Ethnobotanical inventory of medicinal plants used in the El Tejar municipality, Chimaltenango, Guatemala

Marie Koryťáková

Bakalářská práce

Abstract:

Traditional medicine has been practiced by healers for hundreds of years. Due to its great geographical location Guatemala has a copious biodiversity of medicinal plants which can be utilized against different types of diseases. Nowadays, significant information about medicinal plants and traditional medicine has disappeared. Younger generations migrate to the bigger cities and more often use and prefer conventional medicine. The current study was focused on medicinal plants used in El Tejar municipality, Chimaltenango, Guatemala. Data was collected from 50 random people between 16 and 70 years of age (43 women, 7 men) by semi-open interviews. The results showed that 34 plant species belonging to 21 families are used as medicinally in this part of Chimaltenango. The most mentioned families are Asteraceae (6 species, 17.7 %) and Lamiaceae (6 species, 17.7 %). Prevailing health problems are gastrointestinal disorders (25.2 %) and respiration problems (17 %). The most often used parts are leaves (49 %) and preparation is largely by infusion (76.3 %). According to “MUV” index the most important species are Dysphania ambrosioides L. (26 %), Aloe vera L. (14 %) and Matricaria chamomilla L. (14 %). Respondents from the 41-50 age category have better knowledge about medicinal plants (usually using up to 6 plants) than other respondents from different age categories. They inherit knowledge verbally from the elder generation or from healers.People who live in this part of Chimaltenango still use cures with the aid of medicinal plants, but the knowledge is being forgotten. Therefore, the current study is important as it will help to to preserve at least some part of the information recorded in the El Tejar municipality, Chimaltenango, Guatemala.

Keywords

Dysphania ambrosioides, Ethnobotany, Asteraceae, Traditional medicine, Aloe vera

Jazyk práce: angličtina

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 19. 4. 2018

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedoucí: doc. Dr. Ing. Eloy Fernández Cusimamani

Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze

Fakulta tropického zemědělství

Bakalářský studijní program / obor:
Zemědělská specializace / Zemědělství tropů a subtropů