BioMed Research International
Volume 2017 (2017), Article ID 9343724, 20 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/9343724

Research Article

Ethnobotany of Indigenous Saraguros: Medicinal Plants Used by Community Healers “Hampiyachakkuna” in the San Lucas Parish, Southern Ecuador

José M. Andrade,¹ Hernán Lucero Mosquera,² and Chabaco Armijos¹

¹Department of Chemistry, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, P.O. Box 11-01-608, Loja, Loja Province, Ecuador
²Department of Natural Sciences, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, P.O. Box 11-01-608, Loja, Loja Province, Ecuador

Correspondence should be addressed to José M. Andrade; jmandrade@utpl.edu.ec

Received 15 February 2017; Revised 21 April 2017; Accepted 21 May 2017; Published 4 July 2017

Academic Editor: Horacio Bach

Copyright © 2017 José M. Andrade et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract.

This paper reports the results of an ethnobotanical survey on the use of medicinal plants by community healers “Hampiyachakkuna” in the San Lucas Parish, province of Loja, Ecuador. A particular ethnic group, the indigenous Saraguros, inhabits this region. This study reports 183 plant species used in 75 different curative therapies by the Saraguro healers.

1. Introduction

The Saraguros are one of the Kichwa indigenous communities of Ecuador. Although their origin is uncertain, they are considered to have been forced by the Incas to reach Ecuador from far away. A commonly accepted theory on how they reached south Ecuador is as a result of an “ethnical mobilization,” a common practice established by the great Inca Tupac Yupanqui. This strategy was used in order to secure the peace inside the Empire. As such, and according to Uhle [1], a small group of Paltas, the autochthonous inhabitants of the Loja region in south Ecuador, were transferred to Bolivia; and at the same time, a certain number of inhabitants of the Bolivian Highland Plateau were relocated in south Ecuador [2]. Nowadays, the Saraguros are normally settled in communitarian land in the southern Ecuador provinces of Loja and Zamora Chinchipe. In the canton of Loja, the Saraguros live in the San Lucas Parish, where this research was conducted.

The Saraguros are one of the best-organized ethnical groups in Ecuador and have conserved many aspects of their ancient culture and traditions for centuries. They demonstrate the latter by preserving their typical dressing, language, religion, gastronomy, architecture, social habits, and medical practices [3]. Among their medical practice traditions, this ethnic group is known for the use of medicinal plants in their own health care system. In fact, the use of these plants as therapeutic agents is an important feature of traditional indigenous medicine and is still practiced within the Saraguro community [4]. In particular, the Saraguros are highly recognized for the development of optimization techniques that help them select natural/plant resources to be used in their health care practices [5].

The community of healers locally known as “Hampiyachakkuna” maintains the ancient medical treatments of the Saraguros. The “Yachak” or “Hampi yachakkuna” is the person who knows the curative properties of plants, animals, and/or minerals. Under the Andean cosmovision of the Saraguros ethnical group, the diseases they treat are thought to be produced by either cold or heat [6]. As such, their natural medicines are classified as hot and fresh [7]; and depending on the nature of the patient’s condition, different plants are selected for the treatment in accordance with this classification. However, although the knowledge regarding the usage of plants for medicinal practices has been transmitted orally from generation to generation [8], the Saraguros are experimenting cultural changes that threaten the preservation of their ancestral knowledge. These cultural changes lead to negative consequences such as the loss of traditional knowledge, a decline in the use of natural resources, and changes in the patterns of food intake, medical treatment, and, furthermore, their cosmovision. For these reasons, there is an urgent need to document and preserve their invaluable knowledge [9].

In this sense, a number of ethnobotanical studies have been conducted in Ecuador. [10–16]. More recently, a series of important contributions to ethnobotanical research in the South of Ecuador have been published [17, 18]. For example, there are studies related to the use of wild fruits as alimentary supplements [19], the documentation of the herbaceous plants of Vilcabamba [20], and of medicinal plants used in the province of Loja [21]. In the latter, the existence of more than 200 medicinal plants was reported. In the Saraguro region, only few ethnobotanical studies have reported the usefulness of different natural plants in a variety of applications [22–24]. However, to date, a thorough documentation of the plants used as medicinal resources by the healers of the Saraguro ethnical group, which is the motivation for this investigation, has not been reported.

Because of the increasing recognition of the importance of the different medicinal species used by the Saraguros and in an effort to preserve their knowledge, in this work we seek to contribute to the conservation strategy on the sustainable uses of the Ecuadorian medicinal biodiversity. The latter is considered a fundamental step in order to raise awareness of its cultural value and the importance of its preservation. By doing that, we intended to safeguard the popular knowledge concerning natural medicinal plants and to provide a baseline for future actions regarding scientific research programs, environmental education, social awareness, and sustainable natural resources exploitation. As such, this study was conducted under a technical and scientific cooperation among the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL), the Dirección Provincial de Salud de Loja (DPSL), and the Saraguros Healers Council (Consejo de Sanadores de Saraguro) with the objective of recognizing and recovering the traditional knowledge of herbal medicinal resources used by the Saraguro community. The results of this research also aim at becoming a starting point to attract the attention of national and international tourists, in order to promote a self-sustaining development of the Saraguro community.

2. Methodology

This study was carried out in the San Lucas Parish in the south Ecuadorian province of Loja (Figure 1). San Lucas is limited to the north with the Saraguro Canton and the “Loma de Oro” mountain, to the south with the Jimbilla parish by the Bunque and Puruzhuma Rivers, to the east with the Loja-Zamora Chinchipe provincial limits and the Imbana Mountain, and to the west with the Santiago parish. San Lucas has an area of 15.900 ha and a population of approximately 4,296 inhabitants [12]. The dominant ecosystem in the zone is classified as lower montane-humid forest (hf-LM) according to Holdrige classification system. It is located at an average elevation of 2,525 m a.s.l and has an irregular topography. The study area has a temperate climate, with temperature ranging between 12 and 18°C along the year [12]. Annual precipitation amounts range between 600 and 1,000 mm yr⁻¹. The rainfall regime is semihumid with low seasonality.

