Analysis of medicinal potions currently used in the Mayan traditional medicine

Vera‐Ku, Marina; Simá, P.; Méndez, Mónica; Moo‐Puc, Rosa; Rosado-Vallado, Miguel; Peraza‐Sánchez, Sergio R.

doi:10.1055/s-0028-1083890

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…In recent years, scientists have undertaken numerous studies to find out the chemical composition of the medicinal plants used in the Yucatan Peninsula (Cisneros-Pineda et al 2007;Molina-Salinas et al 2010;Hernández-Bolio and Peña-Rodríguez 2018), and they found that most of the plant species used by Mayan healers were native of the region (Ankli et al 2002;Vera-Ku 2011;Ortiz et al 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Species With Dermatological Relevance Used in Traditional Mayan Medicine

Escobar-Chan,

Fernández-Concha,

Rodríguez-García

et al. 2024

Journal of Ethnobiology

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This ethnobotanical study highlights the significant knowledge of the Maya Yucatecan healers about medicinal plants used to treat skin diseases and the importance of studying the ancient knowledge inherited from generation to generation. Historically, the Maya people have relied on the use of medicinal plants to treat various ailments, including skin diseases. The study focuses on identifying the plants that have been traditionally employed for these purposes. By comparing historical sources with contemporary ethnobotanical data gathered from the field, this research uncovers the evolving patterns of plant usage over time. It also underscores the significance of considering sociopolitical circumstances in understanding changes in local knowledge. The data indicated that Rutaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Lamiaceae, and Asteraceae were the most represented families. The ethnohistoric record also showed gaps linked to the local knowledge developed by the Mayans over time. The principal component analysis technique applied to our ethnobotanical data simplifies the complexity of information on the use of medicinal flora to treat skin conditions, resulting in a new predictive model for pooling herbal knowledge. Correlations indicated that more than 50% of the listed species are used to treat fungal infections. This historical perspective enriches our understanding of the dynamic relationship between the Maya people and their use of medicinal plants for skin-related ailments.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Species With Dermatological Relevance Used in Traditional Mayan Medicine

Escobar-Chan,

Fernández-Concha,

Rodríguez-García

et al. 2024

Journal of Ethnobiology

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show abstract

“…4,5 Under this premise, we look for some species cited in the holy Mayan books Popol Vuh and Chilam Balam for the treatment of a skin-like condition cutaneous leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease caused by Leishmania mexicana, with an annual mean of 637 new cases, most of them in the Yucatan peninsula. 6,7 This region is particularly relevant due to high number of registered medicinal species (around 750) however, despite the variety of species only a few compounds have been tested against Leishmania mexicana. 8 Although this neglected tropical disease has been studied since 1903, 9 today does not exist an effective chemotherapeutic agent and some of them present several asides' effects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%