Abstract

DOMINGUEZ-BARRADAS, Consuelo; CRUZ-MORALES, Gerardo Eliseo  and  GONZALEZ-GANDARA, Carlos. Medicinal plants of the Ecological Reserve "Sierra of Otontepec" Township Chontla , Veracruz, Mexico. CienciaUAT [online]. 2015, vol.9, n.2, pp.41-52. ISSN 2007-7858.

The ecological reserve named "Sierra de Otontepec", located in the Northern region of the state of Veracruz, represents an isolated portion of the Sierra Madre Oriental. It is an ecosystem with a vast richness of flora and fauna, however, there are few reports about of its biodiversity, and particularly concerning the use of plants with beneficial health effects has not been documented. In this study, medicinal ethnobotanical information was collected through the application of semi-structured interviews and questionnaires to 210 villagers from Chontla. The results enabled researchers to integrate a taxonomic list of 80 species; each one with their the scientific and popular name, therapeutic use, preparation and vegetal part used. The most representative botanical families was Asteraceae and Lamiaceae (seven by family), Euphorbiaceae and Fabaceae (four by family). In correspondence to the use 42 sickness where pointed, important species against the cancer, diabetes, diarrhea, kidney troubles, and high blood pressure. The interviewers declare that obtain the curative vegetal material (65 %), from its particular gardens were they cultivate more than 24 different species. The obtained results reveal a vast plant richness, with considerable importance for the care of a broad spectrum of illnesses and a valuable traditional knowledge regarding the local flora and vegetable resources in the northern region of Veracruz. The collected information represents a knowledge base for future ethnobotanical research and more informed point of view about the safety of some local plants, all this based on the sustainable usage of medicinal flora.

Keywords : Medicinal plants; Otontepec; traditional medicine; ethnobotany; Chontla.

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