Figure 1: Geographical location of the San Lucas Parish, indicating the places of collection of medicinal species.

This research was carried out during 11 field trips conducted during the period June–September 2010. During these field visits, interviews with four key informants (i.e., healers) from the Saraguro community regarding the medicinal plants they use in their practices and their applications were carried out. These healers were a midwife “Wachakhampiyachak,” a herbalist “Yurakhampiyachak,” a bone-healer “Kakuyhampiyachak,” and a visionary “Rikuyhampiyachak.” All of them are inhabitants of San Lucas community (Table 1) (Figure 2).

Table 1: Places of collection of medicinal species used by community healer.

Place of collection

Community healer

Visionary
Herbalist
Midwife
Bone-healer

Acacana

x
x
x

Pichic

x
x
x

Ingapirca

x

Inguera
x

Aguarongo
x

Plan de Duco
x

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

Figure 2: Community healers from San Lucas Parish: (a) midwife “Wachakhampiyachak” during an interview with one of the coauthors; (b) herbalist “Yurakhampiyachak”; (c) visionary “Rikuhampiyachak”; and (d) bone-healer “Kakuyhampiyachak.”

In the Saraguro community, the midwifes (locally known as “parteras” or wachak in Kichwa) watch over the health of women in labor (“parturienta” in Spanish), prior, during, and after the child’s birth, as well as during the first years of the newborn’s life. They are mainly recognized for using medicinal plants normally grown in her own orchard, which facilitates their work. The herbalists (locally known as “hierbateros”) treat diseases with symptomatology of organic type. These include headache, stomach ache, articulation pain, fever, and/or allergies. The “hierbateros” mainly use medicinal resources collected in high-elevation mountainous areas. As such, differently from the “parteras,” they use larger amounts of herbal wild species during their practices. The bone-healers (locally known as “sobador”) is an empirical traumatologist who uses medicinal plants and the fat of different animals to treat the rupture of bones, sprains, and dislocations. The “visionario” (locally known as “Yachak”) are specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of supernatural nature (e.g., evil eye, fright (or “susto” in Spanish)), but also the aforementioned diseases of organic nature. They are particularly recognized for their expertise in the preparation of psychoactive potions using hallucinogen natural plants and depending of the Yachak expertise and knowledge the use of additional nonhallucinogen plants that act as psychoactive additives. For example, on the use of wamingas and trencillas (Huperzia spp.) for the preparation of the hallucinogenic cactus San Pedro (Echinopsis pachanoi) [11]. Although the practices of these community healers are highly trusted and recognized as effective within the Saraguro community, when they detect serious conditions in the health of a patient, they immediately transfer the patient to a health center or hospital.

The informants were contacted through authorized representatives of the Department of Indigenous Health (Departamento de Salud Indígena) of the Loja City Health Direction. The informants were between 60 and 80 years old, with at least 25 years of experience in the use of medicinal plant species. The consent of each of the interviewed Saraguro healers was obtained before starting the study and reporting the results. Their knowledge of traditional medicine was inherited from ancestors and close relatives. The information collected during the interviews with the healers was related to the different uses, application forms, preparation, method/s of collection, parts, and spread of the different plants used by each of them as medicinal resources.

In addition, the medicinal plants species used by each of the healers within the San Lucas Parish were collected. The species were classified according to the Red Book of endemic plants of Ecuador [21] and the Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Ecuador [25]. After their classification, the collected specimens were deposited in the herbarium of the Plant of Natural Products (Planta de Productos Naturales) of the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja for future studies. The qualitative evaluation and quantitative information collected of all species were tabulated and analyzed with their vernacular names, occurrence, growing places, therapeutically applications, parts used, plants habit development, and forms of preparation as described by each informant. The scientific nomenclature was recorded according to the Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Ecuador [25]. This research was conducted under permission of the Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador (MAE-N°001-IC-FLO-DBAP-VS-DRLZCH-MA). Additionally, voucher specimens were prepared and deposited in Herbarium of the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja. Date of plant species, vernacular name, scientific name and family, medicinal use, parts used and modality of preparation, form of administration, and the species used for each “Hampi Yachak” are reported in Tables 4 to 7.

3. Results and Discussion

In this ethnobotanical survey, we identified 183 plants used by the community healers “Hampi yachakkuna” of the Saraguro ethnic in the San Lucas Parish. These were grouped into: 68 families, 129 genera, and 179 species. The most representative families were Asteraceae (30 species); Lamiaceae (14 species), Arecaceae (9 species), Solanaceae and Geraniaceae (8 species each), Amaryllidaceae and Brassicaceae (7 species each), and Piperaceae, Lycopodiaceae, and Ericaceae (6 species each). In relation to the treated diseases we found that 47 species are used for mythological treatments, 24 species for nervous system treatments, 13 species for cold treatments, 12 species for infection treatments, 9 species for general malaise treatments, and 8 species for inflammatory treatments of the liver and kidneys. These results are corroborated by the studies of [26–28]. As reported by [3, 5], as a result of their ancient Andean world view, supernatural and mythological diseases are the most commonly treated conditions by the Saraguro healers.

The type of species used by the healers, with exception of the midwifes (“Wachakhampiyachak”) who use a large amount of self-cultivated species, are wild species (57.4%). These species are generally collected at high-elevation in the highlands surrounding the parish. About the vegetative organ of the plants used, we found that the highest proportion corresponds to the use of the whole plant (30.1%), followed by the branches (21.9%), flowers (18.6%), leaves (16.4%), bark (2.2%), seeds (1.1%), and tubers (0.6%). These results contrast with those documented by [29] in the San Lucas Parish, who reported that the most commonly used part of the plants are the leaves. With regard to the preparation of the medicinal treatment products, crushing of the plants or their parts was determined as the most commonly applied method to process the rough plant tissues (28.4%), because it allows for a more effective treatment of the diseases according to the key informants. This method is followed by boiling the plant tissues in water (27.9%), infusions (25.7%), and their direct use (18%) as has been previously reported by [28].

