Contribution of medicinal flora to community health: perceptions and practices in native communities

Burga Campos C.W.; Sánchez Altamirano F.R.; Feria Hernández M.D.; Ávalos Hubeck J.A.; Chavez Espinoza O.; Arévalo Reátegui J. · Boletin Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Plantas Medicinales y Aromaticas (2025) · DOI: 10.37360/blacpma.25.24.6.70

Resumen

The aim of this study was to analyze the contribution of medicinal flora to the health of native communities, based on the perceptions and practices of the Awajún communities. An ethnographic method was used, with a qualitative approach and direct observation. A total of 72 people, including traditional medics and patients, were surveyed. Ninety percent of participants were familiar with medicinal plants used for treating digestive (94%), respiratory (81%), and dermatological (87%) diseases. Twenty-one frequently used medicinal plants were documented, with leaves and bark being the most commonly used parts. The study revealed a high level of acceptance of traditional medicine, but also highlighted the risk of losing ancestral knowledge and the threat to the ecosystem due to deforestation. It was concluded that traditional medicine contributes to treating and curing diseases; however, there is a perceived high risk of disappearance of some medicinal plants among the Awajún peoples.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas