Etnobotânica e etnomedicina na reserva de desenvolvimento sustentável do Tupé, baixo rio Negro: plantas antimaláricas, conhecimentos e percepções associadas ao uso e à doença

Abstract

The traditional knowledge of using plants to fight disease is widespread and it is, in most cases, the only available resource for the rural population in developing countries. The plants used as medicine nearly always have a high ranking and significative position in the results of ethnobotanic investigations of a region or an ethnic group. In this context, the purpose of this study is to perform an ethnobotanic inventory in two rural communities in the vicinities of Manaus-AM, focusing in species that are used to treat malaria. Information regarding the plants used, its purpose and posology, and the perception about the disease (treatment and cure) we observed. An botanical determination of the ethnospecies that are used was also performed. Two communities who live along a river (São João do Tupé and Julião) in RDS Tupé, in the Central Amazon region were studied. In order to carry out this ethnobotany study, it were implemented semi-structured interviews and workshops through guided tours conducted by residents in the community of their backyards and of the forest. The Shannon-Wiener diversity indicators were calculated, measuring equitability and concurrence regarding its main use (CUP), measure of the use (VU) and measure of its importance (IVS). There were 127 and 131 ethnospecies in the communities SJT and Julião respectively, where 20 species have been specifically pointed at as being used to treat malaria and its associated disease in STJ and 62 in Julião. In the backyards of the STJ community 127 ethnospecies were found, among them 71 were medicinal plants, 43 were fruit trees and 13 were potherb. The most significant botany families shown in the survey were: Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Fabaceae, Apocynaceae, Solanaceae, Arecaceae and Rutaceae. The Shannon-Wiener (H’) indicators were 1,18 decits and 1,62 decits in SJT and Julião respectively while the equitability indicators were 0,91 in SJT and 0,90 in Julião. The ones that were mostly used to treat malaria regarding its CUP were: Bonamia ferruginea (87,5%), Aspidosperma sp. (75%), Ampelozizyphus amazonicus (50%) in SJT and Geissospermum sericeum and Ampelozizyphus amazonicus (31,25%), Vernonia condensata (68,75%), Persea americana and Euterpe precatoria (62,50%) in Julião. Regarding the survey conducted in the backyards in the STJ community, the medicinal species that were observed which had higher VU and IVS were: Bonamia ferruginea, Euterpe precatoria, Cymbopogon citratus and Aspidosperma sp. As to the fruit trees, the species that had reached higher VU and IVS were: Theobroma grandiflorum, Astrocaryum aculeatum, Anacardium occidentale and Inga edulis. Lastly, regarding the potherb trees, the species reaching the higher VU and IVS were: Allium schoenoprasum, Eryngium foetidum and Cucumis anguria. Some species known for treating malaria and other associated disease that are mentioned in this survey were not found recorded in other ethnobotanic studies carried out in South America, which highlights the importance of knowing about these species, its proper use and the need to conduct new studies. Concerning the analysis of type, the men who were interviewed mentioned more uses to the plants than the women, 136 men and 100 women. Regarding the perception of the disease by the local community, it is possible to state that they have a satisfactory knowledge about the disease, that is, they know what malaria is and the seriousness of it, as well as how it spreads, its treatment and prevention.