The interviewees did not know the form of reproduction of the majority of the species documented in the study (55.2%). From the ones they knew, 27.3% have an asexual reproduction and 17.5% have a sexual reproduction (Table 2). Only 29% of the total number of the registered species (53 species) have not been previously reported in scientific investigations of phytochemical character and their pharmacological activity. In contrast, 71% (130 species) have registered studies of pharmacological and phytochemical nature. Regarding the administration and/or application of medicinal preparations, five procedures were identified: oral administration (110 species), topical administration (45 species), administration during water baths (17 species), administration during rituals (locally known as “limpias”) (9 species), and administration during steam baths (2 species).

Table 2: Knowledge on the propagation of species.

Propagation
Number of species
Percent (%)

Unknown
101
55.19

Sexual
32
17.49

Asexual
50
27.32

Total
183
100.00

Of the total screened plants, 55.2% are native, 37.2% are introduced, and 7.7% are endemic. Similar results have been reported in the paste [20, 30]. From the 13 endemic species reported (Table 3), 2 species are used by the midwife, 3 species by the herbalist, 6 species by the visionary, and 2 species by the bone-healer. From the total number of species used by the healers, 96 are used by the visionary, 69 by the herbalist, 52 by the midwife, and 12 by the bones healer (Figure 3). It is important to mention that some of the species are used by more than one Yachak.

Table 3: Endemic species reported.

Common name
Scientific name
Category

Pena de cerro
Bejaria subsessilis Benth.
Vulnerable

Suelda pequeña
Dendrophthora fastigiata Kuijt.
In danger

Chuquir agua
Diplostephium oblanceolatum S. F. Blake
Almost threated

Sacha pena
Fuchsia hypoleuca I. M. Johnst.
In danger

Wuaminga verde pequeño
Huperzia austroecuadorica B. Øllg.
Vulnerable

Shallshón
Lepechinia paniculata (Kunth)
Vulnerable

Pena rojo de monte
Siphocampylus scandens (Kunth). G. Don
Least preoccupation

Pegac chilca
Ageratina dendroides (Spreng) R.
Vulnerable

Sarcillo sacha
Brachyotum scandens (Bonpl.) Triana.
Least preoccupation

Monte de baño
Diplostephium juniperinum Cuatrec
In danger

Suelda grande
Phoradendron parietarioides Trel.
Not evaluated

Sacha algodón
Achyrocline hallii Hieron.
Vulnerable

Sp flor morado
Salvia leucocephala Kunth
Vulnerable

Table 4: Ethnopharmacological reports of medicinal species used by herb man “Yurakhampiyachak.”

Number
Scientific name
Herbarium voucher
Medicinal use
Preparation
Used part
Administration

1
Cyclanthera pedata (L.) Schrad.  
Cucurbitaceae
PPN-cu-004
Earache
Heat
Fruit
Topic

2
Allium sativum L.
Liliaceae
PPN-li-001
Cough
Crushed
Garlic
Oral

3
Medicago sativa L.
Fabaceae
PPN-fa-017
Circulatory problems in the blood system, particularly loss of sensation in the body extremities (e.g., hands, feet, and/or toes)
Liquefied
Leaves
Oral

4
Phytolacca americana L.  
Phytolaccaceae
PPN-ph-003
Dandruff
Crushed
Fruit
Topic

5
Nasturtium officinale R. Br.  
Brassicaceae
PPN-br-002
Malaise of the body and headache
Crushed
Whole
Oral

6
Nasturtium officinale R. Br.  
Brassicaceae
PPN-br-002
Pneumonia
Crushed
Leaves
Oral

7
Ageratum conyzoides L.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-037
Gangrene and infection
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

8
Prunus serotina Ehrh.  
Rosaceae
PPN-ro-010
Postpartum bath and bone pain.
Cooked
Leaves
Bath

9
Cedrela montana Moritz ex Turcz.  
Meliaceae
PPN-ml-004
Postpartum bath and bone pain.
Cooked
Leaves
Bath

10
Aloysia triphylla (L’Hér.) Britton,  
Verbenaceae
PPN-ve-002
Colds and colic
Infusion
Leaves
Oral

11
Lepidium sp.  
Brassicaceae
PPN-br-008
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e., “bad air” in Spanish)
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

12
Oxalis peduncularis Kunth.  
Oxalidaceae
PPN-ox-002
Infection of the throat
Crushed
Whole plant
Topic:

13
Oxalis spiralis Ruiz & Pav.  
Oxalidaceae
PPN-ox-003
Infection of the throat
Crushed
Whole
Topic

14
Dianthus caryophyllus 
Caryophyllaceae
PPN-cd-001
Stomach pain
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

15
Brassica oleracea L.  
Brassicaceae
PPN-br-007
Inflammation of the liver and kidneys
Crushed
Stems
Oral

16
Equisetum bogotense  
Equisetaceae
PPN-eq-001
Inflammation of the liver
Cooked
Whole plant
Oral

17
Oreocallis grandiflora (Lam.) R. Br.  
Proteaceae
PPN-ti-001
Inflammation of the liver and kidneys
Cooked
Flowers
Oral

18
Coriandrum sativum L.  
Apiaceae
PPN-ap-010
Menstrual related abdominal pain
Infusion
Whole plant
Oral

19
Tibouchina laxa (Desr.) Cogn.  
Melastomataceae
PPN-me-003
Infection of the eyes in guinea pig (has not been applied in humans)
Crushed
Flowers
Ocular application

20
Iresine herbstii Hook.  
Amaranthaceae
PPN-am-001
Infection intestinal, injuries, liver and kidney
Crushed
Stems
Oral

21
Epidendrum cochlidium Lindl.  
Orchidaceae
PPN-or-006
Nerves
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

22
Passiflora ligularis Juss.  
Passifloraceae
PPN-pa-001
Diarrhea in children of 1 to 6 months of age
Warmed
Leaves
Topic

