Conhecimento etnobotânico sobre plantas medicinais utilizadas por moradores de um município ribeirinho no interior do estado do Amazonas, Brasil / Ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal plants used by residents of a riverside city in the Amazonas state, Brazil

Mesmo com a evolução do conhecimento científico, a utilização de plantas medicinais é uma das práticas mais antigas ainda realizadas pelo homem, especialmente pelos habitantes de comunidades e municípios do interior do Brasil, principalmente em regiões com baixos índices de desenvolvimento humano. O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar um estudo etnobotânico sobre as plantas medicinais utilizadas pelos moradores de um bairro localizado em um município ribeirinho do interior do estado do Amazonas. Participaram do estudo cem indivíduos, e os dados obtidos pela pesquisa foram compilados por meio de um formulário, contendo 14 questões (objetivas e discursivas). Os resultados demonstraram que 95% dos moradores faziam uso de plantas medicinais. Foram citadas 89 espécies, pertencentes a 48 famílias botânicas, com destaque para a Lamiaceae. As plantas mais citadas foram: Plectranthus barbatus (boldo) ­ 6,1%, Citrus sinensis (laranjeira) ­ 5,8% e Allium sativum (alho) ­ 4,7%. No entanto, quando analisado o índice de concordância (porcentagem de uso principal = CUP), a Citrus sinensis (laranjeira) apresentou um CUP de 80,9%, seguida por Plectranthus barbatus (boldo) e Disphania ambrosioides (mastruz), com 68,1% e 61,5%, respectivamente. Com relação ao modo de preparo, 61,1% citaram infusão, e as principais enfermidades tratadas foram as dores de estômago, com 13,1%. É importante enfatizar a necessidade de mais estudos acerca dos reais benefícios dessas ervas, a fim de que a divulgação de tais informações possa complementar o conhecimento empírico já difundido entre a população local. Dessa forma, será possível ampliar o conhecimento etnobotânico como um todo e, consequentemente, promover saúde e bem-estar.

Despite the evolution of scientific knowledge, the use of medicinal plants is one of the oldest practices still used by men and, especially by the inhabitants of communities and municipalities of the interior of Brazil, mainly in regions with low human development rates. The purpose of this work was to perform an ethnobotanical study on medicinal plants used by residents of a neighborhood located in a riverside city in the interior of the state of Amazonas. A total of 100 individuals participated in the study, with data being obtained through the use of a form containing 14 open and closed-ended questions. The results showed that 95% of the residents used medicinal plants. A total of 89 species, belonging to 48 botanical families were mentioned, with emphasis to Lamiaceae. The plants that were most frequently mentioned were Plectranthus barbatus (locally known as boldo) ­ 6.1%; Citrus sinensis (orange tree) ­ 5.8%; and Allium sativum (garlic) ­ 4.7%. However, when analyzing the agreement index (percentage of main use = CUP), Citrus sinensis (orange tree) presented a CUP of 80.9%, followed by Plectranthus barbatus (boldo) and Disphania ambrosioides (Mexican tea), with 68.1 and 61.5%, respectively. In relation to the method of preparation, 61.1% cited infusion, with the main disorder treated being stomachache, with 13.1%. It is important to emphasize the need for further studies on the actual benefits of these herbs so that the dissemination of the information can complement the already widespread empirical knowledge among the local population. Thus, it will be possible to expand the ethnobotanical knowledge as a whole and, consequently, promote health and well-being.

Phenolic content of some selected lamiaceous egyptian medicinal plants: antioxidant potential and ecological friend mosquitolarvicidal

Phenol compounds are naturally occurring biologically active compounds existing in all plants had received major medical concern so development in research focused on their extraction, identification and quantification have occurred over the last 25 years; they constitute an important source of antioxidants and were used to help human body to reduce oxidative damage. Mosquitos-borne diseases constitute one of the major health problems worldwide. Control strategies involving pinpointing natural ecological friend, cheap and safe mosquitocides, mainly larvicides to stop their life cycle. Quantitative estimation of total phenol, flavonoids, phenylethanoid and iridoid contents of sixteen selected Lamiaceous Egyptian plants for screening of their antioxidant and mosquito larvicidal effects was carried out. The results showed that the most suitable medicinal plants used as antioxidants were Lavendula dentata L., Thymus capitatus L. and Thymus bovei Benth., which contain adequate mixture of total phenol, flavonoid and phenylethanoid contents, with distinct larvicidal effect in a descending order was T. capitatus L., T. bovei Benth. and L dentata L. by their adequate mixture of total phenol, flavonoid, iridoid and phenylethanoid glycoside content

Embryotoxicity and anti-implantation effects of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) extract in pregnant rats within preimplantation period

Previous study made with Rosmarinus officinalis Linné aqueous extract (rosemary) demonstrated that 130 mgkg-1 dose, commonly used as abortive by women, given to pregnant rats during preimplantation period may interfere with embryo implantation, but not disrupt the normal development of conceptus when this extract was given after implantation. The objetive of this study was to verify the mechanism by which a rosemary aqueous extract influences embryo implantation, by correlating its ingestion with possible alterations in embryo development. Pregnant wistar rats were randomly distribuited to 3 groups: one control (water) and 2 experimental groups. The rosemary extract was administered in 2 doses: 260 and 1040 mgkg-1, p.o., to females from GD1 (gestation day 1) to GD4, once daily. Then, each groups was subdivided and killed at 2 different moments: half of the animals at GD5 and the other at GD21, respectively for evaluation of the blastocysts before implantation, and for fetal evaluation. The treatment with 260 mgkg-1 caused a significant increase in the number of anomalous embryos collected in the uterus at GD5, presenting an embryotoxic effect. However, the embryos that managed to implant presented normal development when observed at term of pregnancy due to the absence of anomalies in the fetuses and no increase in the postimplantation loss rate. The administration of 1040 mgkg-1 of the extract did not present any embryotoxic effect. Nevertheless, at GD5, a decrease of 40 percent in the number of blastocysts present in the uterus was observed. This fact suggest that the treatment with the highest dose caused a longer embyo retention in the oviduct. Therefore, further studies are needed to determine the constituents of rosemary that are responsible for its embryotoxic effect and delayed embryo arrival at the uterus. Since rosemary is widely used in food preparations, it is important to realize more studies to determine the constituents that are responsible for the effects of rosemary aqueous extract.