Ethnopharmacology of Murcia (SE Spain)
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M~DICAMENTSET ALIMENTS :L >APPROCHEETHNOPHARMACOLOGIQUE M 215 Ethnopharmacology of Murcia (SE Spain) RIVERA NiTr”JEZ D., OB6N DE CASTRO C. Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Facultad de Biologia Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, E-3007 1-Murcia, EspaÎia RÉSUMÉ Ce travail présente les plantes médicinales de larégion de Murcia (Sud-Est de l’Espagne) et leurs usages thérapeutiques.Deux listes, les espèces avec les noms scientifiques, les noms vernaculaires et les indications dans la thérapeutique populaire de cette région sont jointes ;la première liste couvre la flore locale, sauvage ou cultivée, et ladeuxième les plantes importées. INTRODUCTION of irrigated fields. In both areas the inhabitants were almost This chapter is a sequel to the monographs Plantas deprived of regular medical care until relatively recent times. Treatment was provided, and the gap filled, by the native Medicinales de Nuestra Region (OB6N and RIVERA,1991) and Introduccidn al Mundo de las Plantas Medicixales en healers called “curandero” or by the housewives theirselves. Murcia (RIVERA, OBdN, CANO and ROBLEDO, 19941, Three cultures, three religions and presumably three kindsof which compiled the scattered published information available medicine met in Murcia duringthe Middle Ages. Murcian folk about traditional uses of medicinal plants found in Murcia, beliefs and medicinal practices retain many elementsof Latin, and the works carried out by ourselves and manyof Our stu- Moorish and Jewish medical traditions. Untangling different dents in the Ethnobotany laboratoryat Murcia University since cultural contributionsto modem folk medicineis difficult, but 1982 (Fig. 1, and Tab. 1). Field trips and open-ended inter- the task of comparing the availabledata is worth to gaining a views with herbalists, healers, shepherds and housewives betterwere understandingof Western Mediterraneanfolk medicine. carried out on and off from 1983 to this current year. The Epidemics were relatively fiequent in the Middle (m-XIV Ages Herbarium MUB (Murcia University) contains voucher speci-centuries), and cities like Murcia recurredto a large numberof mens of the taxa cited in Table2 and samples of plants cited jew physicians and practitioners for these dramatic moments in Tables 2 and3 are kept at the Ethnobotany laboratory. (TORRES et al., 1981). Jew medical masters (VIDAL Murcia is an areaof great cultural and biological diversity. Situ-~E~~,~~~~~,~S~BENO~~, ated at the borderof the Mediterranean sea the in southeastern HAYM ABEAEX, DAVID DAMASTO, etc.) took care of the corner of the Iberian Peninsula,in Western Europe,this region health in the locality as municipal doctors. Some ofwomen jew is home to an ancient blendof cultures and ethnic groups. Eco-origin practised also the medicine (TORRESet al., 1980; 1981). systems varyfrom dry Mediterranean scrubsto evergreen oak Moorish medical practitioners were fiequentin the Catholic Spain forest. The average annual precipitation most of which falls of the XVI century but very often they were prosecutedby the between the months of October and April, vary from200 to inquisition tribunals under the chargeof whitchcraft (GARCf.4 600 mm. Severe drought is a recurrent phenomen which en- BALLESTER, 1984). tails dramatic shortagesof the agricultural products. Compli- The Murcian can choosefrom among several alternative medi- cated irrigation systems have been developpedin the Segura cal systems and practitioners. Modem medicineis administered river bassinin order to assure a regular crop everyyear. by licenced physicians through government clinics (ambulato- rios), which are widely dispersed temtory,in the and hospitals. THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND FOR Private doctors also are available.The pharmacists provide their TRADITIONAL MEDICINEIN MURCIA clients with medical advice conceming common ailments. Herb The use of plants for medicinal purposes in Murcia dates back stores (herboristerias) whose propietors lack very of often for- to the Prehistoric times. In this remote arid area of Europe mal pharmacological training provide also their clients with people lived in communities far away from each other in the medical advice. Curanderosare relatively common amongthe badland regions, known as “el campo” or close together in medical practitioners of this region and neighbouring zones the Segurariver bassin, the “huerta” zone, which was covered(SEIJO, 1974). Curanderos residein the outskirtsof the larger Actes du 2e Colloque Européen d‘Ethnopharmacologieet de la IleConférence internationale d‘Ethnomédecine, Heidelberg,2.4-27 mars 1993. M~DICAMENTSET ALIMEhTS :L'APPROCHE ETHNOPHARnfACOLOGIQUE towns or in little villages, and recently someof them do