23
Rumex tolimensis Wedd.  
Polygonaceae
PPN-pl-005
Growing hair and dandruff control
Crushed
Stems
Topic (wash hair)

24
Myrcianthes rhopaloides (Kunth).  
Myrtaceae
PPN-my-001
Cold
Artisan
Stems
It is used in agriculture

25
Paepalanthus ensifolius Mart.  
Eriocaulaceae
PPN-el-002
Nerves
Water stored
Leaves
Oral

26
Sigesbeckia mandoni Schult.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-051
Diarrhea in children of 1 to 6 months of age
Wormed
Leaves
Topic

27
Macleania rupestris (Kunth) A. C.  
Ericaceae
PPN-er-005
Reduces diarrhea and general malaise
Juice or food directly
Fruit
Oral

28
Drimys granadensis L. f.  
Winteraceae
PPN-wn-001
Sore teeth
Crushed
Bark of the plant
Topic

29
Zea mays L.  
Poaceae
PPN-po-012
Reduces diarrhea and general malaise
Infusion
Hair of Z. mays dry
Oral

30
Tropaeolum tuberosum Ruiz & Pav.  
Tropaeolaceae
PPN-tr-001
Prostate
Cooked
Tubers
Oral:

31
Salvia scutellarioides K.  
Lamiaceae
PPN-la-014
Infection of wounds
Cooked
Leaves
Wash the affected site

32
Mentha spicata 
Lamiaceae
PPN-la-027
Colic stomach and cold
Cooked
Leaves
Oral

33
Myrica pubescens Humb. & Bonpl.  
Myricaceae
PPN-mr-001
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e., “bad air” in Spanish)
It is used across clean.
Leaves
Topical and oral

34
Clematis haenkeana C. Pres.  
Ranunculaceae
PPN-ra-003
Sore teeth
Crushed
Buds
Topic

35
Rubus urticifolius Poir.  
Rosaceae
PPN-ro-005
Gangrene
Crushed
Buds and/flowers
Oral

36
Gaultheria erecta Vent.  
Eriaceae
PPN-er-008
Physical exhaustion
Eats
Fruit
Oral

37
Bidens andicola Kunth.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-005
Diminish fall back into illness after recovery (locally known as “recaída”)
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

38
Juglans neotropica Diles.  
Juglandaceae
PPN-ju-001
Postpartum bath
Cooked
Leaves
Bath

39
Chenopodium ambrosioides L.  
Chenopodiaceae
PPN-ch-001
Gallbladder stones
Cooked
Whole plant
Oral

40
Viola dombeyana DC.  
Violaceae
PPN-vi-004
Nerves
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

41
Fuchsia hybrida hort. ex Siebert & Voss.  
Onagraceae
PPN-on-005
Nerves
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

42
Viola arguta Willd. ex Roem. & Schult.
Violaceae
PPN-vi-002
Nerves
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

43
Siphocampylus scandens (Kunth) G.  
Campanulaceae
PPN-cp-001
Nerves
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

44
Petroselinum crispum (Mill.)  
Apiaceae
PPN-ap-003
Nerves
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

45
Disterigma alaternoides (Kunth) Ericaceae
PPN-er-006
Physical exhaustion
Eats
Fruit
Oral

46
Poterium sanguisorba L.  
Rosaceae
PPN-ro-008
Nerves
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

47
Clinopodium sp.  
Lamiaceae
PPN-la-024
Menstrual related abdominal pain and cold
Infusion
Whole plant
Oral

48
Myrteola phylicoides (Benth.)  
Myrtaceae
PPN-my-006
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e., “bad air” in Spanish)
It is used directly
Leaves
Topic

49
Clinopodium taxifolium (Kunth)  
Lamiaceae
PPN-la-002
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e. “bad air” in Spanish)
It is used directly
Leaves
Topic

50
Achyrocline hallii Hieron.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-058
Injuries
Place in the affected site
Leaves
Topic

51
Fuchsia hypoleuca I. M. Johnst.  
Onagraceae
PPN-on-009
Nerves
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

52
Cleome longifolia C. Pres.  
Capparaceae
PPN-ck-001
Rheumatism
Crushed
Leaves
Topic

53
Cestrum sendtnerianum Mart.
Solanaceae
PPN-so-003
Fever, headache and relapse
Infusion
Leaves
Oral

54
Cestrum sp.  
Solanaceae
PPN-so-004
Fever, headache and relapse
Infusion
Leaves
Oral

55
Bidens pilosa L.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-002
Diminish fall back into illness after recovery (locally known as “recaída”)
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

56
Pontederia sp.  
Pontederiaceae
PPN-pk-001
Sore teeth
Chew
Leaves
Topic

57
Macrocarpaea lenae J. R. Grant 
Gentianaceae
PPN-gn-003
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e., “bad air” in Spanish)
Clean
Leaves
Topic

58
Piper ecuadorense Sodiro.  
Piperaceae
PPN-pi-007
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e. “bad air” in Spanish)
Clean.
Leaves
Topic

59
Cyphomandra betacea (Cav.)  
Solanaceae
PPN-so-014
Infection of the throat
Cooked
Fruit
Oral

60
Carica pubescens Lenné & C. Koch.  
Caricaceae
PPN-cc-003
Nerves and diarrhea
Cooked
Fruit
Oral

61
Melissa officinalis L.  
Lamiaceae
PPN-la-004
Nerves
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

62
Physalis peruviana L.  
Solanaceae
PPN-so-013
Cholesterol
Juices
Fruit
Oral

63
Gaiadendron punctatum (Ruiz & Pav.)  
Loranthaceae
PPN-lo-001
Strong cough
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

64
Otholobium mexicanum (L. f.) J. W.  
Fabaceae
PPN-fa-005
Diarrhea
Infusion or cooking
Flowers
Oral

65
Cavendishia bracteata (Ruiz & Pav.)  
Ericaceae
PPN-er-003
Feed
Eats
Fruit
Oral

66
Arracacia xanthorrhiza Bancr.  
Apiaceae
PPN-ap-001
Elimination of the placenta in cattle
Cooked
Leaves
Oral

67
Cucurbita maxima Dúchense.  
Cucurbitaceae
PPN-cu-005
Diarrhea in children of 1 to 6 months of age
Warmed in the hands palms
Leaves
Topic

Plants used in mythological cases.

