Climate and categories: Two key elements for understanding the Mesoamerican hot-cold classification of illnesses and medicinal plants.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The concepts of health and illness, and their causes, are fundamental for understanding medicinal plant choice and use by traditional people. The hot-cold system is widespread in Mesoamerican traditional medicine and guides many therapeutic decisions. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study explores a hypothesis that climate influences the hot-cold classification of illnesses and medicinal plants, and the perception of hazard of illnesses. In addition, we examine the classification categories within the system used in different regions of Mexico. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Studies from Mexico with quantitative and qualitative data on the hot-cold properties of medicinal plants and ailments were reviewed. The information was organized and then related to the climate type of the study areas. RESULTS: In temperate climates, most diseases were considered cold, and hot medicinal plants were dominant. Conversely, in warm-tropical climates, hot diseases dominated, and the majority of medicinal plants were cold; however, this evidence was weaker. The perception of hazard was congruent with the number of illnesses for temperate climates. There were additional classification categories within the hot-cold system for diseases and medicinal plants, and they were expressed in different terms in Spanish, English, and indigenous languages. Although similar terms and categories were used in the classification of diseases and medicinal plants, they can differ conceptually and vary between places and cultures. Publications are sometimes unclear if the terms used are emic or etic. The basic principle of using plants with the opposite property of the disease does not always apply strictly. CONCLUSIONS: Climate appears to influence the hot-cold classification of diseases and medicinal plants in Mexico, and the system is not strictly dual. Improved knowledge of the hot-cold system is necessary to understand Mesoamerican medicinal plant use and culture.

Plantas medicinales con propiedades frías y calientes en la cultura Zoque de Ayapa, Tabasco, México / Medicinal plants with hot-cold properties in the Zoque culture of Ayapa, Tabasco, México

El objetivo del trabajo fue realizar un registro de plantas medicinales presentes en los solares-huertos familiares de la localidad zoque de Ayapa, Tabasco, México, considerando las cualidades frías y calientes asignadas a las plantas por los habitantes de la comunidad y utilizadas en el tratamiento de enfermedades. A partir de las investigaciones etnobotánicas realizadas mediante 24 entrevistas e información de 5 informantes clave se identificaron 140 especies de uso medicinal correspondientes a 65 familias botánicas diferentes, de las cuales 25 especies medicinales son consideradas de carácter caliente, 98 de carácter frío y 17 especies presentan características tanto frías como calientes. Las plantas medicinales presentes en la zona son utilizadas en el tratamiento de 70 padecimientos. 104 plantas son especies de origen americano y 36 introducidas. Este trabajo representa una primera aproximación al uso de la flora medicinal zoque de Tabasco siendo el primer reporte sobre plantas medicinales en la localidad, lo cual contribuirá a preservar su uso en la región.

The aim of this research was to record plants with medicinal value cultivated in solares or home gardens from Ayapa, a Zoque Village in Tabasco, México. We consider the analysis of the hot-cold qualities assigned by people of the community to the medicinal plants used in the treatment of illnesses. The research has an ethnobotanical perspective. Through 24 interviews and information provided by 5 key informants, we identified 140 medicinal plant species, corresponding to 69 botanical families. 25 species are considered to have a hot quality, whilst 98 are considered cold. 17 species have both cold and hot qualities. 70 ailments are treated using medicinal plants found in the area of study. 104 plants have American origin and 36 are introduced. This first approach to the analysis of the medicinal plants from the Zoque of Tabasco constitutes a first report and a contribution on medicinal lore in this community. This will help to preserve the medical knowledge of this ethnic group.