| Cordero, CS; Meve, U; Alejandro, G J: Ethnobotany and diversity of medicinal plants used among rural communities in Mina, Iloilo, Philippines: A quantitative study, Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity, 16, 96-115 (2023), doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.japb.2022.12.003 | |
| Abstract: The Philippines has a long history of using medicinal plants in ethnomedicine; however, this information is under-documented in many rural communities. This study aims to document the medicinal plants used in rural barangays in Mina, Iloilo. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to elicit the indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants. A total of 111 medicinal plants distributed in 98 genera and 49 families were used to address 82 ailments in 17 disease-categories. Of the 109 plants identified up to the species level, 74% are non-native, 26% are native, and 7% of the native species are endemic in the Philippines. Ninety-nine percent are not assessed, least concern, and with data deficient in IUCN Red List while only 1% is near threatened status. Five values were used to evaluate the plant importance: use value, relative frequency citation, relative importance, informant consensus factor, and fidelity level. Curcuma longa had the highest use value and relative importance, Coleus amboinicus had the highest relative frequency citation, and Chrysophyllum cainito had the highest fidelity level. The highest was recorded in the sleep–wake disorders category. The results of this study will serve as a basis for further pharmacological investigation and awareness of preserving traditional knowledge and biological diversity. |