Table 5: Ethnopharmacological report of medicinal plants used by visionary “Rikuyhampiyachak.”

Number
Scientific name
Herbarium voucher
Medicinal use
Preparation
Used part
Administration

1
Cyclanthera pedata (L.) Schrad.  
Cucurbitaceae
PPN-cu-004
Diminish fall back into illness after recovery (locally known as “recaída”)
Crushed
Flowers
Oral

2
Scirpus sp.  
Cyperaceae
PPN-cy-004
Child restless and confused, and postpartum bath
Cooked
Whole plant
Bath

3
Alnus acuminata Kunth.  
Betulaceae
PPN-be-001
Headache
Heated
Leaves
Topic

4
Amaranthus cruentus L.  
Amaranthaceae
PPN-am-002
Menstrual related abdominal pain
Cooked
Leaves
Oral

5
Nasturtium officinale R. Br.  
Brassicaceae
PPN-br-002
Headache
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

6
Borago officinalis L.  
Boraginaceae
PPN-bo-001
Diminish fall back into illness after recovery (locally known as “recaída”) and cough
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

7
Triumfetta althaeoides Lam.  
Tiliaceae
PPN-ti-001
Inflammation of the liver and kidneys
Infusion
Leaves
Oral

8
Salvia scutellarioides Kunth.  
Lamiaceae
PPN-la-014
Water of air
Crushed
Flowers
Oral

9
Ageratum conyzoides L.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-031
Gangrene and infection
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

10
Centaurium erythraea Rafn.  
Gentianaceae
PPN-gn-001
Malaise of the body
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

11
Sonchus oleraceus L.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-037
Malaise of the body
Infusion
Whole plant
Oral

12
Lepidium sp.  
Brassicaceae
PPN-br-008
Diminish fall back into illness after recovery (locally known as “recaída”)
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

13
Cotula australis (Sieber ex Spreng.) Hook. f.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-054
Diminish fall back into illness after recovery (locally known as “recaída”)
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

14
Lepidium chichicara Desv.  
Brassicaceae
PPN-br-004
Diminish fall back into illness after recovery (locally known as “recaída”)
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

15
Tagetes terniflora Kunth, Nov.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-006
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e., “bad air” in Spanish)
It is used directly
Leaves
Topic

16
Urtica urens L.  
Urticaceae
PPN-ur-004
Intestinal Infection
Infusion
Whole plant
Oral

17
Oxalis peduncularis Kunth.  
Oxalidaceae
PPN-ox-002
Infection of the throat
Crushed
Whole plant
Topic

18
Diplostephium oblanceolatum S. F. Blake  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-045
Malaise of the body
Cooked
Leaves
Oral

19
Cupressus lusitanica Mill.  
Cupressaceae
PPN-cp-001
Control baldness
Macerate
Fruit
Topic

20
Dianthus caryophyllus  
Caryophyllaceae
PPN-cd-001
Stomach pain
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

21
Brassica oleracea L.  
Brassicaceae
PPN-br-007
Infection liver and kidneys
Crushed
Stems
Oral

22
Equisetum bogotense Kunth.  
Equisetaceae
PPN-eq-001
Inflammation of the liver
Cooked
Whole plant
Oral

23
Peperomia peltigera C. DC.  
Piperaceae
PPN-pi-010
Headache
Warm Fire
Fruit
Inhalation

24
Peperomia galioides Kunth.  
Piperaceae
PPN-pi-004
Water of air
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

25
Baccharis oblongifolia (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-047
Child restless and confused, postpartum bath
Cooked
Branches
Bath

26
Oreocallis grandiflora (Lam.) R. Br.  
Proteaceae
PPN-pr-001
Inflammation of the liver
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

27
Niphogeton dissecta (Benth.) J. F. Macbr 
Apiaceae
PPN-ap-010
Cold
Cooked
Whole plant
Oral

28
Apium leptophyllum L.  
Apiaceae
PPN-ap-006
Cold
Cooked
Whole plant
Oral

29
Adiantum poiretii Wikstr.  
Pteriadaceae
PPN-pt-001
Cold
Cooked
Whole plant
Oral

30
Iresine herbstii Hook.  
Amaranthaceae
PPN-am-001
Infection: intestinal, liver and kidneys
Cooked
Whole plant
Oral

31
Eucalyptus globulus Labill.  
Myrtaceae
PPN-my-007
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e., “bad air” in Spanish)
Directly
Branches
Topic

32
Epidendrum fimbriatum Kunth.  
Orchidaceae
PPN-or-001
For internal tumors
Crushed
Flowers
Oral

33
Rumex tolimensis Wedd.  
Polygonaceae
PPN-pl-005
Dandruff
Crushed
Leaves
Topic

34
Vicia faba L.  
Fabaceae
PPN-fa-016
Headache
Boiled in the hands palms
Leaves
Topic

35
Halenia weddelliana Gilg.  
Gentianaceae
PPN-gn-002
It helps maintain milk production in cattle
Cooked
Whole plant
Topic

36
Marchantia polymorpha L.  
Amaranthaceae
PPN-am-008
Malaise of the body
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

37
Diplostephium sp.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-056
To bad energy
Cooked
Branches
Bath

38
Tagetes erecta L.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-019
Water of air
Crushed
Flowers
Oral

39
Myrica parvifolia Benth.  
Myricaceae
PPN-mr-002
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e., “bad air” in Spanish)
Directly
Branches
Topic

40
Gamochaeta americana (Mill.) Wedd.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-030
cold
Cooked
Whole plant
Oral

41
Linum usitatissimum L.  
Linaceae
PPN-li-001
Inflammation of liver and kidneys
Cooked
Fruits
Oral

42
Alcea rosea L.  
Malvaceae
PPN-ma-001
Inflammation of liver and kidneys
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

43
Matricaria chamomilla L.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-016
Gastritis
Boiled
Whole plant
Oral

44
Ambrosia artemisioides Mill.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-022
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e. “bad air” in Spanish)
Directly
Branches
Topic

