Razafindraibe et al. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2013, 9:73 http://www.ethnobiomed.com/content/9/1/73 JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE RESEARCH Open Access Medicinal plants used by women from Agnalazaha littoral forest (Southeastern Madagascar) Mendrika Razafindraibe1*, Alyse R Kuhlman3, Harison Rabarison1, Vonjison Rakotoarimanana1, Charlotte Rajeriarison1, Nivo Rakotoarivelo1,2, Tabita Randrianarivony1,2, Fortunat Rakotoarivony2, Reza Ludovic2, Armand Randrianasolo3 and Rainer W Bussmann3 Abstract Background: The country of Madagascar is renowned for its high level of biodiversity and endemism, as well as the overwhelming pressures and threats placed on the natural resources by a growing population and climate change. Traditional medicine plays an important role in the daily lives of the Malagasy for various reasons including limited access to healthcare, limited markets and traditional values. The objective of this study was to assess the modern utitilization of the Agnalazaha Forest by the local population in Mahabo-Mananivo, Madagascar, for medicinal plants used by women, and to establish a list of medicinal plants used by women sourced from Agnalazaha Forest. Methods: Ethnobotanical studies were conducted over a period of five months in 2010 to determine the diversity of medicinal plants used by women in the commune of Mahabo-Mananivo. In all, 498 people were interviewed, both male and female ranging age from 15 to over 60 years old. Results: 152 medicinal plants used by local people were collected during the ethnobotanical studies. Among the recorded species, eight native species are widely used by women. These species are known for their therapeutic properties in treating placental apposition and complications during childbirth as well as tropical illnesses such as malaria, filariasis, and sexual diseases like gonorrhea and syphilis. Conclusions: Littoral forests are rare ecosystems that are highly threatened on the island nation of Madagascar. Our investigation into the use of medicinal plants sourced from and around the Agnalazaha Forest by the women of Mahabo-Mananivo reinforces the need for this natural resource as a first line of health care for rural families. Keywords: Medicinal plants, Madagascar, Littoral forest, Traditional medicine, Women’s traditional knowledge Background traditional medicine for the treatment of pain [3]. And Traditional medicine is a term used to describe the use in developing countries such as Madagascar medicinal of natural resources, often in concert with ritual and plants remain a primary source of medical care [4] espe- spirituality, to prevent, treat and heal human diseases cially in very remote areas or in case of limited health and ailments [1]. While the use of plant species for heal- resources. ing dates back further than the written record, with evi- Medicinal plant use in Madagascar has the added con- dence the Neanderthals practiced plant medicine [2], it cern of biodiversity loss, environmental degradation, and is still being used by many in our modern era. Eighty sustainability. The island nation of Madagascar separated (80) percent of the world's population depends on from Africa some 170 million years and the Indian sub- continent nearly 88 million years ago and the isolated * Correspondence: [email protected] flora and fauna have evolved with a high degree of 1Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of microendemism [5]. Current floristic calculations indi- Antananarivo, BP 566, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar cate Madagascar houses between 12,000 and 14,000 Full list of author information is available at the end of the article © 2013 Razafindraibe et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Razafindraibe et al. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2013, 9:73 Page 2 of 13 http://www.ethnobiomed.com/content/9/1/73 vascular plant species, of which 90% are endemic [6] and (Figure 1). The National Road 12, a paved highway con- 96% endemism in tree species [7]. However, the increas- necting Farafangana and Vangaindrano borders the forest ingly intense population growth has led to rapid deforest- to the west while the Indian Ocean borders it to the east. It ation as land is cleared for agricultural fields and for fuel is between 47° 41′and 47° 45′ E, and 23° 09′and 23° 14′ S [8]. Biodiversity loss, in general, has severe implications on with an altitude of less than 50 m [14]. In 2003, it was mea- environmental stability which in turn affects human health sured that this coastal forest covered an area of 1,565 ha [9]. When biodiversity directly adds to