adver- Fig. 1 tise thek practices in the local newspapers.The condition of Map of research sites on Mur& region curandero was object of strict rules underthe traditional sys- (for explanation of mumbers, see Table 1) tem, butit was alsoa way for oportunists andfakers. This fact makes extremely difficult rendering a realistic, pictureof the relevance of herbal remediesin the highly variable and obscure curanderos' practices. Magic, astrologic and other strange resources were locallyem- ployed in medicine but also repeatedly forbiddenthe authori- by ties (TOREU3 et aZ., 1980). Fascinationis a relatively common place in S. Spain, it has specific practitioners whose formules and prayersarerelatively secret(FLEMh, 1987; SELTO, 1974). Adults over sixty, living in the. country have nowadays some knowledge of remedies forcommon ailrnents. Housewives are specialized inthe ailments of the household, and shephersusu- ally furnished veterinary care for their cattle. Recent develop- ment in rural societies andimmigration intothe big citiesofmost of the population have led toa generalized lost of herbal lore. Most of Our information hence was gathered arnongthe last rem- nants ofthis rural culture of Spain, and in part corresponded with obsolete practices only reminded by the interviewed persons. In Murcia plants were traditionally prescribed and used for generations. These prescriptions and uses merged the mille- nary traditions with external recent influences. Every time The fiist Murcian medicinal plant lnowmto the sciencewas a the local folk pharmacopea reflected the conflict between his- lcind ofwild cumrnin (presurnablyDistychoselinm tenu$olium) torical background and fashionable new medicinal uses and cited by Dioscorides inthe 1st centuryAT9 (LECLERC, 1883). introduced species. Epidemies determined reviewed experiences with local and ex- Table 1 Main research sites on Murcia region (S-E Spain) and references LocalitJl References ~ ~ 1. Archena Caracena (1988) 2. Bullas FernBndez (1993) 3. Cartagena Alcazar, Garcia,Rivera and Ob6n (1990): Garcia and Alcazar(1987); Quevedo (1987): Ferrirndiz(1974) 4. Cehegin Martinez and Mpez (1990); Garcia (1993); Ibern6n (1991): SBnchez Hernhdez (1994); Rueda and Ibem6n (1987) 5. Cieza Carrillo and Martiiiez(1993): Ibhez and Bonmati [ 1993); Garcia Aroca (1992) 6. Fortuna CarrWlot (1990); Jimenez and Peiïaranda(1992) 7. Jumilla Jiménez (1991 ) 8. Mazarr6n De Alvaro (1989) 9. Molina de Seruga L6pez Verdfi (1990) 10. Moratalla G6mez (1992); §&chez (1992): Rueda and Ibern6n(1987) 11. Mula Rodrigue2 Zapata(1988) 12. Murcia Garcia andBotias (1987); CanoJ. (1990); Garciaand Alch(1987); Martinez and Jumilla (1987);Pinch Ruiz and Salinas (1992) 13. Puerto Lumbreras Guirao (1987) 14. Ricote L6pez Cano(1994) 15. §an Javier Carcia Fernilndez (1992) 16. Santomera CAnovas, Maainez and Pelegrh (1 994) 17. Sierra de Enmedio L6pez §Anchez (1984) 18. Sierra Espufia Aguila (1988); &vwez, Asencio andSaez (1989) 19. Yecla Barredo, PérezandTornem (1991): Ortuiio (1987) Actes du2e Colloque Europ6em d'Ethnopharmacologie et lade 11" Conférenceinternationale d'Ethnorn&decine, Heidelberg,24-27 mars 1993. MÉDICAMENTS ET AWMENTS :L'APPROCHE ETHNOPHARMACOLOGIQUE I 21 7 Table 2 Check-list of medicinal autoctonous and introduced plantspecies of the Murcia Region andtheir local indications FAMILY recorded Uses namesCommon Svecies FERNS ADIAN'IACEE Adiantum capillus veneris L. culandrillo, culantrillo, culantrillo de - antitussive, analgesic pozo, falsia, helecho, zancamorenilla ASPLENIACEE Aspleniunl trichomanes L. culantrillo chic0 - digestive Ceterach ofSicinarum Willd. doradilla - antipyretic, diuretic, depurative EQUISETACEE Equisetum awense L. cola de caballo - diuretic, antidiabetic, antiseptic Equisetum telmateia Ehrh. cola de caballo, cola de caballo fina - diuretic, antidiabetic, antiseptic Equisetum ramosissimum Desf. cola de caballo, cola de caballo basta - diuretic, antidiabetic, antiseptic POLYPODIACEE Polypodium canzbricumsubsp. L. helecho, polipodio - laxative, purgative, antitussive serrulatum (F.W. Schulz ex Arcangeli) Pichi Sermolli CONIFERS CTJPRESSACEE Cupressus sempewirens L. aciprés, arciprCs, ciprés - deodorant, antihemorrhoidal Juniperus communisL. subsp. enebro, nebro, nebro hembra, - antiseptic, antidiabetic hemisphearica (K. Presl) Nyman nebro macho Juniperus oxycedrus L. subsp. oxycedrus enebro, enebro de miera, nebro, nieblo - analgesic, antiseptic, diuretic, purgative Junipenls phœnicea L. subsp. phœnicea sabina, sabina macho - antiseptic, anthelmintic EPHEDRACEJE Ephedrafrngilis Desf. arnacho, brea, canaillo, canaillo real, - analgesic, antitussive carnaillo PINACEE Abies pinsapoBoiss. (cultivated) abeto, pinsapo - dermatologic Pinus halepensis Miller carrasqueiio, pino, pino carrasco, pino - dermatologic, antiseptic, antitussive, carrasqueiio, pino rojo analgesic,