45
Piper aduncum L.  
Piperaceae
PPN-pi-016
Infection of external wound
Cooked the leaves

Topic

46
Diplostephium juniperinum Cuatrec.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-057
Child restless and confused, and postpartum bath
Cooked
Branches
Bath

47
Eriocaulon microcephalum Kunth,  
Erioculaceae
PPN-el-001
To luck good
Macerate
Whole plant
Inhalation

48
Rubus urticifolius Poir.  
Rosaceae
PPN-ro-005
Gangrene
Crushed
Flowers
Oral

49
Bidens andicola Kunth.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-005
Diminish fall back into illness after recovery (locally known as “recaída”)
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

50
Pedicularis incurva Benth.  
Scrophulariaceae
PPN-sc-004
Cold
Macerate
Branches
Oral

51
Lepidium chichicara Desv.  
Brassicaceae
PPN-br-004
Diminish fall back into illness after recovery (locally known as “recaída”)
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

52
Bejaria aestuans Mutis ex L.  
Ericaceae
PPN-er-001
Menstrual related abdominal pain
Cooked
Flowers
Oral

53
Bejaria subsessilis Benth.  
Ericaceae
PPN-er-007
Nerves
Cooked
Flowers
Oral

54
Fuchsia hybrida hort. ex Siebert & Voss.  
Onagraceae
PPN-on-005
Nerves
Cooked
Flowers
Oral

55
Poterium sanguisorba L.  
Rosaceae
PPN-ro-008
Nerves
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

56
Pinus radiata D.  
Pinaceae
PPN-pc-001
Asthma
Cooked
Fruit
Oral

57
Clinopodium sp.  
Lamiaceae
PPN-la-024
Cold
Cooked
Whole plant
Oral

58
Minthostachys mollis (Kunth) Grises.  
Lamiaceae
PPN-la-009
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e., “bad air” in Spanish)
Directly
Branches
Topic

59
Chrysanthemum sp.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-055
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e. “bad air” in Spanish)
Crushed
Leaves
Oral

60
Ceroxylon parvifrons (Engel) H. Wendl.  
Aricaceae
PPN-ak-001
The aerial part is used as incense
Burns
Leaves

61
Rosmarinus officinalis L.  
Lamiaceae
PPN-la-010
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e., “bad air” in Spanish)
Crushed
Branches
Oral

62
Rosa centifolia L.  
Rosaceae
PPN-ro-001
Nerves
Crushed
Flowers
Oral

63
Ruta graveolens L.  
Rutaceae
PPN-rt-001
Headache, bad air
Crushed
Branches
Oral

64
Solanum juglandifolium Dunal, Solan.  
Solanaceae
PPN-so-016
Air water
Crushed
Flowers
Oral

65
Echinopsis pachanoi (Britton & Rose)  
Cactaceae
PPN-cb-001
Sorcery
Cooked
Stems
Oral

66
Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Sch. Bip.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-031
Fright in children
Cooked
Whole plant
Oral

67
Brachyotum confertum (Bonpl.) Triana.  
Melastomataceae
PPN-me-004
Allergies
Crushed and cook
Branches
Topic

68
Cestrum sendtnerianum C. Martius.  
Solanaceae
PPN-so-003
Fever, headache and relapse
Infusion
Leaves and flowers
Oral

69
Baccharis obtusifolia Kunth.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-014
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e., “bad air” in Spanish)
Directly
Branches
Topic

70
Baccharis sp.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-015
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e., “bad air” in Spanish)
Directly
Branches
Topic

71
Lepechinia paniculata (Kunth).  
Lamiaceae
PPN-la-011
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e., “bad air” in Spanish)
Directly
Branches
Topic

72
Bidens pilosa L.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-002
Diminish fall back into illness after recovery (locally known as “recaída”)
Crushed
Flowers
Oral

73
Tagetes erecta L.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-019
Air water
Crushed
Flowers
Oral

74
Baccharis genistelloides (Lam.) Pers.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-013
Diabetes and cholesterol
Cooked
Branches
Oral

75
Piper barbatum Kunth.  
Piperaceae
PPN-pi-005
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e. “bad air” in Spanish)
Directly
Branches
Topic

76
Baccharis genistelloides (Lam.) Pers.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-013
Diabetes and cholesterol
Cooked
Branches
Oral

77
Iresine herbstii Hook.  
Amaranthaceae
PPN-am-001
Flu and bad air
Cooked
Whole plant
Oral

78
Clinopodium nubigenum (Kunth).  
Lamiaceae
PPN-la-018
Cold
Infusion
Whole plant
Oral

79
Melissa officinalis L.  
Lamiaceae
PPN-la-004
Nerves
Crushed
Branches
Oral

80
Huperzia sp.  
Lycopodiaceae
PPN-lc-007
Child restless and confused, and postpartum bath
Cooked
Branches
Bath

81
Huperzia tetragona (Hook. & Grev.)  
Lycopodiaceae
PPN-lc-004
Sorcery
Macerate
Whole plant
Oral

82
Solanum oblongifolium Dunal, Solan.  
Solanaceae
PPN-so-014
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e. “bad air” in Spanish)
Directly
Branches
Topic

83
Oritrophium peruvianum (Lam.)  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-046
Inflammation of the liver and kidneys
Cooked
Whole plant
Oral

84
Oritrophium peruvianum (Lam.)  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-046
Inflammation of the liver and kidneys
Cooked
Whole plant
Oral

85
Oritrophium peruvianum (Lam.)  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-046
Inflammation of the liver and kidneys
Cooked
Whole plant
Oral

86
Loricaria thuyoides (Lam.) Sch.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-044
Child restless and confused, bath and good energy
Cooked
Branches
Bath

87
Valeriana microphylla Kunth.  
Valerianaceae
PPN-va-001
Nerves
Cooked
Roots
Oral

88
Verbena litoralis Kunth.  
Verbenaceae
PPN-ve-001
Plague and headache
Crushed
Flowers
Oral

89
Huperzia sp.  
Lycopodiaceae
PPN-lc-007
Amulet for evil eye and sorcery
Macerate
Whole plant
Oral

90
Huperzia sellifolia B. Øllg.  
Lycopodiaceae
PPN-lc-002
Amulet for evil eye and sorcery
Macerate
Whole plant
Oral

91
Lycopodium weberbaueri (Nessel).  
Lycopodiaceae
PPN-lc-005
Amulet for evil eye and sorcery
Macerate
Whole plant
Oral

92
Huperzia austroecuadorica B. Øllg.  
Lycopodiaceae
PPN-lc-006
Amulet for evil eye and sorcery
Macerate
Whole plant
Oral

93
Brugmansia X candida Pers.  
Solanaceae
PPN-so-015
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e., “bad air” in Spanish)
Directly
Directly
Topic

94
Daucus carota L.  
Apiaceae
PPN-um-001
Gastritis
Juice
Drops
Oral

Plants used in mythological cases.