the wellness of a and represents approximately 17% land coverage of the community as a resource for medicine, biodiversity loss rural area of the commune Mahabo-Mananivo. Agnalazaha can have even deeper consequences as medicinal plant Forest has the status of Forest Reserve under article num- species are lost or are no longer available [10,11]. ber 129-SF/EF/CG since May 17, 1954, but has been under Within Madagascar, one of the most threatened ecosys- the management of the Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG) tems is the littoral forest [12]. Although the littoral forests since 2002. of Madagascar once stretched 1600-km along the eastern The southeast region of Madagascar is characterized as coast as one single biological corridor, there is only 10% of the eastern coastal plain and has a climate of high rainfall the original forest remaining [13]. One such littoral forest, and high average temperature [17]. The Agnalazaha Forest the Agnalazaha Forest, is located in the rural commune of experiences two seasons: the hot rainy season from Mahabo-Mananivo, 750 km southeast of the capitol city of December to April, and the cool season from May to Antananarivo. Approximately 72.3% of the flora of Agna- November. The average annual rainfall in Agnalazaha lazaha is endemic to Madagascar [14]. Forest is 2,706 mm. The average annual temperature var- The villages of Mahabo-Mananivo source timber and ies between 21°C - 24°C (69 °F – 75 °F). According to the non-timber forest products from Agnalazaha Forest bioclimatic division of Madagascar, this region belongs to littoral forest. Furthermore, the community of Mahabo- the humid tropics and part of the humid warm bioclimatic Mananivo still practice and often prefers traditional medi- type [18]. Agnalazaha Forest is classifed as a littoral forest, cine, especially for common diseases and infectious dis- characterized by an open canopy and sandy soils [12], sea- eases [15]. As is the case with most familial systems, the sonally flooded wooded swamps, open marshes with first line of healthcare decisions and action is often admin- Nepenthes madagascariensis and Lepironia articulata,sa- istered by female household members [16]. The purpose vannas, remnants of secondary forest on lateritic soils and of this study was to assess the modern utilization of this reforestation forests of Eucalyptus robusta and Acacia forest by the local population with a focus on the plants mangeum. There are 275 species of plants in Agnalazaha known and utilized by women in their everyday care giv- Forest [14] distributed within 188 genera and 82 families. ing. We focused on the women for this study while a study The site contains species belonging to three endemic fam- on the use of medicinal plants by men was carried out ilies, Asteropeiaceae (2 species), Sarcolaenaceae (6 species) simultaneously. At times men were present during the and Sphaerosepalaceae (1 species). Furthermore, 199 spe- interview process and would add information about plants cies present in Agnalazaha Forest are determined to be en- used by women which we allowed. demic to Madagascar (72.3%). An inventory of primates [19] conducted in Agnalazaha Methods Forest identified four species of lemur all of which are Research was coordinated by and supported in large part considered to at least be threatened, including the critic- by the staff at the Missouri Botanical Garden Mahabo- ally endangered Eulemur albocollaris [20]. All are known Mananivo Conservation research site. Field research was to be hunted locally. A similar study identified seven spe- conducted over a period of five months (January – May) cies of endemic small mammals found in Agnalazaha in 2010 with three field trips to the community. A ten day Forest including Pteropus rufus, Hemicentetes semispinosus, preliminary exploration was used to become familiar with Setifer setosus and Tenrec caudatus, Hova oryzorictes,all the community and introduce ourselves, make contact of which are also locally hunted [21]. with local officials and present the topic of our research. A hired local guide acted as our translator, introduced us to Surrounding community interview prospects and coordinated interview schedules. Commune Rural Mahabo-Mananivo surrounds Agnalazaha Consent was given by the tribal leaders, local government Forest to the west, north and south. There are 6,998 resi- officials and by each individual we interviewed. dents according to the 2009 census. Mahabo-Mananivo is primarily comprised of residents identifying with the Study site Antesaka ethnic group, while Antefasy, Merina and Agnalazaha Forest is located within the district of Betsileo members