies are taken and described by medical practitioners must be encouraged healers for the same kind of health and protected. This could be the way problems. through which such people could practice The materials and instruments that their knowledge boldly. Encouraging people are traditional healers used to treat patients to grow medicinal plants in the home may become a means of spreading different gardens, mixing with crops in farmlands and diseases, especially when they are live fences is paramount important. administering medicines by syringes. The traditional healers had no any sophisticated 1.4 CONCLUSIONS materials like stethoscopes and 1. The traditional healers in Ilocos thermometers to diagnose their patients. region possess rich ethnic They only test their patients verbally and pharmacological knowledge. The prescribe medication. One of the major study allows for identifying many setbacks with verbal diagnosis is that the high value medicinal plant species, patient might have diseases other than the indicating high potential for prescribed ones as different diseases, economic development through demonstrate similar symptoms. And then the sustainable collection of their patient might be rendered a wrong medical plan. medication that may adversely affect him. 2. This work demonstrated that the The indigenous knowledge among survey area receives lot of medicinal traditional healersIJSER with regard to their age plants to treat a broad spectrum of and educational level was different. This human ills. Many people in the work could be attributed to equal access of their areas of Ilocos region are still family members to the existing indigenous depending on medicinal plants, at knowledge regardless of age and educational least for the discourse of some story. This reveals that some of the simple diseases such as, cold, cough, traditional healers might have devoted much fever, headache, poison bites, skin care to the indigenous knowledge transfer diseases and tooth infections. It is while most of them prevented the necessary to gain and preserve this knowledge secret. traditional system of medicine by The mode of administration is mainly proper documentation and through oral and dermal. The traditional designation of specimens. A medicinal plants are harvested mostly from nationwide database is in the wild stands followed by home gardens. The operation of being built by gathering leaves were found to be the most frequently up all conceivable IKS plants-based used plant parts, followed by roots and fruits nationwide medical, therapeutic data for the preparation of human remedies. The as presently given by traditional

therapists. This traditional These demand an urgent knowledge along the indigenous uses attention to conserve such of the medicinal plants could boost resources in order to optimize new innovations in the their function in the primary pharmaceutical industry and have health care system. many beneficial applications such as 4. Awareness among the traditional new medicinal trials for some healers and community is also diseases like: malaria, Tuberculosis important in parliamentary and AIDS, of which will develop the procedure to keep the indigenous health care sector in the community. medicinal plant species.

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