Table 6: Ethnopharmacological reports of medicinal species used by a bone healer “Kakuyhampiyachak.”

Number
Scientific name
Herbarium voucher
Medicinal use
Preparation
Used part
Administration

1
Persea americana Mill.
Lauraceae
PPN-lu-001
Coups and hematomas
Scraped
Seed
Oral

2
Alnus acuminata Kunth.  
Betulaceae
PPN-be-001
Rupture of bones, sprains and dislocations
Crushed
Buds
Topic

3
Urtica urens L.  
Urticaceae
PPN-ur-004
Blows
Crushed
Whole plant
Topic

4
Oreocallis grandiflora (Lam.) R. Br.  
Proteaceae
PPN-pr-001
Twists and blows
Crushed
Fruit
Topic

5
Solanum americanum Mill.  
Solanaceae
PPN-so-007
Blows internal
Cooked
Leaves
Oral

6
Chenopodium album L.  
Chenopodiaceae
PPN-ch-002
Blows, dislocation, sprains
Crushed
Branches or buds
Topic

7
Agave americana L.  
Amaryllidaceae
PPN-ar-002
Bone fracture and dislocation
Gets small slats
Stems
Topic

8
Cucurbita ficifolia Bouché, Verh.  
Amaryllidaceae
PPN-cu-001
Blows
It uses the buds pounded and mixed with natural sweetener (panela)
Whole plant
Topic

9
Phoradendron parietarioides Trel.  
Viscaceae
PPN-vs-002
Bone fractures and dislocated
Crushed
Whole plant
Topic

10
Dendrophthora fastigiata Kuijt.  
Viscaceae
PPN-vs-001
Bone fractures and dislocated
Crushed
Whole plant
Topic

11
Carica pubescens Lenné & C. Koch.  
Caricaceae
PPN-cc-003
Dislocation
Heat
Leaves
Topic

12
Solanum oblongifolium Dunal, Solan.  
Solanaceae
PPN-so-014
Dislocation
Heat
Leaves
Topic

Table 7: Ethnopharmacological reports of medicinal species used by a midwife “Wachackhampiyachak.”

Number
Scientific name
Herbarium voucher
Medicinal use
Preparation
Used part
Administration

1
Oxalis corniculata L.
Oxalidaceae
PPN-ox-001
Scurvy "scorbutic tongue"
To crush
Whole plant
Topic

2
Impatiens sp.  
Balsaminaceae
PPN-ba-001
Postpartum relapse
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

3
Impatiens balsamina L.  
Balsaminaceae
PPN-ba-001
Postpartum relapse
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

4
Begonia sp.  
Begoniaceae
PPN-ba-001
Postpartum relapse
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

5
Impatiens balsamina L.  
Balsaminaceae
PPN-ba-001
Postpartum relapse
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

6
Nasturtium officinalis R. Br.  
Brassicaceae
PPN-br-002
Malaise of the body and flu
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

7
Borago officinalis L.  
Boraginaceae
PPN-bo-001
Postpartum relapse and cough
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

8
Tradescantia zebrina Heynh.  
Commelinaceae
PPN-co-004
Postpartum relapse
Crush
Whole plant
Oral

9
Callisia repens (Jacq.) L.  
Commelinaceae
PPN-co-001
Postpartum relapse
Crush
Whole plant
Oral

10
Ageratum conyzoides L.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-037
Gangrene and infections after birth
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

11
Geranium diffusum Kunth.  
Geraniaceae
PPN-ge-010
Gangrene and infections after birth
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

12
Lepidium chichicara Desv.  
Brassicaceae
PPN-br-004
Fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e., “bad air” in Spanish)
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

13
Dianthus caryophyllus L.  
Caryophyllaceae
PPN-cd-001
Stomach ache
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

14
Brassica oleracea L.  
Brassicaceae
PPN-br-007
Postpartum infection
Crushed
Stem
Oral

15
Peperomia peltigera C. DC.  
Piperaceae
PPN-pi-010
Nerves and headache
Infusion
Leaves
Oral

16
Mesembryanthemum elegans L.  
Aizoaceae
PPN-az-002
Nerves and headache
Infusion
Leaves
Oral

17
Peperomia Inaequalifolia Ruiz & Pav.  
Piperaceae
PPN-pi-009
Fright children
Cooked
Leaves
Bath

18
Taraxacum officinale F. H. Wigg.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-020
Gastritis, ulcer and cleanse
Infusion
Whole plant
Oral

19
Iresine herbstii Hook.  
Asteraceae
PPN-am-001
Infections of uteri, vagina, liver and kidney
Crushed
Stem and leaves
Oral

20
Pelargonium sp.  
Geraniaceae
PPN-ge-008
Cold and nervous during childbirth and postpartum
Infusion
Leaves
Oral

21
Pelargonium graveolens L’Hér.  
Geraniaceae
PPN-ge-004
Cold and nervous during childbirth and postpartum
Infusion
Leaves
Oral

22
Pelargonium zonale (L.) L’Hér.  
Geraniaceae
PPN-ge-005
Infections, vaginal, before childbirth and postpartum
Crushed
Flowers
Topic

23
Foeniculum vulgare Mill.   
Apiaceae
PPN-ap-004
Increase maternal milk, indigestion, colic menstrual
Infusion
Whole plant
Oral

