Species with medicinal and mystical-religious uses in São Francisco do Conde, Bahia, Brazil: a contribution to the selection of species for introduction into the local Unified Health System

We investigated the knowledge and practices of local residents in São Francisco do Conde, Bahia, regarding the use of medicinal and mystical plants with the aim of proposing strategies for the incorporation of phytotherapies into the local Unified Health System through local Basic Health Clinics. This municipality was founded during the early colonization of Brazil, introducing the monoculture of sugarcane and slave labor to the region, resulting in a currently largely Afro-Brazilian population. Key informants and local specialists were interviewed and workshops were undertaken at the Basic Health Clinics to collect data and information. The interviewees made 254 references to 126 plant species distributed among 107 genera and 50 families. Among the species cited with medicinal or mystical uses, 51.6% were considered autochtonous, and 42.8% were cited in at least one document of the Brazilian Health Ministry; of these, 11.1% were mentioned in four to eight documents, indicating potential for introduction to the local Unified Health System. The valorization of local knowledge and practices concerning the use of medicinal plants represents an important approach to public health efforts.

Anatomia e análise de óleo essencial das folhas de Hennecartia omphalandra J Poisson (Monimiaceae) / Anatomy and essential oil analysis of the leaves from Hennecartia omphalandra J Poisson (Monimiaceae)

Descreve-se a morfo-anatomia e a análise de óleo essencial das folhas de Hennecartia omphalandra J. Poisson (Monimiaceae), uma planta tóxica. A ocorrência de tricomas unicelulares, estômatos paracíticos; braquiesclereídes em grupos no pecíolo e na lâmina foliar, além de esclereídes vermiformes e ramiformes; sistema vascular em arco, com extremidades voltadas para o centro no pecíolo e na forma de arco atenuado na lâmina foliar, sendo o padrão de venação uma variação do tipo craspedódromo-semicraspedódromo, além de óleo essencial armazenado em idioblastos oleíferos não especializados no mesofilo, foram considerados caracteres importantes que podem auxiliar na sua morfo-diagnose. A análise do óleo essencial das folhas revelou a presença de monoterpenos, sesquiterpenos e álcoois sesquiterpênicos, sendo este o grupo mais significativo. Os componentes majoritários identificados foram β-felandreno (24,0 por cento), seguido por germacreno D (10,5 por cento), sabineno (9,3 por cento), biciclogermacreno (8,4 por cento) e β-elemeno (5,3 por cento).

This paper describes the morphological and anatomical aspects and the essential oil analysis of the leaves from Hennecartia omphalandra J. Poisson (Monimiaceae), a toxic plant. The presence of trichomes formed by a single cell, paracitic stomata, groups of braquisclereids in the petiole and leaf blade; vermiform and ramiform sclereids, vascular system in arc softly invaginated at ends in the petiole, and in a flat arc in the middle vein, being the venation pattern a variation of craspedodromous-semicraspedodromous type, and essential oil stored in oil idioblasts in the mesophyll were the most important characters that can help the morphological diagnosis. The analysis of essential oil of the leaves showed the presence of monoterpenes, as well as sesquiterpenes hydrocarbons and alcohols, being the latter the most significant group. The major identified compounds were β-phelandrene (24.0 percent), germacrene D (10.5 percent), sabinene (9.3 percent), bicyclogermacrene (8.4 percent) and β-elemene (5.3 percent).

Considerações anatômicas e análise de óleo essencial do hipanto e do fruto de Hennecartia omphalandra J. Poisson (Monimiaceae) / Anatomical considerations and essential oil analysis of the hypanthium and the fruit of Hennecartia omphalandra J. Poisson (Monimiaceae)

Descreve-se o estudo morfo-anatômico e a análise de óleo essencial do fruto de Hennecartia omphalandra J. Poisson (Monimiaceae), uma planta tóxica. A ocorrência de feixes recurrentes e de um anel descontínuo de braquiesclereides no hipanto; assim como a presença de células oleíferas no mesocarpo, de "idioesclereídes" formando o endocarpo e de células com espessamento parietal em rede, constituindo a testa da semente, foram considerados caracteres importantes que podem auxiliar na sua morfo-diagnose. A análise do óleo essencial dos frutos revelou a presença de monoterpenos, sesquiterpenos e álcoois sesquiterpênicos, sendo este o grupo mais significativo. Os componentes majoritários identificados foram o biciclogermacreno (19,6 por cento) e o β-felandreno (8,7 por cento), além do germacreno D (5,3 por cento), α-bulneseno (5,1 por cento) e valerianol (4,9 por cento).

The morphological and anatomical aspects of flower and fruit and the essential oil analysis of fruits of Hennecartia omphalandra J. Poisson (Monimiaceae), a toxic plant, are described in this paper. The presence of vascular recurrent bundles and of a ring of brachysclereids in the hypanthium; the oil cells in the mesocarp, the "idiosclereids" that constitutes the endocarp and cells with reticulated thick walls, shaping the seed coat were described as characters that may help in its diagnosis. The analysis of the essential oil of fruits showed the presence of monoterpenes, as well as sesquiterpenes hydrocarbons and alcohols, being the latter the most significant group. The major identified compounds were bicyclogermacrene (19.6 percent); β-felandrene (8.7 percent); germacrene D (5.3 percent); α - bulnesene (5.1 percent) and valerianol (4.9 percent).