24
Myrica parvifolia Benth.  
Myricaceae
PPN-mr-002
Bad air, colic stomach, to treat faint during childbirth
Chew
Buds
Oral

25
Linum usitatissimum L.  
Linaceae
PPN-li-001
Inflammation of liver and kidney
Cooked
Fruit
Oral

26
Plantago major L.  
Plantaginaceae
PPN-pn-001
Inflammation of liver and kidney
Cooked
Whole plant
Oral

27
Anredera ramosa (Moq.) Eliasson.  
Basellaceae
PPN-bs-001
Bath the children, fever, headache
Crushed and to scrub in hot water
Whole plant
Bath

28
Lavatera arborea L.  
Malvaceae
PPN-ma-009
Inflammation of liver and kidney
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

29
Pelargonium odoratissimum L.  
Geraniaceae.
PPN-ge-001
Cold during childbirth
Cooked or infusion
Branches
Oral

30
Mentha pulegium L.  
Lamiaceae
PPN-la-015
Colic stomach, indigestion and cold
Infusion
Branches
Oral

31
Mentha piperita subsp.  
Lamiaceae
PPN-la-006
Colic stomach, indigestion and cold
Infusion
Branches
Oral

32
Bidens andicola Kunth.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-005
Postpartum relapse
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

33
Thymus vulgaris L.  
Lamiaceae
PPN-la-022
Indigestion
Cooked
Branches
Oral

34
Ageratina dendroides (Spreng) R. M.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-053
Coups and extraction of pus
Put the place affected
Buds
Topic

35
Fuchsia hybrida Hort.  
Onagraceae
PPN-on-005
Nerves during childbirth and postpartum
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

36
Viola tricolor L. var 1.  
Violaceae
PPN-vi-003
Nerves
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

37
Viola tricolor L. var 2.  
Violaceae
PPN-vi-003
Nerves
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

38
Clinopodium sp.  
Lamiaceae
PPN-la-024
Colic menstrual and allergy
Infusion
Whole plant
Oral/to rub

39
Ruta graveolens L.  
Rutaceae
PPN-rt-001
Bath, fain during childbirth
Crushed
Flowers
Oral

40
Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Sch. Bip.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-031
Children fright
Cooked
Whole plant
Bath

41
Cestrum sendtnerianum C. Martius.  
Solanaceae
PPN-so-003
Postpartum relapse
Infusion
Flowers
Bath

42
Baccharis obtusifolia Kunth.  
Asteraceae
PPN-as-014
Cold during childbirth.
Burn the dry
Leaves
Topic

43
Salvia leucocephala Kunth.  
Lamiaceae
PPN-la-025
Postpartum bath
Cooked
Whole plant
Bath

44
Iresine herbstii Hook. var 1.  
Amaranthaceae
PPN-am-001
Flu, fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e., “bad air” in Spanish)
Infusion
Whole plant
Oral

45
Iresine herbstii Hook. var 2.  
Amaranthaceae
PPN-am-001
Flu, fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e., “bad air” in Spanish)
Infusion
Whole plant
Oral

46
Iresine herbstii Hook var 3.  
Amaranthaceae
PPN-am-001
Flu, fever or cold caused by cold air or strong winds (locally known as “mal aire”, i.e., “bad air” in Spanish)
Infusion
Whole plant
Oral

47
Melissa officinalis L.  
Lamiaceae
PPN-la-004
Nerves
Crushed
Whole plant
Oral

48
Verbena litoralis Kunth.  
Verbenaceae
PPN-ve-001
Malaise of the body, infection of the throat, and flu
Cooked
Whole plant
Oral

49
Viola odorata L.  
Violaceae
PPN-vi-001
Cough
Infusion
Flowers
Oral

Plants used in mythological cases.

Figure 3: Number of species used by each community healer.

In relation to the type of plants used by the healers, the results show that 61.8% correspond to herbs (113 species), 25.7% correspond to shrubs (47 species), 7.1% correspond to trees (13 species), 3.8% correspond to lianas (7 species), and the rest correspond to two parasitic and one aquatic species [31] (Figure 4). From these, the species grown in the “páramo” (tropical alpine grassland ecosystem) belong to Huperzia and Lycopodium genera as was previously reported by [32]. Out of the total species registered, two of them (Bejaria resinosa and Huperzia) have been studied in detail, showing a high potential of the Saraguro flora as a source of novel secondary metabolites and biologically active plants extracts as has been previously reported [33–35]. Finally, a summary of the documented plant species used by the different healers that include information of their scientific name, way of preparation, and administration is reported in Tables 4−7.

Figure 4: Number of species in relation to their habit.

4. Conclusions

In this study we collected, organized, and documented the natural plants used in traditional healing practices of the Saraguro community of the San Lucas Parish in south Ecuador. We achieved this according to the directions of the World Health Organization (OMS), which is one of the prioritized strategic research lines of the National Secretariat for Science and Technology of Ecuador (SENESCYT), that is, to strengthen and enhance the recovery of ancestral knowledge in coexistence with scientific knowledge. We documented the existence of 183 species used in 75 different curative therapies by four key community healers of the Saraguro ethnic group: a midwife, an herbalist, a bone-healer, and a visionary.

This research conducted in collaboration with the members of the native Saraguro community constitutes a baseline study to help promote the preservation of this ancient medicinal knowledge by a thorough documentation of the natural resources and processing methods used. Moreover, we hope the results of this study motivate young generations to envision the potential of the use and application of traditional knowledge in medicinal practices. Finally, this scientific research and the results here reported aim at preserving and enhancing, as much as possible, a culture of the practice of natural ancient medicinal science, while preserving the environment, nature, life, culture, and sovereignty of the Saraguro people.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the four key informants “Hampiyachakkuna” of the San Luca parish: Mama Aurelia, Taita Asunción, Taita Segundo, and Taita Vicente, whose openness to sharing their knowledge and wisdom was invaluable to carrying out this research. Special thanks are due to Bolivar Merino, curator of the Loja Herbarium. The authors thank the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL) for the financial support of this study. The authors are grateful to the Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador (MAE) for granting the permission for the collection of the documented species.

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